Tutorial: Kanzashi butterfly headband

Mollie from Wild Olive shows how you can make this pretty kanazashi butterfly headband. Each butterfly is made from 6 hexagons (2 large, 2 medium, and 2 small) folded and stitched to make layered wings. You can charm squares or fabrics to make them. They’re made entirely with hand stitches and fabric glue, so it’s a good project to take along with you to the park or soccer practice. She includes a template for cutting the hexagons. If headbands aren’t your thing, or maybe you just don’t wear hair accessories, this would also make a cute brooch. Go to Wild Olive for the template and the tutorial.

[photo from Wild Olive]

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It doesn’t matter whether you sew by hand or by machine, you need a pincushion. You need a spot to parks pins and needles and keep them within easy reach for when you need them again. There are a lot of styles of pincushion to choose from. Some magnetic, some fabric. Some cute, some purely functional. This “little bit extra” pincushion has a spot to store all the different types of pins and needles you might need while sewing. Polka Dot Chair has a free sewing pattern you can use to make one for yourself.

This handy little pincushion has a circular shape and is divided into sections to store different types of pins. The bottom section is for your regular straight pins. Just poke them in and they’re ready for when you need them. The top has one section with a felt flap perfect for holding your sewing needles. I don’t know about you but I don’t like mixing my hand sewing needles in with my pins on a pincushion. It makes it hard to find the needle when I want it. So having a separate section for the needles is a great idea.

This “little bit extra” pincushion also has a spot to hold a few fabric clips. Fabric clips have become popular alternatives to a traditional straight pin. They hold fabric pieces together without piercing the fabric, which is important when sewing leather, vinyl, or other materials that will show permanent holes from pins.

You can sew the “little bit extra” pincushion from large fabric scraps or small fabric cuts (fat eighth). You probably already have all the supplies you need to sew one in your sewing supplies already.

Get the free pattern for this “little bit extra” pincushion over at Polka Dot Chair.

[photo credit: Polka Dot Chair]

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