I’ll be showing you today how to make a Round Pincushion. Don’t worry, if you don’t have a use for another pincushion, these also make great children’s toys or can even add a small pop of color throughout your home.
This ball is much like a soccer ball in that it is made from both hexagons (6-sides) and pentagons (5-sides). When you mix both of these, they come together in a round shape. If you are not familiar with paper piecing, I would encourage you to Google it as there are several techniques and you’ll find one that works best for you. I’m not going to show you that process here; but rather what to do with the shapes themselves.
I’ve created a handy template of all the pieces you’ll need to create a ball that measures a little under 4” in diameter. I do encourage you to print this template off on cardstock. You can of course pick up these shapes at several online shops as well. You will need 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons to make one Round Pincushion.
Photo 1: Hexagons & Pentagons
Once you have cut out your shapes, find some fabric scraps that are about a ½” wider on all sides. I have found that this will make your job a lot easier in the long run and don’t worry about cutting them to match the shape you are covering…squares work wonderfully.
Photo 2: Template & Fabric
Once you have selected all your fabrics, go ahead and start covering those paper shapes using whichever method of Paper Piecing you desire. Remember, if you are new to Paper Piecing, just put that keyword into Google and you’ll soon have hundreds of tutorials/videos showing you how.
Photo 3: Hexagons Done
I really enjoyed fussy-cutting into Melody Miller’s fabrics. Don’t you just love that clock face above?
Photo 4: Pentagons Done
I decided to go with plain natural linen for my pentagons to complement; but not distract from the fussy-cutting that I had done with the hexagons. Before you start hand-sewing the shapes together, it’s a good idea to “set” the shapes gently with an iron. This will help keep your folds crisp and makes sewing them together a little easier.
Photo 5: Always make a flower
The key to this shape is always remembering that you are trying to make a flower. 1 pentagon surrounded by 5 hexagons. Now go ahead and start hand-sewing the flower together. When you are done, it should look like the photo below.
Photo 6: First Flower
You’ll quickly notice that your ball is beginning to take shape, and looks somewhat bowl-like now. Let’s add some more pentagons and hexagons; paying special attention that your pentagons are always surrounded by 5 hexagons…and yes, your “flowers” will share sides as seen in the photo below.
Photo 7: Taking Shape
When you have all but the last few shapes sewn, you can start removing some of your basting stitches, in order to take out the paper piecing templates. Before you remove them, just make sure that all 5 or 6 sides (depending on the shape) have been stitched to other shapes.
Being careful not to stretch your ball out of shape, gently turn it right side out and stuff it full of your favorite stuffing.
Photo 8: Nearly Done
I choose to leave the paper inside my last 3 shapes, as it was easier for me to sew the ball closed; but it is entirely up to you. If you decide to remove the last of the paper pieces, just make sure that the fabric doesn’t lose its shape. As you can see, these last few seams can be a little tricky; but with practice it will become easier and you’ll learn how to hide your stitches.
Photo 9: Celebrate
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