Scrappy Little Pin Keeper

A quick, scrap-friendly project designed to make sewing more organized and a lot more fun.

I have to give a ton of credit to one of my favorite teachers, Andrea Hoke of @missandreaquilts , for the inspiration behind this little project. As I’m getting ready for our Glue and Stitch 2026 Block of the Month Club using the Show and Tell Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman, I’m dealing with a lot of tiny pieces—and staying organized is key. One of the best things you can do is label everything as you cut. I like writing letters on flat-head pins so I can keep piece groups together, but then you’re left with the question… where do those pins live when they’re not in use? That’s where this pin keeper comes in. It’s made from half-square triangles (HSTs) using a mini charm pack or scraps, and it’s completely flexible—make it bigger or smaller just by adding or removing HSTs. It’s a quick, scrappy little project that keeps things organized and makes the whole quilting process a bit more fun.

 

Finished Size

  • Approx. 6” x 6”

(Optional: note that size can be adjusted by adding more or less HST)

Supplies

  • Mini Charm Pack or 2.5" square scraps
  • Polyester 50 wt thread
  • 6.5" square piece of fabric for underside of pin keeper
  • Stuffing for the pin keeper (I like to use Poly-fil stuffing, but you an use fabric scraps, or ground walnut shells)
  • pins or clips
  • small square ruler with 45 degree angle line
  • rotary cutter
  • scissors
  • chopstick or corner turning tool
  • hand sewing needle
  • iron and ironing surface

Optional Supplies

  • rotating cutting mat
  • seam guide ruler
  • Tucker Trimmer for Half-Square Triangles
  • Easy Press Pen
  • pressing bar


Method

Step 1: Pair and mark your squares

Pull sixteen 2.5 inch squares from your mini charm pack and pair them up with contrasting fabrics. Think light and dark, bold print with a neutral, or busy paired with simple. Lay each pair right sides together (RST).

Using your seam guide ruler, mark diagonal lines from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of each pair. These marked lines will give you stitching guides that are a quarter inch away on each side of the center diagonal. These lines will become your sew lines for the half square triangles.

Repeat this process for all eight pairs of 2.5 inch squares.

If you are making a larger pin cushion, simply continue pairing and marking additional squares.

 

Step 2: Chain piece your HSTs

Bring your marked square pairs to the sewing machine and begin stitching your HSTs. Stitch just inside the marked diagonal lines you drew in the previous step, think a hair inside the line rather than directly on it. This helps ensure your HSTs finish at the correct size once they are cut and pressed.

Use a short stitch length, around a 2.0, for added strength since these pieces are small.

As you sew, chain piece your HSTs. Chain piecing means sewing one pair right after the next without cutting your thread in between (and there is no need to backstitch). Simply feed the next pair under the presser foot as soon as the previous one finishes. This saves time, uses less thread, and keeps all of your pieces moving neatly through the process.

Continue chain piecing until all of your marked pairs are stitched on both sides of the diagonal line.


Step 3: Cut and press your HSTs

Take your long chain of stitched HST pairs and cut the threads between each set to separate the squares.

Using scissors or a rotary cutter, cut each square directly down the center diagonal, between the two stitch lines. You will end up with 16 triangle units, each with a stitched diagonal seam. The seam allowance should be about 1/4"

Bring the HSTs to the ironing board and press the seams open. A pressing bar works especially well here and helps keep these small pieces stable while you press.

For extra crisp results, run an Easy Press Pen along the seam before pressing. This helps set the seam and keeps everything very flat. Flat seams in HSTs are key and will make the assembly process much easier in the next steps.


Step 4: Trim your HSTs to size

Using a small square ruler with a 45 degree angle line, or a Tucker Trimmer, trim each HST down to 2 inches square.

Start by placing the ruler on top of the HST and lining the 45 degree angle line on the ruler directly on top of the diagonal seam. Make sure the entire HST fits within the 2 inch markings on the ruler. You will likely see a little fabric extending past two sides of the ruler.

Using your rotary cutter, trim off the excess fabric from those two sides.

Next, rotate the HST and reposition the ruler so the two freshly trimmed sides line up exactly with the 2 inch markings. The remaining excess fabric will now be hanging off the other two sides of the ruler. Trim those edges to square up the unit.

Repeat with all of your HSTs until they are trimmed to a clean, accurate 2 inches square.


Step 5: Lay out your HSTs

Lay out your trimmed HSTs in the order you want for your pin cushion top. I highly recommend keeping all of the diagonal seams angled in the same direction. This creates a clean, cohesive look and makes it much easier to assign clear spots for your labeled project pins later on.

As you arrange the layout, aim for strong contrast between neighboring pieces. High contrast makes the individual sections easy to see at a glance and gives you a quick visual guide for where each pin belongs when you place it back into the pin cushion during your project.

