You are invited to learn how to crochet a beautiful pin cushion covered with lots of popcorn stitches with me. I love this technique since it is quite easy and yet the products which come out of it are elegant & fancy. Wait till your own pin cushion will be ready and see it for yourself 🙂
If you are familiar with the popcorn stitch, I recommend you crochet your pin cushion using a 2.25 mm crochet hook. This will help you crochet a beautiful tight product as the yellow pin cushion in my photos.
If this is the first time you try this stitch, I recommend you crochet your pin cushion with a 3 mm crochet hook. Your pin cushion will turn out less dense as my coral-pink-cream one, but it will be much easier to begin with.
If you wish to purchase a printable PDF – click here
PIN CUSHION MEASURMENTS
With a 2.25 mm crochet hook, the finished pin cushion diameter will be approx. 10 cm and its height is approx. 7 cm. With a 3.5 mm crochet hook, the finished pin cushion diameter will be approx. 12 cm and its height is approx. 8 cm.
MATERIALS FOR THE PIN CUSHION
Coral – pink – cream pin cushion – Fiba Natura Bamboo Jazz yarn – 1 skein in 3 colors – pink #203, coral #204, cream #202 (1 skein = 50 g, 120 m, 50% cotton, 50 % bamboo – you will not use all the yarn). A 3.5 mm crochet hook.
Yellow pin cushion – Fiba Natura LUXOR yarn – 1 skein in 2 colors – light yellow #105-30 , dark yellow #105-03 (1 skein = 50 g, 125 m, 100% cotton, you will not use all the yarn). MADAM TRICOTE CAMILLA yarn – 1 skein of medium yellow #5530 (1 skein = 50 g, 125 m, 100% mercerized cotton – you will not use all the yarn). A 2.25 mm crochet hook.
A tapestry needle.
Stuffing material such as Acrilan .
Scissors
GAUGE
Coral – pink – cream pin cushion 4” / 10 cm = 24 dc & 10 rows Yellow pin cushion 4” / 10 cm = 30 dc & 12 rows
ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMS)
mr = magic ring ch = chain ch sp = chain space sl st = slip stitch sc = single crochet inv dec = invisible decrease of 2 single crochet stitches dc = double crochet popcorn st = 5 double crochet popcorn stitch rnd (s) = round (s) st (s) = stitch (s) yo = yarn over RS = right side WS = wrong side
GENERAL
The pin cushion is crocheted in 3 parts: The popcorn cover that will be crocheted using popcorn sts. Two “half ball” parts that will be crocheted using sc & dc sts.
We will crochet all the parts in joined rnds.
[ ] – you should crochet the instructions in brackets the number of times mentioned right after them.
( ) – you should crochet all the instructions in brackets to the mentioned st right after them.
In each rnd and row end the sts number will be mentioned in brackets ( ).
SPECIAL STITCHES FOR THE PIN CUSHION PROJECT
Magic ring = mr – click here for a video tutorial.
Create the last loop method – using a needle, insert the yarn to the requested st in the current rnd, and back to the place where the st started its way (photo tutorials are available later on).
inv dec – insert the hook to the fl of next 2 sts (3 loops on hook), yo & pull through 2 (2 loops on hook), yo & pull through 2 – inv dec has been made.
5 dc popcorn st (popcorn st) – There is a difference between the 1st popcorn st in a rnd and all the others:
For the 1st pop st in a rnd – ch 3 (count as a dc), 4 dc to the same st, enlarge the loop and remove the hook from it (photo 1), insert the hook to the 3rd ch of the 3 chains that count as the 1st dc & to the enlarged loop (2 loops on hook-photo 2), yo (photo 3) & pull through 2 – a 1st 5 dc popcorn st has been made (photo 4).
For all other popcorn sts – crochet 5 dc in the requested st, enlarge the loop and remove the hook from it, insert the hook to the 1st dc & to the enlarged loop (2 loops on hook – photo 5), yo & pull through 2 – a 5 dc popcorn st has been made
photo 1
photo 2
photo 3
photo 4
photo 5
INSTRUCTIONS – HOW TO CROCHET A PIN CUSHION POPCORN COVER
The photo tutorial relates to the coral – pink – cream pin cushion. If you wish to crochet the yellow pin cushion – rnds 1-3 of the popcorn cover will be crocheted in medium yellow, rnds 4-6 with light yellow. The upper “half ball” will be crocheted in light yellow and the lower with dark yellow.
Rnd 1: Using the coral yarn create a mr, [popcorn st to the mr, ch 2] * 8 times, sl st to the 1st popcorn in the rnd – to its hole (the needle marks the hole in photo 6) (8 popcorn sts and ch 2 sp between them – photo 7).
photo 6
photo 7
Rnd 2: 1 sl st to the next ch 2 sp, (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the same ch 2 sp, [ch 2, (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the next ch 2 sp] * 7 times, ch 2, sl st to the 1st popcorn st in the rnd – to its hole (16 popcorn sts and ch 2 sp between them – photo 8).
photo 8
Rnd 3: sl st to the next ch 2 sp, (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the same ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 popcorn st to the next ch 2 sp, [ch 2 (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 popcorn st to next ch 2 sp] * 7 times, ch 2, sl st to the 1st popcorn st in the rnd – to its hole (24 popcorn sts and ch 2 sp between them – photo 9). Cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail, ch 1 & pull the yarn from the st.
