I took delivery of my new Pfaff Hobbylock 2.5 yesterday, and after I managed to work out how to rethread it, I of course had to have a go. After a couple of hours yesterday, and a couple more today, I’m officially loving it! I’ve learnt what not to do on it… and that it’s best to have the sewing machine out at the same time. Me being me, I decided to work on a project I’d had in mind for a while, namely to make a thread catcher for use next to the sewing machine. I didn’t like many I’d seen on the web, so I adapted various ideas and made my own.

Using some of the Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Design Roll strips, I overlocked them together to make the covers for the pincushion and thread catcher bag. I cut the bottom off a ready-meal container leaving approximately half an inch of plastic to sew the fabric onto. I wrapped that with a strip of fabric and sewed the edges together, trying (unsuccessfully) not to catch the edge of the plastic. Twist the join to the bottom. I made the outer and lining bags on the overlocker, and folded over the top edges before topstitching them on the sewing machine. I sewed the gusset seams together before turning right sides in/out. I then tacked the tops to the fabric covering the frame before machine and hand sewing them in place – at this stage I did sew into the plastic with the machine so that it was extra secure. I added a flap of calico, overlocking the edges, so that I could safety pin it to the far edge of the pincushion – that way I could detach it to use either separately. It’s this, with the weight of the rice filled pincushion that keeps the bin in place.

For the pincushion I used 500g of rice in a calico inner bag, and then used the Eclectic Elements to make a cover, keeping a raw, overlocked edge for that grunge effect. I sewed on a loop to keep my scissors in.

All things considered (and don’t look too closely if you’re a seamstress!) I don’t think I’ve done too bad!