Pin Stuck Pincushions Hearts

Pin Stuck Pincushions are pincushions where pin heads are used to create imagery or sayings to mark a special event, such as a marriage, birth of a child, or a birthday and have been made since the seventeenth century.
Pins today seem an insignificant item, but from medieval times until the industrial revolution, they were highly prized because of the craftsmanship involved in their manufacture. The industrial revolution made them affordable for everyone.
During Victorian times soldiers and sailors recuperating from their injuries were encouraged to take up various crafts, to aid their recovery. Pincushions were one of these crafts and the shape developed into hearts or stars, which were then sent to their sweethearts / wives. All soldiers and sailors carried a basic sewing kit so they could repair their uniforms, so they were used to working with fabric. Patchwork quilts were sometimes made from uniforms and these patterns often appear on the pincushions. Women also continued to make them to mark special occasions.
Kits of Sweetheart Pincushions were made available during Victorian times which standardised the shape, but designs continued to be varied.  Fabrics used include scraps of uniforms, military ribbons, silk ribbons, cigarette silks, scraps of velvet and other luxurious fabrics, photographs, commemorative ribbons, cigarette cards etc., and the hearts were finished with braids (some with pompoms) around the edges. Beads and sequins were used to decorate the hearts, creating images or sayings. These military pincushions continued to be made during the First World War but fell out of favour during the Second World War.
These pincushions continue to be made today to celebrate special events such as weddings, births, anniversaries birthdays etc. They make wonderful Ring Pillows.
We will stuff a linen heart with sawdust before decorating the surface of the heart with fragments of silk, cottons, linens, treasured fabrics, ribbons, lace all pinned into place, with decorative pin work to create a crazy patchwork. We will then add pins with beads or decorative heads and other embellishments to decorate the hearts.
Hand embroidery stitches can also be used to decorate the hearts.
Student Requirements List
Please bring the following:
Basic Sewing kit to include: Fabric Scissors, small embroidery scissors, pins, needles etc,
A variety of small fragments of fabrics, – silks, viscose satins, wool, cottons, velvets etc. recycled / vintage fabrics, fragments of vintage linen or cotton embroidered tablecloths or tray cloths
Ribbons of varying thicknesses & Rick Rack braid
Lace pieces – strips and larger pieces
A variety of embroidery threads (cottons, silks), machine cotton, perle 8, 10, or 12 size, cotton a broder, stranded – in favourite colours
Embellishments – beads, buttons, treasured mementoes like badges, brooches, photos, tickets, shells etc
Pencil & Note book
Pompom trim or other braid to fit around the edge of the heart. .
Lots of dress making pins.
Pins with glass heads
Pins with decorative heads.
Beads varying sizes but a pin must pass through it. The beads will be secured with the pins.
A mask & gloves to wear while stuffing the heart
I will bring the following:
A linen heart to stuff – £2 cost price
Sawdust
Spare masks & gloves
I will have fragments of vintage / recycled fabrics, silks, satin viscose, lace, ribbons, buttons, beads, pins of all types, decorative pins to buy if needed at cost price
Threads in a variety of colours & thicknesses