Tessie's Tuffets

The other day, when I had a photo of the spider tuffet, someone made a comment about it. I decided to show you how it's done.

I didn't think it up. Someone making pincushions did. I did however figure out the pattern myself, after seeing a photo of one.

They are pretty easy to make and there are endless variations.

The first method I will show you is made like the spider one.

They all have a water bottle cap from an 18 oz. size as a base. I have been known to make them from other sizes if I find one that might make an interesting size.

For the size we are making, you need a water bottle cap, two 2 1/2" circles of fabric, needle and thread. You will also need some white glue and a pair of scissors.

Cut the two circles of fabric and, using a double thread, do a gathering stitch around the circle of the fabric. Do it about 1/8" in from the edge. In one circle, you place the cap in the center, open side up, and gather the fabric. Arrange it around the edge with as few pleats as possible. Tie it off.

Then gather the other circle of fabric and stuff it with fiberfill. It helps to pull it up and keep poking more stuffing in the hole. It needs to be fairly stiff with stuffing. Tie this off.

Now fit the top into the bottom and when you like the shape, glue the two together. Let the glue dry and then run a trim between the two.

On the spider tuffet, I embroidered the spider first and when it came to trim, I did a herringbone stitch around the edge.

The other way to make them is even simpler. You don't have to do the gathering of the bottom circle. You do the top the same, but the bottom gets a circle of the fabric glued to the top of the cap(Confused now? The top of the cap is the bottom of the stool....) Then you cut a strip of index card 1/2" wide just large enough to fit around the cap.

Cut "V"s out of the edge of the fabric and glue the tabs up the sides. Then glue the top into the cap and glue the strip around the side. When it dries, you can decorate with braid if you wish.

While we were working on the tuffets, Widget was watching. I am beginning to worry....Tessie and Widget are getting altogether too friendly lately. I already have problems when she and Mookie get their heads together.....Now it just may be 3 to 1. The odds against me winning are getting slimmer all the time.

Here are the three finished tuffets. I forgot to mention that you can glue 3 beads on the bottom for feet if you like. Trust me. Three are better than four. If there is any variation in the size of your beads, the tuffet will wobble with four.

I do hope that you will try it. I should warn you.....They are like the proverbial potato chip. I'll bet you can't make just one......Have fun.

See you tomorrow. Another one of those crazy P.S.s....Susan's comment reminded me that when I first saw these, people had attached a elastic band to the bottom so that they could wear it as a pincushion ring whilst sewing. I have also seen people add a larger band so that they can wear it around their wrist. They really are handy that way.