Once you’re happy with the layout, leave the pieces in place or take a quick photo so you can refer back to it while sewing.


Step 6: Sew the rows and assemble the top

Begin by sewing the HSTs together into rows. Each row will have four squares. As you sew, press the seams of each row in alternating directions. For example, press all seams in Row 1 to the left, Row 2 to the right, Row 3 to the left, and Row 4 to the right. Pressing this way allows the seams to nest neatly when the rows are joined.

Next, sew Row 1 to Row 2, matching and nesting the seams carefully. Repeat with Row 3 and Row 4. Once those two larger units are sewn, join them together to complete the pin cushion top.

The three horizontal seams created when joining the rows should be pressed open. Pressing these seams open helps reduce bulk where multiple seams meet and keeps the finished top flatter and easier to work with in the next steps.


Step 7: Check size and cut the backing

Your finished pieced block should measure about 6.5 inches square. If it is a little smaller or slightly larger, no worries at all.

If you notice any major glaring edges that are very wonky, this is a good time to give them a small trim. If one seam allowance is noticeably off, you can also take a moment to clean that up before moving on.

Once you’re happy with the block, cut one piece of backing fabric to 6.5 inches square to match the size of your pin cushion top.


Step 8: Stay stitch the pieced block

Before adding the backing, stay stitch around the entire 6.5 inch pieced block. Stay stitching is a line of stitching sewn about 1/8 inch from the outer edge and is used to hold all of the piecing together and prevent seams from pulling apart as you continue working.

Use a longer stitch length, around a 3.0, and sew all the way around the block. 

Make sure to set your stitch length back to 2.0 once your done with your stay stitching.


Step 9: Sew the top and backing together

Place the pieced block and the backing square right sides together, with the pieced side facing up and the backing fabric facing down. This is the orientation you want as you sew, since it helps prevent the pieced seams from shifting as the pin cushion goes through the machine.

Pin the layers together by placing pins diagonally at all four corners and adding a small pin between each corner for extra stability. Decide which edge will be the bottom of your pin cushion and make two small marks about 3 inches apart. These marks act as guides for where to stop and start sewing, leaving a turning opening.

Sew around the entire block using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Pivot at each corner with the needle down to keep the corners crisp. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of the 3 inch opening to secure the seam.


Step 10: Trim the corners

Using scissors, snip the corners of the pin cushion at a slight angle. Be careful not to cut through the stitching line you just sewed.

Trimming the corners helps reduce bulk and allows the corners to turn right side out more cleanly and sharply.


Step 11: Press the seams before turning

Before turning the pin cushion right side out, gently press the side seams open. You do not need to press them completely flat, just enough to relax the seams.

This small step helps reduce bulk and allows the pin cushion to turn more smoothly, giving you a cleaner, more polished look from the front to the back.


Step 12: Turn right side out

Turn the pin cushion right side out through the opening you left at the bottom.

Use a chopstick or a corner turning tool to gently push out the corners, shaping them until they are nice and crisp. Take your time and be careful not to poke through the fabric.


Step 13: Stuff the pin cushion

Begin stuffing the pin cushion through the opening. If you are using poly fil, grab a larger clump and gently pull it apart into smaller pieces before adding it in. Working with smaller clumps helps prevent one big lump from forming in the center and makes it much easier to distribute the filling evenly.

Use a chopstick or corner turning tool to help move the filling into the corners and spread it around inside the pin cushion. Continue adding filling until it reaches the firmness you like.

Keep in mind that slightly less stuffing will allow the pin cushion to sit flatter, which makes it easier to see all of the individual sections when you are organizing your labeled pins.

This is also the step where you can choose a different filling if you prefer, such as ground walnut shells, tiny fabric scraps, or another pin cushion filling of your choice.

 

Step 14: Close the opening by hand

Begin by turning the 1/4" seam allowance of the opening to the inside of the pin cushion. Line up the folded edges so they match the sewn seam on either side, then clip the opening closed to hold everything in place.

Finish the pin cushion by hand sewing the opening closed. I prefer to use a ladder stitch, which helps the stitches disappear and gives you a clean, polished finish.

If you feel more comfortable sewing the opening closed on the machine, feel free to do that. Just keep in mind that the stitching will be visible and may pull the bottom edge down slightly.

Take your time and gently pull the stitches snug as you go, being careful not to pucker the fabric. Once the opening is fully closed, secure your thread and tuck the tail into the pin cushion.

If you are new to ladder stitch, there are many helpful video tutorials available that walk through the process step by step. This one by Fabric Pop is the one I find most useful: Video Here.


You’re finished

You now have a finished, adorable pin cushion. It is perfect for keeping all of your labeled pins organized, especially for quilt projects with lots of pieces.

I hope this little project adds both function and fun to your sewing space and helps make even the most intricate quilting projects feel a bit more manageable and enjoyable.

Happy sewing 💛