Needle cushion

Beginner - Half a day - Complete

Keywords :

Zen style - Silk - Needle case - Lace - Cotton wool, stuffing - Assembling

If you don’t know what to do with your countless needles, put them in this pretty Japanese-style needle cushion. The idea behind this needle cushion is to show solidarity after the tsunami in Japan March in 2011. The creator of the needle cushion had the generous idea of selling needle cushions in order to raise proceeds for Japanese disaster victims.

Supplies

Tools

Sewing supplies
Glue gun (or fabric glue if you’re using cardboard instead of CDs)

Materials

2 old CDs or 2 circles of stiff cardboard, 12 cm (4.8 inches) in diameter
2 circles of felt the same diameter of the CD
1 circle of white or printed fabric for the bottom, 14 cm (5.6 inches) in diameter
1 circle of red fabric, 7 cm (2.8 inches)
Stuffing
Lace (or gathered organza ribbon or string)
Decorative accessories: pompoms, beads, 40 cm (16 inches) circle of cord

Directions

Cut out the needle cushion parts

Draw a circle on the white fabric, with the help of the CD, with an erasable pen.
Cut out the fabric 2 cm (0.8 inches) away from the edge.
Draw and cut out 2 circles from the felt.

Draw and cut out a circle 6 cm (2.4 inches) in diameter from the stiff cardboard.

Cut out a circle 7 cm (2.8 inches) from the red fabric.
Pierce a hole in the middle of the cardboard.

Put the pieces of the needle cushion together

Gather the fabric 5 mm (0.02 inches) away from the edge.
Stuff the cushion.

Add the cardboard on top.

Continue stuffing from the opening of the cardboard:
- tighten the gathering as much as possible.
NB: If necessary, use a piece of linen to hold the fabric and the cardboard together.
Sew everything tightly together.

Put the semi-sphere onto the circle of white fabric.
Sew it onto the fabric.
Put the felt onto the CD, the fabric and the semi-sphere.
Close up the edges by gluing them with the glue gun.

Finishing touches to the needle cushion

Glue or sew the lace/ribbon/string around the ensemble.

Repeat with the back of the CD (with the felt and fabric).
Prepare the 40 cm (16 inches) circle of cord:
- thread a pompon in the middle:
- add a bead, threading it through 2 strands:
- place it as shown in the photograph