photo 9
Rnd 4: Using the pink yarn create a sl knot & join it with a sl st to one of the ch 2 sp befor one of the single popcorn sts (photo 10), (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the same ch 2 sp, [ch 2, 1 popcorn st to the next ch 2 sp] * 2 times, [ch 2 (1 popcorn st, ch 2, 1 popcorn st) to the next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 popcorn st to next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 popcorn st to next ch 2 sp ] * 7 times, ch 2, sl st to the 1st popcorn st in the rnd – to its hole
(32 popcorn sts and ch 2 between them – photo 11).
photo 10
photo 11
Rnd 5: sl st to next ch 2 sp, 1 popcorn st to the same ch 2 sp,
[ch 2, 1 popcorn st to the next ch 2 sp] * 31 times, ch 2, sl st to the 1st popcorn st in the rnd – to its hole (32 popcorn sts and ch 2 between them – photo 12).
photo 12
Rnd 6: as rnd 5. Cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail, ch 1 & pull the yarn from the st and weave in all extra yarn (photo 13)
photo 13
TWO “HALF BALL” PARTS
One half ball, the one that will be under the popcorn cover, will be crocheted from the coral yarn, and the other half ball will be crocheted from the cream yarn.
Rnd 1: Create a mr, ch 1 (does not count as a st) , 12 dc into the mr, sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (12 sts). Rnd 2: ch 2 (does not count as a st), 1 dc to the same st, 2 dc to each of next 11 sts, 1 dc to last st (the sl st from the previous rnd), sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (24 sts).
Rnd 3: ch 2 (does not count as a st), 1 dc to the same st & to next st, [2 dc to next st, 1 dc to next st] * 11 times, 1 dc to last st (the sl st from the previous rnd), sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (36 sts).
Rnd 4: ch 2 (does not count as a st), 1 dc to the same st & to each of next 2 sts, [2 dc to next st, 1 dc to each of next 2 sts] * 11 times, 1 dc to last st (the sl st from the previous rnd), sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (48 sts).
Rnd 5: ch 2 (does not count as a st), 1 dc to the same st & to each of next 3 sts, [2 dc to next st, 1 dc to each of next 3 sts] * 11 times (the last st will be crocheted to the sl st from the previous rnd), sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (60 sts). Rnd 6: ch 2 (does not count as a st), 1 dc to the same st & to each of next 2 sts, [2 dc to next st, 1 dc to each of next 4 sts] * 11 times, 1 dc to each of next 3 sts (the last st will be crocheted to the sl st from the previous rnd), sl st to the 1st dc of this rnd (72 sts).
TILL NOW WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF STS IN EVERY RND. FROM NOW ON WE WILL KEEP OR DECREASE THE NUMBER OF STS
Rnd 7: ch 1 (does not count as a st), 1 sc to the same st & to each of next 71 sts, sk the sl st from the previous rnd and sl st to the 1st sc of this rnd (72 sts). Rnd 8: ch 1 (does not count as a st), 1 sc to the same st & to each of next 6 sts, [inv dec, 1 sc to each of next 7 sts] * 7 times, inv dec. sk the last st – the sl st from the previous rnd, sl st to the 1st sc of this rnd (64 sts). Rnd 9: ch 1 (does not count as a st), 1 sc to the same st & to each of next 63 sts, sk the sl st from the previous rnd, cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail & pull it from the st. Using a needle insert the yarn to the 1st sc of this rnd 9 photo 14) and back to the place where the st started its way (photo 15) (64 sts). Weave in all extra yarn & create the 2nd unit (photo 16).
photo 14
photo 15
photo 16
JOINING THE 2 “HALF BALLS”
Place the coral half ball on top of the cream half ball while their WR faces the inner part of the ball. Using the coral yarn create a slip knot & start crocheting 1 sc in each 2 sts, of the cream and the coral half balls, together (photos 17 & 18). Stuff the ball as you go and keep crocheting 1 sc around till you reach the 1st sc of this rnd.
photo 17
photo 18
Crochet an additional sc in the place you crocheted the 1st sc of this rnd (photo 19) (65 sts).
photo 19
Cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail & pull the yarn from the st. Using a needle insert the yarn to the 2nd sc in this rnd (photo 20) & back to the place the st started its way (photo 21). Weave in all extra yarn.
photo 20
photo 21
JOINING THE POPCORN COVER TO THE “BALL”
Place the popcorn cover on top of the coral side of the ball. Join each sc st of the ball (3 sts are marked with pins in photo 22 for an example) to the cover in the following way: To the ch 2 sp between the popcorn sts or to the 1st dc of a popcorn st by order (photo 23). Start crocheting under one of the ch 2 sps & one of the sc sts of the ball (photo 24).
photo 22
photo 23
photo 24
Crochet 64 sl sts, cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail & pull the yarn from the st. Using a needle insert the yarn to the 1st sl st in this rnd (photo 25) & back to the place where the st started its way (photo 26). Weave in all extra yarn.
photo 25
photo 26
CONGRATULATIONS – YOUR PIN CUSHION IS READY !!!
