llama Pincushion

This weeks blog share is an awesome llama pin cushion by Andie at americanfeltandcraft.wordpress.com

It is so much fun with simple, affordable materials such as felt and embroidery thread. You can view our range of felt here

Thanks to motherhood I can recite nearly every word to “Is Your Mama A Llama” which admittedly, is less impressive than the works of collected works of Keats but Keats doesn’t rhyme and is unlikely to inspire adorable pincushions.

For this project you will need:

• Embroidery thread in various colors, I chose a punch color, a mustard color, a sunny yellow, aqua and a blue.
• Cardboard
• Felt in teal, linen, orchid, sunshine and matching threads.(You can choose whatever colours you like though, see our range of felt here )
• Sequins in Mermaid and Hot Pink
• Stuffing
• DIY Llama Pincushion Patterns (at the end of post)
• Optional: Pins, Mini Pom Poms and Hot Glue

Making the tassels:

These tiny tassels are super easy to DIY and so super cute.

I made these in a different color for each step in the interest of clarity but then I fell in love with the look and ended up using the multicolored versions on the pincushion.

1. Cut out rectangle the cardboard shape and lay a 4″ length of string down (the blue thread)
2.  Wrap cross stitch thread around in the opposite way 10x (the punch colored thread
3. Slide the 4″ piece (blue) to the top and knot
4. Slide the looped threads (punch colored) off the cardboard
5. Pinch the top (where the knot is) and loop a second 6″ piece (mustard color) around 5x and knot tightly. Clip the ends.
6. Fit scissors into the looped area and cut to create tassel ends.

For this project knot the top threads (blue cords in the picture) 3 more times to give it something to hang from when we stitch it to the pincushion. Clip off extra thread.

For the Llama Pincushion

Cut 1 side and two tops from off white (Linen) felt.

Cut 3 cross shapes and blanket shape from pink tone (Orchid) felt

Cut 12 petal shapes from yellow felt

Cut 1 llama shape from Teal felt.

Stitch design down as shown using a running stitch and matching threads. Attach sequins to the centers.

For tips on attaching sequins read Attaching Sequins.

Stitch Llama shape to the center of one of the round pieces using a running stitch and matching thread.  For help cutting complex shapes see this post.

Stitch  blanket shape to llama with matching thread and accent with french knots in various colors.

Attach top to sides using an overcast stitch and matching thread. Stitch down where short ends overlap with a running stitch.

Stuff  so the top piece is slightly rounded and begin attaching second round felt piece. Before sewing closed slip in smaller round cardboard piece to help the pincushion sit flat and allow the top to bulge out.

Sew tassels along the top in the spaces between designs with a stitch into the knotted tops.

For the pom pom pins

To make pom pom pins you simply hot glue tiny pom poms to pins I am not sure how usable they are but they are so cute I think they still deserve a place on your DIY pincushion.

Pattern

Print the pattern to fill a whole A4 page

Now go forth and craft!

~Andie