Frilly Hedgehog Pincushion - Tutorial

Some corsage pins I ordered arrived, but they came in a flimsy ziplock bag.  For safety reasons, ahem, I had to make a new pincushion... with ruffles. 

I had previously sewed some swatches of fabric and backed them with cotton batting for another project, but it didn't work out so I had this quilted material just lying around in my scrap bin.  This little project was a good opportunity to use up this fabric.

If you want to make something similar, this is how I made this:

Materials

Fabric

Cotton batting

Polyfil Stuffing

Thread

Needle

Sewing machine + hand sewing

Lots of double sided ribbon (Each row is about three times around the pouf)

Peanut butter jar lid (or other similar lid)

Other lid about 2-3 times as big as the peanut butter jar lid

Instructions (Sorry!  No photo steps in this tutorial!)

(Note: this assumes that the fabric is already backed with batting.)

Preparation

1. Cut one circle about 1 inch bigger all around than the peanut butter jar lid

2. Cut strip of fabric long enough to wrap around the outside of the lid plus about 1 inch all around

3. Cut large circle about 2-3 times the size of the base (bigger circle makes bigger mushroom top)

4. Cut 3 strips of ribbon that are long enough to wrap at least three times around the outside of the dome.  These are for 3 layers of ruffles.

Dome Top

5. Create running stitch around the entire perimeter of the dome top circle.  Pull to create a draw string that closes the circle into a pouch.  Stuff pouch very full with stuffing.  Pull string tight and secure in place (knots).  You should have a puffy ball.

Base

6. With sewing machine, carefully sew the long strip of fabric around the base circle (wrong sides facing out, right sides facing each other.  When you turn it the right side out, you should have a cup that the peanut butter lid can fit into.

7. Sew running stitch around top perimeter of the cup and pull tight so that the edges pull in to the middle.  Stuff full with batting or fabric scraps.  Secure thread in place (knots).

Ruffles

8. Sew (hand-stitch) the end of one strip of ribbon to the side of the dome top.  

9. Create two stitches of a very loose running stitch.  

10. Push ribbon down the thread to create first ruffle.  

11. Sew ruffle down to side of dome. 

12.  Keep creating ruffles and sewing them down around the entire side of the dome until a full circle is created.  Adjust how tight you want your ruffles as you go and keep an eye on how much ribbon you have left to ensure that you have enough to go around the entire circle.

13. Create two more circles of ruffles.  You should have one ruffle about half way down the side of the dome, one at the bottom edge of the dome, and one ruffle layer in between those.

Put it All Together

14. Center the base in the middle of the bottom of the dome.

15. Use a ladder stitch to join the top and bottom (hand-stitched).  I sewed the bottom to the last ruffle layer as that was easiest.

16. You are done!  Enjoy your new ruffly pincushion! 

I had a lot of scrap fabric and fleece so I stuffed my pincushion with that instead.  The downside is that scrap fabric is very dense and harder to stick thicker needles (ex. corsage pins) easily into.  You may wish to use batting in the top and fabric scraps only in the base so that you can more easily push needles in.  Smaller pins and needles will have no problem pushing into fabric scrap.

Have a great week!

Hedgehog and Small Animals Tutorials - Sewing and more!

To keep things organized, here are some of the tutorials available for making cool things for your hedgehog (or other small animal).  Please note that these tutorials are for you to make things for your own personal use, not to sell.

Summer Flannel Pita Pouch - perfect for hot weather and more airflow, also fits perfectly into your dome.

Fleece Pouch (8 x 10 rectangle) - perfect for sleeping in, snuggling, hiding, burrowing... you get the gist  :)

Quilted Fleece Top for Fleece Pouches - use up those fleece squares and make your pouches awesome!

Poggy's Special Inside-Out Pouch - a modification of the rectangular fleece pouches into a reversible holiday & non-holiday pouch

Fleece Pouch (10.5 x10.5 inches square) - perfect for converting into a carrying pouch!

Flat Bottomed Carrying Pouch (10.5 x 8 x 3 inches) - perfect for making into a flat bottom carrying pouch!

