IT'S TIME....FOR ANOTHER FELT CUPCAKE....or should I say BUCKET!?

My shoe beside it to show the size... The size of ice cream container I used....my favorite though is the small one...just right for a cupcake! Working and sweating in this Texas heat will drive you indoors under the cool fan....and so to rest my feet this last week I just had to get my hands on something sweet....yes, coffee and a few dipping oatmeal cookies or sherbert ice cream would do ... but I was really referring to the felt cupcake pincushions I made in the past. And I decided to try a larger version, with it being developed as I went....so very relaxing for me and doing this you seem to think a lot and maybe pray a lot. So being still working with my hands is valuable time for me.....and here are the results of the larger version of the felt cupcake (bucket/basket?) pin cushion. Here are a few pictures of different size ice cream containers that can be used for the base...I have only used the two smaller sizes.....but here is my process....I first roll up a rock from my driveway in a lot of paper towels or any paper and hot glue it into the bottom of the container (I don't use the lid at all...but something might come up....hmmmm like a flat pin cushion!) That needs to be done (the rock) to weight it down...... then I glue two or three layers of cardboard into the bottom void so it sits flat....which will be covered with felt....next I begin to cut and pin on the felt, around the outsides and trimming it as I go....a circle for the bottom. And I cut a large circle of either old feed sack print or another cotton print to co-ordinate with the colors....it needs to be a circle larger than the circumference of the top of the container....I sew a gathering stitch around the outer edge of the fabric circle and pull the thread, gathering it to make a ball of sorts (stuffed) to set on top of the felt bowl or bucket....filling in MORE poly filling as I go to get it really full and well stuffed.....I basically baste on or stitch with thread the parts together and then in the end I stitch/decorate on top with blanket stitch or decorative stitches (with embroidery thread) and appliques or rick rack to decorate it....and I do that decorating in the end after it is all together....you could do it in a different order if you like....anyway this one was so big I decided to add a basket handle with brown felt and then added a twisted lime color lining, leaving the fuzzy selvage which I think made it more twiggy looking....like I said it is developed as I go....which is fun for me.....SO here it is....now you make one and send me a picture thru my contact info on my website listed to the left....I would love to see it....or tell me in the comments so I can go to your blog and check it out.....I love these silly pin cushions...all sizes and shapes....very gratifying!! ENJOY and BIG BLESSINGS to you!!!