Calico Pear Pincushion

A simple to stitch pear pincushion sitter crafted from calico –

about 11” not including stem

You will need the following:

• Calico fabric in two coordinating prints

• Polyfil
• Upholstery thread to match calico
• Dark embroidery floss or crochet cotton for
accent stitching
• A bit of muslin, some burnt umber acrylic
paint, and fine sandpaper OR a 5” stem
• Trinkets and treasures to embellish – buttons,
hatpins, keys, tag art

Other needful things:

• A long sharp embroidery needle

• A hemostat is helpful

www.sassafrashill.com
 thread, take a few stitches along the top opening and wrap
Calico Pear Pincushion thread around the edge and stem several times to hold stem
snuggly in place. Turn the pear right side out, through the
bottom.
• Stuff the pear firmly, making sure you stuff evenly around
• Please read all directions thoroughly and assemble the stem so it stands upright. Stuff firmly to the bottom.
your materials before starting. Unlike the majority Push stuffing from the middle to the outside edges so the
of my items, these were not subjected to the aging edges are very firm, and leaving the middle slightly hollow.
Add a bit more stuffing, but not too much, or it won’t stand
process. You may coffee stain them to prim them up,
upright well.
or use tan Rit dye to permanently age your fabric.
• Using doubled upholstery thread, and straight stitch, stitch
Calico prints with floral motifs produce better results along the bottom opening, pulling thread a bit to gather the
than striped or homespun fabrics. You can substitute bottom slightly closed. Position the base evenly over the
an actual twig for the stitched and painted muslin opening and stitch on using large whip stitches. / / / / / /
version. • Stitch the top of the leaf to the pear top, right under the
• From calico, cut the pear pieces as indicated on the pattern stem.
page. Mustard and avocado shades are perfect, with tiny • Using contrasting embroidery floss or crochet thread, stitch
prints. You will need three pear pieces, two base pieces, a line of X stitches or featherstitch along each seam line.
two leaf pieces, and from muslin- two stem pieces. All • You may adorn them with treasure of your liking…
stitching is 1/4 inch. buttons, hatpins, old steel pins, rusty safety pins,
• Stitch the stem pieces together, leaving the bottom open. skeleton keys, aged tags.
Trim the seams and turn right side out. Stuff firmly with
polyfil to the bottom. Paint with brown acrylic and let dry.
Sand lightly when dry. Hope you’ll enjoy these! ~Denise
• Stitch the leaf pieces together, with right sides facing, and
leaving the opening near the bottom for turning. Trim
seam and turn right side out. Press flat and set aside.
• Stitch the two round bottom pieces together, with right
sides facing, around the entire outer edge. Trim seams.
Make a slit through one layer, just big enough to turn
through, and turn right side out. Press flat. Set aside.
• Stitch the pear together along the long sides, with right
sides facing. Stitch one section to the next, and that section
to the next, and then stitch the final remaining seam,
leaving the bottom and top open. Trim the seams. Before
turning right side out, insert the stem piece from the inside,
up through the top opening, so the open edge of the stem
juts out the top about 1 1/2”. Using doubled upholstery