This easy mason jar pin cushion makes the perfect gift for the new sewer or a pretty adornment for your favorite place in the house - the sewing room! If you have been looking for recycling ideas for your mason jars you can turn them into a mini sewing kit complete with a pincushion lid. A mason jar pin cushion makes lovely gifts for sewers.
Mason Jar Pin Cushion Tutorial
Here is a tutorial on how to make a mason jar pin cushion:
Supplies
To make your mason jar pin cushion will need:
- FABRIC - Fabric scraps for the top. Make sure your fabric is quite tightly woven. Quilting cotton is ideal - we all have lots of scraps of that!
- FELT - Thin felt for underneath the lid - if you don't have felt, you can substitute a fabric scrap.
- STUFFING - Polyester stuffing. You could also use small scraps of fabric cut up really small or a wool batting.
- SEWING BASICS - Hand needle & thread, scissors, fabric marker
- GLUE - Hot glue gun and a few glue sticks. Low temp craft glue guns are cheap and readily found at sewing and craft stores.
- JAR - Mason jar or generic jar where the outside ring can be separated from the inside lid. Use any size jar.
What is a Mason Jar?
Mason jars are glass jars with a top that comes apart in two pieces. They are commonly used for preserving foods such as jams and pickles, but we are using them to make a mason jar pin cushion.
The lid usually has a rubber ring underneath, which is used to produce a vacuum seal to keep goods fresh. The ring around the outside has grooves to screw onto the jar and create a tight seal.
Mason jars can be purchased from homeware stores as well as quite cheaply on Amazon and eBay.
More Pincushions
Love making pin cushions? Get the best free pin cushion patterns!
Mason Jar Pin Cushion - Video Tutorial
Watch this YouTube video I made for you on how to make a mason jar pin cushion. Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel for more weekly sewing and craft videos.
How to Make a Mason Jar Pin Cushion
Here is an overall image of how we will be making the pin cushion jar.
Step 1 - Cut a Fabric Circle
Start by removing the lid and separating the jar ring from the flat disk inside. Trace around the disk on the wrong side of your scrap fabric. Use a removable pen or chalk, and make sure the ring doesn't show outside the fabric.
Using a ruler, draw a series of dashes around the marked circle that is 1 inch (2.5cm) larger. Join them up, and you have a circle to cut around. Don't worry if it is not perfect, as it will be gathered, and the raw edges will be hidden.
Cut the outer circle, and you have the top fabric all ready to sew. If you wish to decorate your mason jar pincushion, you could do some embroidery now.
Step 2 - Gather the Fabric
Using a simple up and down gathering running stitch, hand stitch all the way around the edge of the fabric.
With the fabric wrong side facing up, gently pull the gathering stitch just enough so the edges start to pull in. Don't pull the gathering too tight, as we still need to add stuffing.
Step 3 - Add Stuffing
Place some stuffing in your fabric center, and then put the disk on top.
Finish pulling the gathering stitches tight around the disk and knot off. This seals the stuffing inside the lid.
Step 4 - Add Felt to Back of Mason Jar Lid
Cut out a piece of thin felt or fabric the same size as the disk and glue it to the back. You don't want to add too much bulk, so the lid still closes easily. A Felt which is too thick will result in the lid being hard to put on.
If you are using fabric for underneath the lid, you could use pinking shears to stop the edges from fraying.
Alternately if your felt or fabric is thick, then cut this underneath piece ½ inch (12mm) smaller than the disk to reduce bulk.
Step 5 - Add the Ring
Put the ring back on the inside top, and your mason jar pincushion is ready to use.
Mason Jar Pin Cushion - In Conclusion
Put the ring of the lid back on, and you are all done with your mason jar pin cushion! Add some threads, sewing supplies, or buttons for a colorful display to make your sewing room shine.
More Pin Cushion Tutorials to Enjoy
- Pincushion Patterns - Felt pin cushion with sewing machine applique
- DIY Pin Cushion - Round segmented pin cushion
- How to Make a Pincushion - Square patchwork pin cushion
- Mason Jar Pin Cushion - Make a pincushion from jars
- DIY Scented Sachets
Mason Jar Pin Cushion Tutorial
Tools
- Mason Jar
- Polyester Stuffing
- Hot Glue Gun
- Needle and Thread
Materials
- Cotton Fabric
- Felt
Instructions
- Remove the lid from your jar and separating the ring from the flat disk inside. Trace around the disk on the wrong side of your scrap fabric. Draw a series of dashes around the marked circle that is 1 inch (2.5cm) larger. Join them up. Cut the outer circle.
- Using a simple running stitch, hand stitch all the way around the raw edge. With the fabric wrong side facing up, gently pull the gathering stitch just enough so the edges start to pull in.
- Place some stuffing in your fabric center, and then put the disk on top. Finish pulling the gathering stitches tight around the disk and knot off.
- Cut out a piece of thin felt or fabric the same size as the disk and glue it to the back.
- Add the ring back on the lid.
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