Retreat Pincushions

Those gals I spent last week with at the Canter's Cave retreat are a super-generous bunch, and we were showered with goodies of all shapes and sizes. My meager offering was a batch of mini-pincushions made over the past several months.

I  have come to be quite obsessive about throwing away scraps. This has been a result of following various quilters on Instagram and blogs who make the tiniest pieces of scraps into cute little pincushions. I tried a few last summer, and have continued to add more through the fall and winter. I finally had accumulated enough that I needed to unload a few, so using them as gifts for retreat participants seemed like a worthwhile effort.

Each pincushion bears a remarkable resemblance to projects I have worked on in the past six months or so. Uncanny how that works. *grin*

I bought a big batch of crushed pecan shells which is the substance used for stuffing which means I will be making quite a few more little pinnies. They are fun to do and are great fillers for in-between projects, or when time is short and a quickie is just the thing.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Random Pincushion

I see the most adorable pincushions in my Instagram feed, and I just can't help myself - I have to make one right now!

It's insane, I know. It's like I have no control.

So, Monday, when I should have been preparing for class and doing many other things, I did this, instead.

You know I've been working on that July UFO made entirely with a variety of Minick and Simpson fabric collections. Those scraps are definitely being saved, and some of them ended up becoming this pincushion. It measures about 4" square. 

This makes the fifth random pincushion now, and really, I do not need them! (Links to pinnie #1, #s 2 and 3, and  #4.) The fun is that they finish so quickly - you actually have a finished product in your hand in about an hour. That is very gratifying. Also, you use what normally would be wasted - trashcan material. There was a time when I threw away the cut-away corners of my flying geese units. No more! Look what can become of them.

The back of this pincushion is pretty, too. I have a stack of HSTs that may or may not be used in the medallion project, so I just grabbed one to use for my back.

Yesterday, Sharon was here to sew and we accomplished so much! I will try to get back to posting more regularly, as blog topics are piling up here! Hope you have a great Wednesday!

I am linking today with Let's Bee Social. You have got to see the gorgeous table runner she has just made. I may have to make one, as well. It sure is pretty. I've also just discovered Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrications. I am linking; let me know what you think!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Pincushions - Like Trying to Eat Just One Cookie

Is it possible to eat just one cookie? Or one potato chip? I can confidently equate the itch to make "just one more" pincushion to those tempting snacks. I have a pile of teeny-tiny scraps still on my table from that July UFO and I can't bring myself to toss it out - there might be yet another pincushion in there!

So far, I have made 4 from the current pile of scraps, and one from the scraps left of the Swoon quilt which I finished earlier in July. If you haven't seen some of the pincushions being made, you are missing quite the show. Crazy Mom Quilts blog did one for each day of the month of July, plus a few extras (she couldn't stop either!) and Carrie Nelson joined in the fun - I saw hers on Instagram. Now this month, there's a "pinnie parade" hashtag going around IG, so if you've missed it, you must go check it out. You might just find yourself equally tempted.

Happy Quilting, Friends!