Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines: Heart Pin Cushion

I am delighted to be a part of the blog tour for Katy Cannon’s new novel Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines which was released on 2nd February with Stripes Publishing. I absolutely loved this book and the fact that there’s loads of really great sewing instructions included throughout the story. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to share one with you today. Needles at the ready…

♥ Heart Pin Cushion ♥

What you need:

Coloured felt
Stuffing

What to do:

Draw a heart the size you want your pincushion to be on a piece of paper and cut out.
Fold your felt in half, and pin the paper heart to it, making sure the pins go right through both layers.
Cut around your heart and then unpin the paper, leaving two identical felt hearts.
Pin the hearts together again to stop them slipping as you sew.
Beginning at the bottom and starting your thread between the two layers of felt, stitch around the outside of the hearts with three strands of white embroidery thread, using whip stitch or blanket stitch, removing the pins as you go.
Stop when you have just 4–5cm left unstitched, unthread your needle and remove any remaining pins.
Fill your heart with stuffing until it’s nice and plump.
Thread your needle again and finish sewing the rest of the way around the heart.
Stick your pins into the cushion to keep them safe until you start your next sewing project!

Grace: This was supposed to be Grace’s starring year, until she opened the door to a family secret that changed everything. Now she’s stuck making costumes in Sewing Club and watching someone else play the lead role – unless she can find a way to win it back.

Connor: Far from home and exiled to a new school, all Connor wants is to keep a low profile and get through the year. But agreeing to help his step-dad out with the school play means he’s soon caught up in Grace’s schemes.

Grace had a plan for this year – and it didn’t involve learning to sew. But being out of the spotlight isn’t the disaster she imagined, even if Connor is convinced she’s still a diva extraordinaire. Can Grace prove she’s really changed and save the play from the sidelines, even though her family is coming apart at the seams?

Click to get your copy.