Mini tetra pincushions. Made from little scraps of my most favorite fabrics and a couple inches of twill tape. A last minute project for the songbird workshops in France with French General. They are quick and easy and could also be filled with lavender or lemon verbena. They’re made from one rectangle of fabric – twice as long as wide. For these little guys it’s 2 inches by 4 inches.
The rest of my time in France is spent wandering around and shopping for supplies for the French Circus workshop in LA and the Imagination Day Camp workshop at Squam (registration for imagination day camp at Squam closes 7/22). And we have just a couple spots on Sunday left in the Los Angeles circus weekend.
This flock was made by the first group in France last week – so much birdness!
It’s all green lights for the French Circus. Sometimes the universe seems on board for an idea. I keep bumping into gorgeous antique and vintage supplies for costuming the circus folk. And I’m finding treasures and inspiration for the top secret “mysterious box” project at Squam this September.
The good luck started before I left. I bumped into a huge collection of vintage millenary supplies at a guilford tag/estate sale. Tons of mini tassels! And a big stack of cotton velvet.
My first stop in France delivered antique trim and gorgeous brocades – I see caps for dancing elephants, ragged jackets for monkeys and lions and tutus and bicornes for cat acrobats. And look at that pompom trim! I can’t wait to start experimenting with them.
I have some real feedsack fabric from local estate sales which would be perfect for tetras!
And I have some homegrown dried herbs to go in them.
I’m thinking I could run a length of vintage lace down the fabric strip before stitching.
I love the star quilting- so much prettier than a knot.
Ah, the tetras! I like to make a small, tight little ball of aluminum foil and put that in the center of them as I’m stuffing. This gives the pins a little sharpen when you use it. I can’t believe there are still spaces available for the Squam workshop though, there’s a mystery box and everything!
Yes, I need to make little pincushions, I just feel it when I see your army of them!
Happy hunting!
I’ve made a batch of the tetras but now inspired to make some more stuffed with lavender. I’m reading Enger’s new book “I Cheerfully Refuse. “
How’s the male doll going?
Yo también estoy muy interesada en el, quisiera que los patrones estuvieran ya publicados.
Ironing scraps and have printed and cut out pattern for your lucky fish to use with them!..
while listening to annual audio read of Gone With The Wind during the hot days of summer.
Am so happy you wrote a blog about getting stuck and how to get started again.
I have many buttons for eyes…although i have cats…so may sew some without them
and add catnip to for filler of some of the fish. They would be fun kicker toys for them.
My garden recently has lemon verbena I can dry to stuff and use as sachets-
just like Scarlett O’Hara’s mom did in Gone with the wind!
I also have lemon balm, lemon thyme and lavenders which would also make nice scented fillers. Thank you for the great ideas. Your craft page is unique among many.
If making a mini tetra the same day I read the post is any indication of being inspired, consider me inspired greatly! It was the perfect timing as I was looking for a pincushion to attach to a tool pocket organizer I had made last month. The mini tetra was so easy to make, and I can see how they would be addictive to make! I am looking forward to the paper version for packaging of small item gifts. Thanks for sharing such a fun project!
I absolutely love these little creations! I hope to learn how to make them someday. By the way, I’m not very familiar with inches as a English. It would be incredibly helpful for European viewers if you could include centimeters in your future posts.