Tomato Pin Cushion Pattern and Free Printable

I had a lot of fun creating this pincushion pattern. I plan on tweaking it just a bit, but for now, here it is. I hope you will enjoying using it!

Click here for the template. 

The printable actually has enough for two tomatoes. I always like to have a copy that is uncut for my records.  

Materials:

Red, green, or white embroidery floss

Matching button

1 6X3 piece of green fleece or quality felt

1 11X12 or 22X6 piece of tomato fabric

1 11X12 or 22X6 piece of single faced iron on interfacing

1. Start by tracing 6 tomato segments onto the nonstick side of your interfacing. Iron it to the wrong side of your tomato fabric following manufacturer's instructions. Doing it this way, rather than pinning and cutting 6 segments on both your fabric and your interfacing, saves a ton of time on cutting. 

2. After you have ironed your interfacing to the wrong side of your tomato fabric cut out each of the segments. 

3. Sew two segments together as shown.

Open it up and it should look something like this.

4. Now pin and sew a third segment to one of the two pieces you have just sewn together.

Open it up and it should look something like this.

5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 so that you now have two halves comprised of 3 segments each. 

6. Pin one half of your tomato to the other along one set of seams and sew from top to bottom. 

When you right side it out it should look something like this.

7. Pin your final seams together but instead of sewing from top to bottom leave a 2 1/2 opening in the center of the seam. In this picture shown you would start from one pin and go to the closest point, stop, cut threads, and then start again at the other pin and move towards the closest point leaving the middle open. 

8. Right side out and finger press the opening along the seam line. 

9. Stuff to your desired fullness. 

10. Do a blind stitch to close up the opening. 

11. Taking your embroidery floss go in and out down the center of your tomato from top to bottom a couple of times squishing it into a tomato shape. 

12. Now you are going to cover your seams with embroidery floss by stretching your floss around the curve of the tomato and down into the center of your tomato. Come up through the other side and curve around the opposite side of the seam you have just covered. Repeat until you have covered all of your seams with embroidery floss. Add a Knot, but don't sever your thread yet. 

You will undoubtably end up with one end of your tomato that looks better than the other. Choose that end for your bottom and the other end for your top. 

13. Cut your leaves out using either some fleece scraps or some quality felt. Attach your leaves and button with the rest of your thread. If you've run out, just grab a bit more. 

Voila!

14. Pin it if you Enjoy!