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The Molly and Mama Pin Cushion Swap

July 9, 2015 By Lauren at Molly and Mama 2 Comments

I can hardly believe it, Molly and Mama just turned four! Those four years have flown by. To celebrate this little anniversary, I wanted to do something to get the creative juices flowing. I decided to host the first ever Molly and Mama Pin Cushion Swap! I asked others to join me, and was so excited when a whole bunch of clever creatives came onboard. A Facebook group was set up so I could share the details and we could all share ideas, inspiration and our completed pin cushions.

I love pin cushions and I love felt, so I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to make.  And I’d been in ‘swaps’ with some of the other contributors before, so I had an idea of their style. But I really had no idea what people had in mind. I left things open for everyone to make whatever they liked. I was just so eager to see what everyone would create, and I was so blown away with the results!

I had always wanted to create a strawberry pin cushion, so decided that was my inspiration for the swap. I stitched a pin cushion, pin topper and a matching needle book too. Pop over HERE to read all about my project.

The Strawberry Pin Trio by Molly and Mama

And now that the swap is over, I’m so excited to show you the other entries! You can see the full album of entries on the Molly and Mama Facebook Page.

We all have different tastes, and areas of expertise. But a swap is a lovely way to get creative and put in your best effort, knowing that the recipient will be appreciative of the time, care and love that has gone in to making your pin cushion. It’s a wonderful feeling being able to show them off to you.

There were some lovely pastel creations, with some clever stitchery! Below we have a hexie and pom pom pin cushion from Eve from Une Petite Princess. The clever floral pin cushion cone with pockets comes from Steph from Me and Leigh Creations.  Cassie from Three Kittens made a mini dresden on her square polka dot pin cushion. And Larissa upcycled some vintage floral fabric for her pin cushion and scissor keep. Aren’t they pretty?

Pastel pin cushions in the Molly and Mama Pin Cushion Swap

There were quite a few cupcakes showing up for the swap. This top left felt creation comes from Jane at Sweet Tashie. Dianne at Snowdrops stitched a macaroon to go with her cupcake! And Helen’s cupcake design had the added bonus of having storage underneath. They all look good enough to eat!

Cupcake Pin Cushions in the Molly and Mama swap

What really impressed me the most about the swap, was the original use of different techniques and ideas. Peekay from 4Mygirls crocheted these tiny mushrooms to a rock! So whimsical. Look at the crochet flowers on this pretty garden inspired piece from Vanessa at Leviolets Lovelies. I was lucky enough to receive this one! Shannon at Shan Ma cleverly used a photo frame to house her padded pin cushion. And Christie spent lots of time on the cross stitched heart details on her peach pretty!

crochet stitchery

Do you recognise the pineapple on this patchwork pin cushion from Rachael at Sew Today, Clean Tomorrow? She reduced the Molly and Mama Percy Pineapple pattern down to just 1.5″ high. Crazy? Yes! But also awesome! Rachael from La Emilotte not only adorned a glass jar with flowers and floral, but also added a pretty pastel needle book too. Claire from Rosie Red also used patchwork for her bright pink floral pin cushion. Then she added a special mug cover that makes a handy caddy for sewing supplies. Clever much? Hexie paper piecing is all the rage right now. So Kristina from Harley Barley Designs is right on trend with this little ball!

clever stitching

Animals also made a bit of theme at the swap too, especially mice! Gabrielle’s brown mouse and matching needle book are a clever  combination between florals and felt. Robyn from Obbie Dobbie appliquéd the cover of her needle book. This ‘mouse house’ suits her little mouse pin cushion perfectly. Another mouse comes from Trudi at Bella designs. She added pattern weights to her set too. What a lovely idea! And the beautifully adorned snail was created by Lilly Longstocking Handmade. Annette’s attention to detail here is amazing!

