Kunin ClassicFelt & DMC threads make a little camper pin cushion

I sure hope everyone is finding projects to stay occupied during this worldwide pandemic. This week I’ll do my utmost to inspire you to not only stay busy but also to enjoy quick projects that include lots of luscious color with versatile Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt and DMC Popular Colors Embroidery Floss. All five projects have the added benefit of being potential on the go projects to take to the cottage, on holiday, and great storage for your needles, pins, and more. Most are no-sew with simple hand embroidery and so much fun to make. We all need a little more fun right now.

Follow along each day this week as I show you how to make a plethora of pretty pincushions, a scissor case and a travel needle kit to make for yourself or to gift to others.

Why have fun with Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt this week?

• My daughter is an Ontario College of Arts and Design Grad, BFA,(Sculpture and Installation) and she had recently been working with Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt to sculpt beautiful fruits and veggies for children and she has inspired me with her artistry, sculptures and use of color!
• It’s not just for children’s crafting, you can sew it by hand or machine, embroider and bead it with ease.
• Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt is so colorful and cheerful.
• It’s super easy to needle through (like sewing through butter) and sew easily by hand or machine.
• It has no wrong or right side making it easy to sew with.
• It’s very sculptural, it bends and shapes in any way you want it.
• It cuts cleanly.
• It is machine washable and dry-able. Note: Not all felt is washable and dry-able. Make sure to get Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt.
• It comes in a wide range of fade-resistant colors.
• It’s the ideal material for a wide variety of crafts.
• It’s very affordable.
• It’s readily available at most craft and/or sewing stores.
• It’s extremely versatile for crafting, DIY, and home decor projects and only limited by your own imagination.

Today’s project is the Little Camper Pin Cushion. I’m thinking this might be a real safe way for all of us to vacation this summer, in our own camper and little home away from home. This little pincushion is made almost exclusively with Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt, some DMC Embroidery Floss, and some very tiny scraps of fabric. It’ll cheer up your sewing room, a gift to give a sewing friend or relative…. or make it the pincushion for your camper or cottage.

• Fairfield Poly-fil Premium Polyester Fiber Fill
• Fairfield Poly-fil Poly-Pellets – these are weighted stuffing beads and will help the stuffed item stand up and not topple over
• Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt – I used pink, black, orange, yellow, white and gray
• Free Pattern Download for Little Camper Pin Cushion
• UNIQUE Crewel/Embroidery Needles size 3-9
• UNIQUE Sewing Permanent Marker – black
• sewing thread – white
• UNIQUE Sewing Pearl Head Pins
• DMC Popular Colors Embroidery Floss – I used orange, red, lavender, yellow, sage green, black and white
• Klasse Stork Embroidery Scissors
• KAI 7100 Embroidery Scissors (optional)
• Hi-Tak No-Sew Fabric Glue
• UNIQUE Sewing Wash Out Marker (optional)
• card stock or template plastic
• tiny scraps of small scale print fabric for drapery – 5″ x 5″ square
• printer and printer paper

1.  Download & print out the free pattern for the Little Camper Pin Cushion here.
2.  Cut out the pattern pieces side 1, side 2, and the roof from page 1.
3.  Cut out the accessory pieces from page 2 and set them aside in a zip lock bag.
4.  Cut out from the Kunin Rainbow ClassicFelt: roof piece from soft gray, the bottom side of side 1 and 2 from pink, the top white sections, and all accessory pieces (yellow for windows and door, black and white for tires and orange for flower pot). Cut out (4) 1″ x 1” rectangle of fabric scrap for drapes. Cut (2) 2″ x 2″ scraps of fabric for back and side 2 drapes. Refer to photo:

5.  Refer to placement diagram page 3 and glue each window, door, wheels, license plate, grill, and planter with a single dot of Hi-Tak No-Sew Fabric Glue.  This gluing will act as an easy basting stitch to hold the accessory pieces in place while you hand embroidery them to side 1, side 2, and roof pieces.

6.  Use a simple running stitch, stem stitch or blanket stitch using DMC Embroidery Floss to stitch windows, door and other accessory pieces to the sides and roof. I used my Klasse´ Stork Embroidery Scissors to cut embroidery floss as they have sharp points to allow for snipping of floss and then threaded them easily into size 9 UNIQUE Crewel/Embroidery Needles. Also at this time, sew the drapery to the windows with sewing thread, gathering them at the top.

7.  Once all accessory pieces are embroidered, the camper can be embroidered together with a blanket stitch using 3 strands of DMC Embroidery Floss in gray, blanket stitch side 1 to one side of the roof piece starting at the pink left side. Pins can be used to hold everything together while you are blanket stitching. Sew the left side, leaving a 3″ gap and then stuff with ½ cup Poly-Fil Poly Pellets (these are weighted stuffing beads and will help your stuffed item stand up and not topple over) and top up Poly-Fil Polyester Fiber Fill. I like to overstuff so I have a firmly stuffed item. If more stuffing is needed, add it when you’ve reached the 3″ gap point.

*Ask for Fairfield Poly-Fil Poly Pellets and Fairfield Poly-Fil Premium Polyester Fiber Fill at your local craft supply or quilt shop. There are also lots of online sewing/quilting/craft shop shipping options now as well.

8. Remember this is a sculptural process, the tires are wrapped to the bottom side of the camper and stitched down. Enjoy the creative process of making your sculptured Little Camper Pin Cushion come to life. Refer to photos below:

*Don’t forget to add some cute decorative stitches to add flowers to your flower pot!

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Little Camper Pin Cushion project and you’ll treat yourself to one for your sewing room, cottage, or camper. Remember you can gather up any of the supplies for projects this week and take them along with you on the go. No sewing machine required! Come on back tomorrow and I will show you another fun and easy project of a Scissor Case using Kunin Rainbow Classic Felt. Another example of how versatile and fun felt is to work with. I’m sure you have some special scissors that deserve a cute scissor case.