12 Free Pincushion Patterns

A pincushion is an essential sewing tool, but why buy a pincushion when you can make one yourself? These free pincushion patterns are much cuter than the ones you can buy at the store and most of them are a cinch to make.

01 of 12

Make a Round Patchwork Pincushion

Sedef Imer for Diary of a Quilter

Show off your favorite fabric scraps on this sweet round pincushion. Sedef of Down Grapevine Lane shows you how to use half-square triangles to make the wedges of this circle, as well as how to get a perfectly smooth shape with a brilliant hidden seam.

Simple Sprocket Pincushion from Diary of a Quilter
02 of 12

Store Pins in a Pinwheel

Fat Quarter Shop

This wheel doesn't spin, but it does hold your pins! Fat Quarter Shop shows you how to sew a sweet square pincushion with a dimensional pinwheel on top. It uses basic quilting techniques to create a fun and useful design.

Pinwheel Pincushion from Fat Quarter Shop
03 of 12

Sew a Simple Pincushion With Trim

Wendi Gratz

This simple pincushion is similar to the Simple Sprocket design, but instead of a circle of patchwork, the shape is a rounded off square all in one fabric. What makes this one unique is the little line of ric rac going around the edge. Not only is it cute, but it also hides the seam so you don't have to worry about perfection. This makes it a great project for kids who are still learning to sew.

Dimples Pincushion from Shiny Happy World
04 of 12

Keep Pins Close at Hand With a Toadstool Pincushion

My Poppet

When you're sewing, it's helpful to have a spot to grab pins and drop them off again, and a wrist pincushion does just that. Not only is this one practical, it's also cute and easy to make.

Toadstool Wrist Pincushion from My Poppet

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05 of 12

Stow Your Scissors in a Pocket Pincushion

Sarah Ashford for Polka Dot Chair

This design is like a mini sewing kit. Of course, you can keep your pins and needles safe, but it also has a pocket that's perfect for embroidery scissors, clips, and maybe even a bobbin of embroidery floss. Keep it close to your favorite chair for hand sewing and embroidery.

Pincushion With a Pocket from Polka Dot Chair
06 of 12

Craft a Pincushion With Pretty Hexagons

Lisa Cox

If you like English paper piecing, but don't want to commit to a large project, you can make a small hexagon flower and attach it to the top of this pincushion. Once filled, it sits in a small tin, giving it the perfect base.

Hexie Pincushion from A Spoonful of Sugar
07 of 12

Sew a Spool of Thread for Your Pins

Bridgette McNay

You may have seen tiny pincushions attached to the top of a wooden spool before, but this is a stuffed pincushion that actually looks like a spool. Bridgette of The Family Hearth cleverly uses strips of patchwork to suggest the strands of thread wrapped around a spool to create a helpful accessory that's also sewing themed.

Spool Pincushion from The Family Hearth
08 of 12

Stitch a Pincushion on Embroidery Hoops

Susan Fitzgerald

Sewing isn't the only craft that relies on pins and needles. Embroiderers often need a spot to safely tuck a few threaded needles, which makes this pincushion a perfect gift for stitchers of all kinds. The base is a stack of wooden embroidery hoops and the top has a few stitched embellishments.

Embroidery Hoop Pincushion from Stitched Modern

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09 of 12

Keep Pins and Needles in an Adorable Cactus

Delilah Iris

Whether they have pins in them or not, these cacti look adorable sitting on your workspace or near your sewing machine. The design isn't strictly intended to be a pincushion, so you might want to make some for gifting too.

Cactus Plush Pincushion from Delilah Iris Designs
10 of 12

Travel With a Tiny Pincushion

Haley Pierson-Cox

Need to take your sewing with you? Haley from Red-Handled Scissors designed a travel kit for English paper piecing, then added a tiny pincushion that snaps into place. If you don't want to make the whole kit, you can still apply this idea to other projects so you can snap on a spot for your pins.

Hexagon Pincushion for an EPP Travel Kit from Red-Handled Scissors
11 of 12

Salt Your Pretzel With Pins

Abby Glassenberg

At first glance, these look like plush pretzels, but each crystal of salt is really a pin. Abby from While She Naps shows you how to sew these clever pincushions that are surprisingly easy to make.

Pretzel Pincushion Tutorial from While She Naps
12 of 12

Applique a Pincushion With Leaves

Mollie Johanson

With a bit of hand applique and a simple seam, you can make this pincushion adorned with leaves. Although the sample has fall leaves, you could apply the same idea with spring colors or a different shape entirely.

Fall Leaf Applique Pincushion from Wild Olive

12 Free Pincushion Patterns

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