Carrying Pouch Straps - ties a cute bow stylishly around the side of your neck.  Why not cuddle with your hedgehog and look good too?

Tree Dome Cover - very general instructions for how to make a cosy for your Living World dome that looks like a short, fat tree.

Fleece Cage Liners - washable, reusable bedding for your little friend!

Start a Mealworm Colony - keep your store-bought mealworms fresh and tasty (aka FAT) by keeping them in dry oatmeal and giving them a carrot each week.  If you're lucky, your colony will become self-sustaining!

Hedgehog Dolls - just purchase the PDF from my shop and you're well on your way to two adorable new little friends.  The instructions are 14 pages and include 39 photos with step-by-step instructions.

Hedgie Hat - available as an instant PDF download from my shop.  The instruction are 11 pages and include photos and the template for the reversible hedgie hat.  The mushroom decoration templates are not included, but the instructions for how to make them are.

Don't forget to post finished pictures of your projects on the Flickr page here or email them to me bluepandemonium (at) hotmail (dot) com.

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Have the tutorials and information on this blog helped you? Then please consider supporting this blog with a generous donation!

 

How to Make a Hedgehog Carrying Pouch - The Bag

Here's a tutorial for how to make a hedgehog carrying pouch with a cute bow strap.  First, let's start with the bag itself without the straps. 

***Please note that these tutorials are for you to make things for your own personal use, not to sell.***

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Sewing machine
• Fleece fabric
• Flannel fabric
• Thread
• Needle
• Ruler

CUTTING & SEWING
Outside:  Measure out a rectangle of flannel fabric 12 x 8 inches in size.  Cut out two.  You can also use fleece only if you want.

Rim:  Measure out a rectangle of fleece fabric 12 x 5 inches in size.  Cut out two.

Place one fleece fabric on top of the flannel fabric with good sides facing each other.  Line up the top edge and sew in place.

 Lay the fleece and flannel piece on top of the inside fleece fabric and cut out two pieces.  This will give you two inside pieces that match the size of the outside pieces.

Lay one inside fleece on top of the flannel piece with good sides facing each other.  Line up the top edge and sew together.

Do the same thing with the other flannel section and the other new inside fleece piece.

*** If you would like a flat bottomed pouch, go to the flat bottomed pouch tutorial now. ***

 Place the two fleece and flannel pieces on top of each other with good sides facing each other.  Pin in place.

 Sew around the entire shape, but leave a 2 inch gap on the inside fleece side.  Make sure to backstitch around the gap.

 You can reinforce the corners by sewing diagonally across them.

 Turn the pouch inside out through the 2 inch gap.  Now you need to close the gap.  Tuck in the edges of the gap in and pinch the gap closed.

HIDDEN STITCH
Thread a needle and tie a knot.  Make a stitch overlapping the existing stitching around the edges of the gap a little.  Stitch on one side of the gap, go directly over sideways, make a stitch on the other side of the gap.  Go in a ladder stitch from side to side until the gap is closed.

When you are done, tie a secure knot.  Stitch into the pouch and pull the thread taut before snipping it.

Push the fleece side into the flannel side and match the corners up neatly.  You are done!

The pouch will measure about 10.5 inches x 10.5 inches.  If you only want a fleece pouch, you can stop here.  If you want to turn this into a carrying pouch, move on to the next tutorial on how to make the cute bow straps!

Don't forget to post your finished pictures in the Flickr group here.  I'd love to see what you make!

Don't want to make your own?  Email me at bluepandemonium (at) hotmail.com and maybe I can make one for you!  I also have some fleece pouches and hedgehog flannel fabric listed in my Etsy shop.

Happy Sewing!

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Read other hedgehog tutorials

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Have the tutorials and information on this blog helped you? Then please consider supporting this blog with a generous donation!

How To Alter Your Shorts To Make Them Bigger

Here's a tutorial for how to (attractively) make your shorts bigger.  I have seen a lot of tutorials for how to do this, but the end results are often hideous (sorry!).  So here's one way to discreetly or stylishly increase your shorts in size.

