Quirky Haberdashery Themed Sewing Set

It’s an age-old conundrum. What can you make for the mother who can stitch everything? The answer is here, in the form of Lucinda Ganderton’s adorable haberdashery-themed sewing set. Keep sharp implements safely tucked away in the felt-lined needlecase, or comfortably embedded in the patchwork pincushion. Perfect for the dressmaking enthusiast, the keen seamstress or the crafting devotee.

Essentials

Fabric: cotton, floral, 14cm x 24cm, two; linen, white, 10cm square
**Needlecase**
Felt: 10cm x 18cm; 11cm x 19cm
Thread, embroidery, stranded: blue; grey; gold; sewing, white
Buttons, small, four
Card, 12cm x 20cm, two
Ric rac, 70cm
Tape or tape trim, 1.2cm x 6cm, two
Snap fastening

**Pincushion**
Fabric, cotton, assorted, 12cm x 25cm, four
Pan scourer, round, 14cm
Braid or tape, 1.2cm x 55cm
Knitting yarn, cotton
Button: decorative, one; large, one
Tapestry needle, large

Dimensions List

Needlecase: 10cm x 13cm
Pincushion: 4cm x 11cm

Make a needlecase

Locate and download the template. Trace the motif onto linen using a sharp pencil. Back stitch over the lettering as far as the third ‘e’, using two strands of blue thread. Embroider the ‘thread’ in whipped running stitch using a single strand. Work the needle in satin stitch using two strands of grey for the shaft and two strands of gold for the eye. Trim the fabric down to 4cm x 6cm.
Tack the linen to the right half of a floral fabric rectangle, 4.5cm down from the top edge and 3cm in from the right edge. Stitch down with a round of blanket stitch using white sewing thread, then sew a button to each corner.
Fold the small rectangle of felt in half width ways to mark the centre line, then place both felt pieces centrally over the other floral rectangle, with the smaller one on top. Machine stitch through all the layers twice, 2mm from each side of the marked line.
Adhere card centrally to the reverse of both rectangles, then turn back and stick down any excess fabric, neatly mitring the corners. Stick the ric rac to the back of the front cover, so that the scallops peep over the edge.
Fold two pieces of tape in half and sew one side of the snap fastening to each. Overlapping the edges by 1cm, fix to the centre side edges of the front cover, with the studs facing inwards. With right sides out, glue the two covers together, matching the corners. Use white thread to stab stitch through all the layers, encompassing the folded fabric.

Stitch a pincushion

Following the template, cut four patches from each fabric. Lay eight of them out in a circle, with matching pairs opposite each other. Machine stitch the straight edges together with a 6mm allowance, then press open. Join four portions at a time, then sew the two semi-circles together.
Repeat to make a second circle, reversing the fabric order to ensure a perfect match when the two pieces are joined. Pin one circle to each side of a scourer, matching the patches above and below. Tuck the edge of the top circle under the lower one and stitch the two together.
Thread a large needle with a 100cm length of yarn. Bring it up through the centre point, leaving a loose end. Take the yarn along one seam, over the edge and back up the middle. Do this over each seam, then tie the ends together.
Pin tape around the outside edge to conceal the seam, and neaten the ends. Slip stitch the edges to the pincushion. To finish, sew a decorative button to the centre front and the other button to the centre back, covering the ends of thread.