Animals

We also had tea cups, trinket boxes, figurines and more. Candice loves her felt! This tea cup pin cushion with felt flower was the Rose Petal Collections entry. Luong from Lil Bubs Couture upcycled this trinket box by sewing her pin cushion under the lid. Such a clever idea. Jess is also known for her upcycling, and this pretty figurine from Lulu & Jess will brighten up any sewing space! And Holly from Zoe’s Pocket made a mini dress form. I’m so impressed.

upcycling

The last entry to the swap was this little caravan from Sheryl at Sweet Calico. The attention to detail is just lovely! Caravan Pin Cushion by Sweet CalicoHosting a swap has been a wonderful chance to meet other creatives online, be introduced to some lovely handmade businesses and be inspired to try new techniques, ideas and styles. It has been so much fun, that I’m even hoping to host another swap soon. This time I’m thinking Christmas! If you’re in Australia or New Zealand and you’d like to join in, feel free to contact me.

Many of the pin cushions have now reached their new homes. And are being lovingly admired and utilised! And I’m so pleased to have had a small hand in bringing creatives together to share their love of sewing.

I hope this little collection of pin cushions has given you some inspiration to sew your own. If you’d like to try making one, the Miss Molly pattern and the Sleepy Cloud design are always popular options for beginners. I have a number of easy to follow tutorials HERE too. I like writing about pin cushions too. There’s more inspiration in this post also!

Thanks for stopping by today. Happy stitching, Lauren x

This post was written by Lauren Wright and appeared first on Molly and Mama http://www.MollyandMama.com.au

 

Filed Under: Projects Tagged With: needle book, pin cushion, pin cushion swap

Comments

  1. Robyn from Obbie Dobbie says

    July 9, 2015 at 6:28 pm

    This was a fun swap Lauren. Actually, it was fun and functional. Thank you for organising this one.

    Reply
    • Lauren at Molly and Mama says

      July 10, 2015 at 10:35 am

      You’re so welcome Robyn. I loved it too!

      Reply

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Studio For Pretty Stitches
🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challe 🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challenge that I am cohosting with Ali from  @arabesquescissors has already begun! For our final week we’re discussing how you organise your projects for SEWING ON THE GO! This might look a little different for you at the moment (depending on where you live) but how and what do you pack to maximise sewing whilst travelling or out-and-about? 

Travel sewing kits are especially applicable for hand sewing projects like English paper piecing and embroidery (even if you’re moving from the sewing room to the couch🤣). But you may also have tips for traveling with your machine and quilt WIPs too, particularly if you have enjoyed sewing on holidays or attending retreats. 

To join the challenge, simply share a public photo showing us how you plan for sewing on the go. Tag us and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. We’re thrilled to see the generosity with which you’re sharing ideas, tips and more! 

Your post will put you in the running to win this gorgeous bundle of three PDF ‘Cathedral Window’ patterns from @arabesquescissors. So cute, right? Please see Ali’s prize post for more information. And don’t forget that we’ll also be selecting a Grand Prize Winner at the end of the month. Good luck everyone! 💗
🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with 🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors has come to an end. For the past week you’ve been sharing your tips and tricks for storing and organising your Work In Progress (WIP) projects and we’ve been loving reading all the suggestions and seeing all of your photos. 

We’ve selected @kirsty_sews and @mtnlaurel96 as our winners of the Molly and Mama Pattern pack including the #SimpleSewingFolder, #SummerRosePouch and #MissMollyandFriends. Congratulations ladies! 

I’m looking forward to putting together a blog post with some of the fantastic ideas that have been shared this week. Here’s a couple of my favourites. 

-	Small square pastry or cake containers work well for storing WIPs, as do scrapbooking shelves and containers. 
-	If a WIP is something you’d like to work on more, put it somewhere that you’re likely to see, so you’re more likely to pick it up and get some stitching done! 
-	Label each box or tub with the name of the project, the date it was started, the fabrics used, and any other relevant information you want to keep at hand. 
-	@amandalovestocreate shared a terrific tip of adding an adhesive photo of the project to the label! I love that idea!
-	Make a note in your diary or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to check in with your WIPs and their progress. This might give you a much needed push to get stuck into a project you may have otherwise forgotten about.
-	Find a likeminded maker and ask them to become your Accountability Partner so you can periodically check in with each other and give yourselves a gentle nudge to make some progress on your WIPS! 

