Monday, April 15, 2013

Stumpwork Pincushion

free stumpwork pincushion tutorial

Happy Monday! Have you seen my new book yet? :) It's called Doodle Stitching: Embroidery and Beyond. Do you like this cute mushroom pincushion on the cover? Well, today I'm giving you a sneak peek into my book with free instructions on how to make it! It uses a fun technique called Stumpwork and I think you'll enjoy it.

**PLUS** Leave a comment for a chance to win this pincushion free!! 
(It's famous you know. ;) Good Luck!


Stumpwork is used to create three dimensional embroidery art. Padded Stumpwork pieces are the most basic technique, created by stitching a small felt piece onto a background and then stitching over it with the Satin Stitch to create a rounded shape. This is how you can create the cute mushrooms on this simple to sew pincushion!


What You Need:
7x2 inch piece of blue felt
7x1 inch piece of green felt
1 blue and 1 green, 2 inch felt circles
small scraps of red and white felt
Stuffing
Embroidery floss
one skein each of dark coral 349, coral 351, light coral 352, green 471, white

Stitches:
Satin Stitch, Straight Stitch, Running Stitch, Stab Stitch, Whip Stitch
Instructions:

1. Cut the green felt according to the pattern (at the bottom of this post) and stitch it to the blue felt using small running stitches.
2. Using the patterns, cut 5 mushroom top shapes and 5 bottoms from red and white felt.
3. For each mushroom, start by stitching a bottom felt piece in place on the felt background using the stab stitch (see first figure below.) Keep your stitches small and close together.
4. Using white floss, stitch a Satin Stitch vertically over the felt piece (see second figure below.)

stumpworkstitches

5. Now stitch the mushroom top in place, tucking a small amount of stuffing underneath. Stitch a horizontal Satin Stitch over the felt piece.
    Stitch a few Satin Stitch spots on the mushroom top. Don’t pull your stitches too tightly.
    Continue to stitch the rest of the mushrooms in the same way.
6. Fold the felt strip into a circle, overlapping the ends slightly, sew them together using the Whip Stitch. 

whipstitch

7. Sew the bottom circle in place at the base with the Whip Stitch.
8. Sew the top circle in place at the top, tucking stuffing inside.

Here is the template (click to enlarge.)







15 comments:

  1. Cutest pincushion! I love it. Thanks so much for the tutorial.

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  2. this is so adorable! I love this tutorial

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  3. Your book is on my Pinterest wishlist board. with mothers day and birthday upcoming, must ensure my husband knows about the board :-) thank you for sharing the tutorial.

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  4. I love that pincushion! I already bought your third embroidery book (and all the others). I actually used the stumpwork technique from your book for some craft swaps recently and was really happy with the result.

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  5. Karen Bush DonahueApril 15, 2013 at 8:58 PM

    I'm a fan! Have all three books and would so love to win this pincushion!

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    1. Karen Bush DonahueApril 20, 2013 at 2:39 PM

      Find me on facebook if you pull y name out of your hat...thanks!

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  6. I will go grab the new book...I have all your others :) thanks for the tutorial & chance to win!

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  7. Thanks for sharing this beautiful pincushion.
    Liefs, Melanie

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  8. I would deerly love to win this little pincushion to add to my collection of Aimee Awesomeness!!!! It's absolutely magical :-)

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  9. I would love to have this little pincushion by my sewing machine! I actually just bought the book a few days ago, but it hasn't come in the mail yet! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  10. This is fabulous! I would love to win it!
    Thank you!

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  11. Awesome pin cushion!! I love your books! I bought this book as soon as I could and read it cover to cover. I can't wait to start some projects from it as soon as I'm done making baby stuff for my sisters soon to be son.
    Thank you for the opportunity to win the awesome pin cushion!!

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  12. Such a happy little pincushion! Need to add the new book to my Amazon list and start stalking the library for it ;) really excited about learning some new techniques.

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  13. Adorable!! Totally love it. I need to get that book -- it's the only one of yours that I don't own yet! :-)

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  14. Aimee, congratulations on your newest book! That pincushion is SO cute! :)

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Thanks for your comments! I love hearing from you! :)