March Pincushion for the CQJP 2014

The stumpwork shamrocks have found a home!  In fact, there are lots of other little shamrocks on this pincushion too!  It is my March entry for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) 2014.  

I wasn't sure how the stumpwork shamrocks were going to work out after I got them made.  I didn't want them to sit too high on the pincushion, but I also did not want them too flat.  In the end, they sit about half an inch above the surface.  I added some little shamrock blossoms below them in ribbon embroidery.  I learned so much making the shamrocks!  Next time, I'll do the embroidery on a piece of cloth closer in color to the finished project.  The muslin I used was far too white and even the closely trimmed edges glowed like beacons in the night.  A quick pass with a green marker remedied the situation, but in the future, I'd like to avoid that if possible.  

A couple of weeks ago, I visited "A Stitching Shop" in Denver and picked up a lovely selection of Wildflowers threads by Caron.  Loved being able to use some of them on this pincushion!  They are a joy to stitch with!  

I had a lot of fun looking through my seam embellishment notebook and picking out shamrock themed seams.  

Around the base of the pincushion, I used some narrow velvet ribbon and stitched it on with beads.  

The back has my usual signature.


A few years ago, I dyed the piece of shamrock trim.  Fun to be able to use it at long last!

Of the pincushions that I've made so far for the CQJP2014 challenge, this is the most functional.  It has a nice loose weave fabric on the top that would allow it to actually be used as a pincushion and not just an Objet d'Art!  

It is fun to see all three of the pincushions together that I've completed so far this year!  I've still got so many ideas for the pincushions to come!