vintage thimble pincushion pendants

Today I made these pretty thimble pincushion pendants.  So many china thimbles in the world, all completely useless as thimbles...I wracked my brain thinking of something to make out of them.  The best part of these is that it is so useful to have a pincushion on a chain!  My husband is always finding needles on the floor and announcing 'THERE WAS A NEEDLE ON THE FLOOR' because he is in charge of health and safety when it comes to needles on the floor, only.  Nobody has ever stepped on one, but 'SOMEONE COULD STEP ON ONE', so these pendants not only are sweet and pretty, but also will keep your home safe from minor albeit painful foot injuries.

The best part is the tiny little tomato cushions.  Aren't they adorable?  With the little buttons.  My fascination with pincushions is bordering on obsession.  And the bizarre thing is that I haven't got a decent pincushion in the house, I use a pin dish.  That is why we have so many needles on the floor.

These are on Etsy!

Little China Pincushions

This week I made pincushions!  I found a little china jar with no lid at the car boot sale in Shanagarry a couple of weeks ago, and it said to me 'pincushion'.  It is startling how many things say that to me.  So this past weekend at the awesome Carrigtwohill car boot sale, I bought some more bits of china to make into even more pincushions.  I even made one with the little shot glass with the milkmaid on it.  I literally eyed up everything as a possible pincushion, but I think it's out of my system now.

My favourite is the Carrigaline china dish with the shamrocks on it, as it came out satisfyingly round.  I also love the little vase with the strawberries on it.  These are all very good pincushions, they sit very still while you do your business of putting pins in them, no trying to get away.

I took my photos in a different spot with a different camera today.  My beloved Lumix has memory card issues and really needs to pop up to Dublin to get sorted out, meanwhile I am using Kieran's little pocket cam.  I took the photos on a shelf in the flower shop, instead of the window where I usually take them.  They came out like a lightbox...I don't like it!  I want my overexposed, Etsy-angle photos back!

These will probably not make it up on Etsy until Monday.  I suspect I will retake the pictures, I just can't let good enough alone.