Arm Rest Pin Cushion
My friend Becky Thomson created this Arm Rest Pin Cushion just for AMS readers! It is so easy to make due to her tutorial and functional because you can rest your hands and arms as you sew and it holds pins on either end! Isn’t she creative! Thank you Becky so much for this fabulous pattern and instructions – LOVE them and couldn’t have done it without you!!!
I included a pattern for simple square, just in case you want a quick pin cushion, or if your machine sits down inside a cabinet.
You can fill your cushions with stuffing OR we filled ours with crushed walnut shells, which you can find at pet stores or some fabric stores (more information in the post). The crushed shells sharpens the pins as they are put in and out of the pin cushion.
Arm Rest Pin Cushion
Supplies:
1 piece of fabric, your choice 6 1/2″ x 13 1/2″
2 pieces of fabric, your choice 3 x 6 1/2″
1 piece of Warm & Natural fabric 6 1/2 x 18″
Embellishment if desired
Matching thread
Needle
Stuffing or Crushed Walnut Shells (use caution not to give to someone with nut allergies), which can be purchased at some sewing stores, pet stores as pet bird litter or reptile bedding very cheaply. It is supposed to sharpen the needles as they go in and out of the pin cushion and it is heavy enough to stay in place, but not heavy like a rock!
Instructions
Cut the fabric into the pieces instructed.
Cut the Warm and Natural into the size instructed.
With right sides together, lay the small pieces on either side of the long piece, pin.
Sew using a 1/4″ seam. Trim all threads.
If you would like to use a ribbon, rick-rack or embellishment on the seams, now is when you would place it on the seam, pin and then stitch. Trim all threads. 
Place the Warm and Natural against the wrong side of the sewn piece of fabric.
You can stitch along the lines of the pattern on the fabric to make a quilt-like-look if you desire, or leave as it is.
Pin both ends and sew at 1/4″ seam.
Stitch both ends at 1/4″ seam on the long side EXCEPT leave an opening of about 3″, back-stitch at both sides of the opening. Trim all threads.
Turn inside out using the opening and pull at the ends to make them look nice.
Using a funnel pour in the crushed walnut shells OR stuff tightly with stuffing.
Slip stitch the opening and tie a secure knot.
Here is a finished one with a different fabric.
Simple Square Pin Cushion
Supplies:
2 pieces of fabric, your choice 4 1/2 x 4 1/2″, they can be the same or each different
Cut 2 pieces of Warm & Natural fabric, 4 1/2 x 4 1/2″
Matching thread
Needle
Stuffing or Crushed Walnut Shells (use caution not to give to someone with nut allergies), which can be purchased at some sewing stores, pet stores as pet bird litter or reptile bedding very cheaply. It is supposed to sharpen the needles as they go in and out of the pin cushion and it is heavy enough to stay in place, but not like a rock!Instructions:
Cut the fabric into the two 4 1/2″ squares
Cut Warm & Natural fabric into two 4 1/2″ squares
Lay the Warm and Natural fabric on the wrong side of the fabric
Place the right sides of the fabric together with the Warm and Natural on the outside of the fabric
Pin together. Mark so you remember to leave an opening of about 3″. This is very important as it will allow you to turn the pin cushion inside out and to stuff it.
Stitch using a 1/4″ seam all the way around EXCEPT the 3″ opening. Back-stitch at both sides of the opening. Trim all threads.
Trim corners 
Make snips close together but use care NOT to cut into the sewing
Turn inside out and poke the corners to a point using a pencil, seam ripper or other tool, but use care not to rip fabric.
With the edges that were not sewn, fold inside
Press
Fill with stuffing, the crushed walnuts or filling of your choice
Slip stitch close and tie knot. Clip threads close to ends, and done!
Copyright Carrie Groneman, A Mother’s Shadow, 2015Recognize a blessing and be a blessing today
‘A Mother’s Shadow’ a novel by Carrie Groneman
Yo Yo Bag or Tote
Carrie,
You pin cushion is beautiful! You are so talented. I am just curious, who taught you to sew? Have you been doing it for a long time? It seems like you mention this in another post but I cannot remember.
Blessings,
Daien
Don’t hate me, but growing up in NYC I never did learn how to sew. Kevin and my mom both do though. So thank god and they pick up the slack here for me 😉
Carrie, this is a great tutorial! I love to sew, and I love the cute fabrics y’all used (sewing words and pincushion fabric! Eeeee!)! 🙂 I had read about using crushed walnut shells for pincushions…but no one ever tells you where in the world to get that stuff- so thank you! 🙂 Pinning to my sewing board!
Great idea…I need a new pin cushion. I made my first one when I first learned to sew & it’s a….uh….a “little less than perfect”. haha.
Shared your page on StumbleUpon so I could save it to one of my lists!
Jennie
This is actually a really fantastic idea!
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
What a great idea! It’s so easy to have poor ergonomics when sewing and it’s little things like this that make the difference.
How awesome! Hun made a simple square pincushion when we first started sewing and we still use it now, but a more stylized one would be great…and I really love the idea of a the wrist rest/pincushion! I’ve never thought to fill a pincushion with anything but stuffing, so we’ll definitely be needing to look into some crushed walnuts or the like to keep our pins fresh and sharp! 🙂
I’m loving that arm rest pin cushion! I’m gonna have to make one soon.
Thanks for sharing this with us on the Homestead Blog Hop!