 MATERIALS NEEDED

• Shorts that are too small (but that you really want to wear!)
• Pretty or matching fabric
• Thread
• Needle
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Pencil
• Scissors

CUTTING
First, look at the seams on both sides of your shorts.  Remove any buttons, etc, along the seam area.

 Turn your shorts inside out.  Take a look at the seams on the sides.

Take a ruler and follow the fabric folded on the seam line.  Draw a pencil/chalk line.

 Use scissors to cut along your line neatly.

 Fold your chosen pretty fabric in half.  Measure out fabric in the width that you need to expand your shorts.

Don't forget to allow for 1/2 inch seams (add one inch width to each strip).  It is better to have too much fabric than too little so be generous.

Guideline:  if you want to expand a pair of size 24 jeans up to size 26, cut 2 strips of fabric 3 inches wide each.

 Make the strips of fabric a lot longer than your shorts length.  This allows for neat ends later.

SEWING
Pin the fabric to your shorts with the wrong side up.  The good sides of both the shorts and the fabric should be facing each other.

 Sew along the edge.

Tip:  Backstitch the beginning and end to lock in your stitching.

 Now align the two edges of the shorts to where they used to connect.  Center them to each other.

This ensures that you are sewing the new fabric at the correct angle with the loose edge of the shorts.

 Pin the loose edge of the pretty fabric to the remaining loose edge of the shorts.  Again, good sides of the fabric should be facing each other (wrong sides out). 


Sew the edge together.

The inside will look like this when you're done.

 The outside will look like this - a neat new strip of colour. 


Tip:  Put the shorts on now (if you can).  See if the new completed leg is big enough.  If your leg cannot fit into the new shorts hole, it is too small!  You will have to use a seam ripper to undo the sewing you did and insert a new, wider strip into the hole.  


See?  It is better to have too much fabric than too little.  I learned this this the hard way because I thought adding such a wide strip was ridiculous (I'm not that fat!!!!)  Sadly... I forgot to account for seam allowance (and pride). 

 Go ahead and sew a strip onto the other side using the same method as earlier.  Put on your shorts to check that your measurements were correct.

If they are too big, you can either undo one side of stitching on each leg and trim the strip smaller, or (more easier) just sew a little deeper on your seams.

When everything looks good and you are happy with how your shorts fit, go ahead and zig-zag stitch the edges of your new seams.  This prevents fraying and makes your shorts look more pro.

 Now to take care of those long strips of fabric ends!

Fold your fabric up twice to create a neat edge on the inside.  Keep the sides tucked in neatly.  Pin it into place.

 Use a needle and thread to hand-sew the loose edges of the folded fabric to the seams of the shorts.  Only do this where the fabric is more than one layer.  Then you won't see stitching on the front of the shorts.

 Here is how the completed side of the shorts look with the new fabric added.  Make sure to sew all the buttons, etc that you removed earlier back into place securely.

 Here is how the shorts look if they were in motion.  They look pretty cute  :)   If I wanted to make these shorts even cuter, I could add a little matching belt like the pair of shorts below has.

 Here is another pair of shorts that I have altered.  I opted for a simple, satiny black stripe on the side.  It just makes them look slightly sportier.

I'm so happy that I altered this one because they are such cute shorts to begin with!

For this pair of black shorts, I added the same satiny black material.  Since they are both black, the strip is not that noticeable.  At the same time because of the different texture, the added strip looks intentional.  This makes this pair of shorts more versatile.

So, there you have it!  A way to make your shorts bigger without looking ridiculous.  You can finally put those favourite shorts back into use.  I think I haven't worn these shorts for almost 10 years now, but I kept them because I thought I would (magically) lose weight and fit back into them again.  Unfortunately, I think I purposely bought them a bit too tight when I originally bought them (oh, vain self!).

Oh well, now they are back in use!  I considered doing this to quarter length pants but I don't think I could do this as well as I can do this with shorts.  Shorts are easy!

Oh, another tip, the key to making this look good is to pick good fabrics to add in.  Choose wisely!

Happy sewing!