If you have more ideas, we’d still love to hear them. Ali has put together a great round up of ideas on her blog too. 

Stay tuned as we now share more information about our fourth and final week, with Sewing on the go! 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #seworderly #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #sewingroom #craftroom  #craftroomorganization #quiltstorage #quilting #sewingwips
Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this w Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this weekend? I did an Instagram takeover which was heaps of fun! Pop over to see what I shared. One of the posts included my Top 5 Tips for Embroidery Success, and I thought it was silly of me not to share those tips here too! But really, these tips apply to all sewing. They’re simple but true! 

1.	Choose the right tool for the job. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, but using a needle you can easily thread with the right type of thread for the job, can make all the difference to your experience. 

2.	Start simple. As a beginner, starting a large and intricate design might become overwhelming if only because of the amount of time it will take to complete. Start with a smaller design and move on to more detailed projects as your skills progress. 

3.	Get help from the experts. Watch You Tube videos, read blog posts, enrol in online courses. Over time you’ll develop a whole new skill set that you’ll be able to pass on to someone one day too. 

4.	Don’t rush. It’s not a race, and embroidery is all about slow stitching. 

5.	Leave out your embroidery so you’re more likely to pick it up and continue stitching when you have a spare moment. The more you stitch, the better you’ll become. And it’s a wonderful mindfulness activity! 

#mollyandmama #mollyandmamastitchlibrary #prettystitchesclub #aurifil #aurifilfloss #aurifilthread #embroideryfloss #embroidery #embroiderythread #embroiderytips #embroiderersofinstagram #sewingtips #stitching #handstitching #handsewing #stitchingtips #slowsewing #slowstitching
One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this we One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this week’s prize pack for the #SewOrderly challenge is my Simple Sewing Folder. So I just wanted to show you a little more about this pattern in my store. 

Featuring a hand embroidered front panel, little hexie details, and simple patchwork, the cover is all about showcasing the ‘pretty’. 

Open it up (swipe to see) and it’s all about the practical! There’s a lace zipper pocket, tabs for tools, a wool felt needle and pin minder, a thread holder and spaces for hoop storage. 

This folder is perfect for storing ‘work in progress’ projects - the focus of this week’s theme for our sewing room organisation challenge, hosted by me and @arabesquescissors. 

If you’d like to know more, there are links in my profile to my store and my blog. I’d love you to get involved! 

#mollyandmama #seworderly #simplesewingfolder #embroidery #embroiderydesign #sewingfolder #projectfolder #sewingroomstorage #sewingspace #notionstorage #sewingonthego #hexies #hexagons #quilting #quiltedpouch #sewingpouch #tildateatowel
I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as of I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as often as I should. And it’s funny because you’ll have a picture of someone in your head and they often don’t look anything like what you imagine. So for what it is worth, this is me, Lauren. I wanted to say hi and share a bit more about me, as there’s so many new faces here lately. Thank you so much for joining us! 

Here’s 5 facts about me;

1️⃣ My first degree was in Behavioural Science, but I used my second degree in Education to become a primary school teacher. 

2️⃣ After having our two kids, we decided I’d work from home and I’ve been sewing, blogging and designing ever since! 

3️⃣ My maternal grandmother’s name was Molly and my kids call my mum ‘Mama’. I named my business after Molly and Mama in honour of the skills, lessons and traits they passed down to me. I’m so blessed to be able to  share that love of creative expression with all of you! 

4️⃣ My favourite colour is pink. Big surprise there 😂! And I have a love for all things pretty and sweet. 

5️⃣ I love drawing and illustrating and hope to bring more of that to my work in the future! 

