House of Pinheiro: {Pin Cushion Swap} MollieMakes Apple & Pears pincushion

This tutorial is from Mollie Makes made by Jenny Dixon and was feature on the Guardian in January.

Apple pin cushion from Mollie Makes. Photograph: Philip Sowels/Mollie Makes

What you need

Cotton fabric scraps
Felt scraps
Lightweight iron-on interfacing
thread
Small buttons
Embroidery thread
Toy filling
Beads, wire (optional for making leaves)

What to do

These are the instructions for how to make an apple, template here, but if you want to make a pear just use this additional template, the method is the same.

1. There are two sizes of apple to make. The larger is 7cm high or you can try the mini windfall, which is only 5cm. The pear stands 9.5cm tall to the tip of its stalk. Dress-weight cotton is best and with interfacing it holds its shape beautifully. Choose fabrics in two designs or up to six if you'd like each panel to be different.

Apple pin cushion step 2. Photograph: Philip Sowels/Mollie Makes

2. Take your fabrics and add iron-on interfacing. Use the template to cut out six panels in total.

Apple pin cushion step 3. Photograph: Philip Sowels/Mollie Makes

3. Take two adjacent panels and place right sides together. Stitch down one edge using a 4mm seam allowance. Repeat until all six panels are joined together, with the fabrics alternating. To join the fruit up, stitch the edges of the first and last panels together. Stitch down from the top and stop around 2cm from the end, to leave a hole for the filling.

Apple pin cushion step 4. Photograph: Philip Sowels/Mollie Makes

4. Turn your apple right side out ready to be filled. Don't underestimate how much toy filling you need, keep pushing wisps in until it's tightly packed. Oversew the gap to close it and finish off very securely.

Apple pin cushion step 5. Photograph: Philip Sowels/Mollie makes

5. Don't worry if your creation isn't looking very apple-shaped, because next comes the little trick that makes a huge difference! Thread your needle with brown embroidery thread and secure the thread at the base of the apple. Place a brown button onto the thread and push the needle back into the apple. Bring the needle out again at the top of the apple. Pull your thread taut, push the needle into the apple and wiggle it through the filling until it comes out through one of the button's holes. Pull tight. Keep passing the needle through the apple and pulling until the button is secure. This will form a dimple in the top and bottom of the apple to give it its shape. Secure your thread but leave a nice long end ready to attach a stalk and leaf. And there you have it – one perfect apple!