Better Budgeting: Sugar Bowl Vintage Pin Cushions

Frugal Crafts and Homemade Gifts (featured column)
Submitted by Cindy Bailey

I have an annoying habit of picking up orphaned sugar bowls, creamers, and little teapots that have no lids, as well as old planters too small for plants and vintage fabric scraps too small for anything, in hopes of finding creative uses for them.

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Lately I've been making pin cushions. Wouldn't these make cute table decorations which you could give as door prizes for a wedding or baby shower, mother-daughter banquet, red hat tea party, or any gathering of ladies?

You can pick these up for as little as 25 cents, but if you need lots or are looking for a certain color or style, start collecting them well in advance of your event!

MATERIALS:

Old Sugar Bowls, Teapots, etc. or tiny Pottery Planters
Styrofoam ball, cut to fill the hole (or use tightly packed Fiberfill)
Coordinating Fabric Scraps - Vintage is best!
Ribbon, Beads, Bows, Tiny Flowers, etc.
Hot Glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash and dry your sugar bowl and sand off any chipped edges with an emery board. (Dishes with missing lids are best because there is a "lip" around the hole where you can attach the Styrofoam ball. They're also really cheap!)

2. Cut Styrofoam ball to fit (or use Fiberfill).

3. Cover ball with fabric scrap and glue raw edges to back.

4. Add ball to sugar bowl and glue in place.

5. Add trims as desired, strategically hiding cracks and chips with embellishments.

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Sugar Bowl Vintage Pin Cushions