I’d love to meet more of you and hear where you are from. Feel free to leave me a reply.  Thanks for your support and encouragement of my little biz. It means the world to me! Lauren 💗
🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very excit 🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very exciting coming to Molly and Mama soon! Are you subscribed to the newsletter? Find a link to join in my profile, so you can stay tuned for the release of the ‘Pretty Stitches Club’. It’s all about sharing my love of embroidery, slow sewing and beautiful stitchery🪡🌸🌼

#mollyandmama #prettystitchesclub #studioforprettystitches #embroidery #embroideryclub #stitcheryclub #sewingclub #sewingsubscription #embroiderypatterns #monthlyembroideryclub #handstitching #slowsewing #aurifilthread #aurifilfloss #aurifilartisan #aurifloss #tinystitches #floralembroidery #embroiderywreath
Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly chal Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly challenge with @arabesquescissors includes three of my @mollyandmama  PDF sewing patterns; the #SimpleSewingFolder, the #SummerRosePouch and the #MissMollyAndFriends pin cushion pattern. 

 Ali and I will each select a winner on Monday, 22nd February, 2021.

To enter, post a photo or video on your public profile showcasing how you store your projects and quilts as you’re working on them or even when they are completed. Tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. 

T&Cs
- the giveaway is open worldwide to participants 18 years and over, with a public Instagram profile, and who post in alignment with the guidelines outlined above. 
- Entries will close at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, 21th Feb 2021. 
- The two winners will be announced here on Monday, 22nd Feb, 2021 and will need to provide an email address to receive their prize. 
- This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Instagram. 

Thanks so much for sharing the #seworderly love! And you can find out more about these patterns in the store - there’s a link in my profile. The Simple Sewing Folder is a fantastic project folder for embroidery or EPP storage, perfect for WIPs. How do you store your ‘work in progress’ projects and quilts?
Have you been participating in the #seworderly cha Have you been participating in the #seworderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors? We’re sorting our sewing rooms for the month of February and have already tackled NOTIONS and FABRIC. 

This week we’re exploring how to store and organise our completed QUILTS AND PROJECTS and those we’re still working on (WIPs). Would you like to join us? There’ll be a sweet @mollyandmama prize pack up for grabs, but more importantly, you’ll be having fun sorting your sewing space knowing that there are likeminded friends joining you! 

Share a photo of your quilt and project storage, tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors, use the hashtag #seworderly, ask questions or share tips and advice. We’d love you to join us! 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #fabricbundle #sewingroom #craftroom #quilts #craftroomorganization #quiltstorage #quilting #quiltfolding #serioussewistsset #beeapplique #libertyfabric #libertytanalawn #epp #englishpaperpiecing #libertywiltshire
Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up week 2 of our #seworderly challenge. This week has been a HUGE one, where we’ve focussed on FABRIC STORAGE. We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of you who have wholeheartedly jumped onboard and unreservedly shared your sewing spaces and craft rooms. So thank you and congratulations on the success you have achieved this week; from tidying just a small stash, a basket or a drawer, to refolding and sorting all the fabrics in your entire room! 

So many of you have tackled your yardage, pre-cuts, scraps, fusibles, interfacings, batting and more! And you’ve been so generous with your tips and ideas. So thank you! I’m sure those of you who are yet to tackle your stash will get a lot of inspiration from heading to the #seworderly hashtag! 

We can’t always keep our fabrics in pretty little arrangements like my first photo of Liberty here. So swipe to see my second photo – a more realistic view, taken from the inside of one of my newly organised Billy bookshelves from Ikea. I like to keep my fabrics folded, in plastic tubs, behind solid cupboard doors, so I can avoid sun damage and reduce the effects of dust, pests and moisture. They’re organised by type and size (so yardage, fat quarters, smaller pre-cuts and scraps are generally all separated), then by colour or their use. How do you organise yours? 

I’ll be compiling all the tips and tricks I learned from my own experiences and from reading all of your posts, into a blog post really soon. So stay tuned for that. 

And Ali and I have both chosen a winner for the @arabesquescissors pattern prize pack for this week. Please see Ali’s post to see if it’s you! Thank you so much to all who participated. We’re looking forward to kicking off Week 3 shortly. Let’s explore PROJECTS & QUILTS. Please join us (find out more about the #seworderly challenge on the blog, using the link in my profile). 

Happy sorting, Lauren x 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #stashbusting #stashstorage #fabricstorage #fabricsorting #fabricstash #libertytanalawn #libertyfabrics #libertybundle #fabricbundle #fabriccontainers #sewingroom #craftroom
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