I’m waiting for materials for the next Mindy, so this month Scrap Bag Needlepoint is appearing today and Mindy will appear on the fourth Tuesday of September.
This month’s design is based on a knitting project. They are called hexipuffs. The method for knitting them turns out little puffs that can then be stuffed with fiberfill and closed. You attach them together to make larger items like afghans.
I was intrigued by this idea and thought it would make a great use for bits and pieces of needlepoint. But making the individual hexagons big enough to stuff would keep it from using scraps. Attaching them all together would also be a pain.
Instead I created hexagons from Mosaic Stitch and treated them like tiles. I put lines of Mosaic Stitch grout between them. You could also use Tent for the grout It’s a fun design to stitch as you can see from the in-progress picture above.
Materials
1 skein “grout” color in a matte thread
assorted scraps from your stash
18-mesh mono or interlock canvas 3″ bigger than finished size of pincushion
Sudberry House pincushion
Instructions & Diagrams
Follow the instructions that came with you pincushion to mark out your stitching area. Remember that because pincushions are puffy, your stitched area needs to be large enough to cover the sides. Your instructions will help you determine the correct size. Use a permanent marker made for fabrics to mark the outline (I like SC-UF and Pigma Microns).
Beginning somewhere in the middle of your marked area, stitch a hexagon in Mosaic Stitch, below.
Using your chosen grout thread, stitch the grout around the hexagon, below. If you are thinking of the hexes as tiles a light beige neutral makes the most realistic grout. But, just as grout can be any color, so can your border. Just be sure there is good contrast between the tiles and the grout.
Continue stitching hexes and grout until your outline is filled. The diagram below shows how the hexagons fit together.
Finish following the instructions for your pincushion.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Reminds me of a quilt my grandmother made. She used small circles of cloth, gathered around the edge and lightly stuffed. She then sewed them together into a full sized quilt. She had a huge basket full of made “puffs” – she must have worked on it for years!
I had forgotten but my grandmother made one too. Except hers was square puffs. She was an expert seamstress by trade so it went quickly. I remember the puffs were stuffed with old stockings!
Keep stitching,
Janet