Felted Wool Pincushions

As you may remember from my previous posts, I have a thing for pincushions!  Don't really know why because I only really NEED one and only really have SPACE for one.  Soooooo....I recently decided to make a few, thinking they'll be a nice addition to my Retro Revival product line.

Here's my favorite:

(This is a vintage Mary Kay floral planter that I picked it up at the flea for $3!)

I really enjoyed making these!  Here's how I did it:

1. I began by snatching up several vintage, 1950s and 1960s flower shop planters (you know - the kind shops used to place plants and flowers in for special occasions like the birth of a baby or for Mother's Day) at the flea market and second hand stores (I paid between $1 and $5 each).  Just about any ol' container will do (I made pincushions in the past from vintage muffin tins) so use your imagination!
2. Then I bought a couple of wool sweaters, again from local thrift stores, spending between $.25 and $2.00 each (I snagged a gorgeous pink, cashemere sweater for $1!  I actually kinda hated cutting it because it was so pretty!)
3. Next I shrunk, or "felted," the wool by:
   *Tossing the sweaters into the wasing machine with hot water and a little soap
   *Drying the sweaters in my dryer
   *Originally adult sized, they ended up felted and small enough to fit a doll - perfect for my project!
4. I then cut a piece of styrofoam to fit inside the flower planters and hot glued it into the bottom of the container
5. Fianally, I cut small sytrofoam balls in half, covered the rounded halfs with polyester batting (pins won't easily stick into cotton batting), placed a piece of the felted wool on top then glued this all to the styrofoam already glued into the container.  (This was a really tight fit so I carefully used the tip of a steak knife to poke the wool into the planter.)

Voila!  Here are a couple more from my new collection:

(This little guy is a pin cushion on one side with a little bowl area on the other side!)

I'm taking these and the others I made to the big craft fair in McIntosh this weekend.  Really hoping they sell well but if they don't, I've already warned my friends and family what'll likely be in their Christmas stockings this year - ha!

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