Renaissance Cushion

Up 'til now, I was using a tiny plastic square box to hold my pins and um...the floor to catch threads.

Dude, this is so much better.

It's a pincushion/organizer/threadcatcher, all in one! The pattern is free from Sew, Mama, Sew! and it is totally awesome. Very clear, easy-to-follow instructions, with pics every step of the way.

The pincushion is weighted down (the pattern said to use rice, I filled mine with some sort of buckwheat combo that was formerly in a heated neck wrap thing) so it will sit on your sewing table. Genius!

Likey my drinkey? This fabric used to be a pair of pajama pants!

The organizer holds whatever small tools you use most - for me, a seamripper :P, a disappearing ink pen, and behind the scrap bag, a measuring tape and point turner (aka old size 5 dpn).

Ah, Paris.

For the threadcatcher/scrap bag (why do I automatically think of that episode of "Friends", where Phoebe's husband Mike threatens to change his name to "Crap Bag"?), which can be detached to stand alone, the bottom and top were cut and sewn separately then seamed together.

This is one section that I might do differently next time - first, only the top of the bag has interfacing (I used lightweight stabilizer instead of fusible). I would reinforce the entire bag, as it tends to get a little floppy. Second, since I used a single fabric for the entire bag, it might have been easier to make it all from a one piece, rather than cutting and sewing on the top separately.

A few other mods: I didn't use quite as many different fabrics as the pattern calls for, going with one for each component instead. I also skipped the interfacing on the button loop, as that made it a little too bulky, and ditched the wool felt for the straight needles, since I suck at hand sewing don't use them very often.

Overall, it was a pretty easy project! The only dicey parts were sewing the triangle at the bottom of the button loop (even without the interfacing it was still bulky as all hell) and hand-sewing the bottom opening after stuffing the pincushion. It's a good thing no one can see it!

It's SO handy having this by your side when you're sewing! It's also nice not to step on those random pins that kept falling and getting lost on the floor before (I've uttered one too many an, "OW! What the...dahhhmit."). And when the machine starts to frustrate me, it's a good reminder to turn it off, get a drink and fuhgeddaboutit!