If you’re a crafter, you’re no stranger to finding tiny objects all over the floor after a project is complete. For me, that means a lot of sewing pins dropped everywhere, in danger of poking one of my toes while I cross the floor for another pair of scissors or measuring tape. No matter how many boxes, magnets, or pincushions I have, there are always more pins and needles to find a home for – and what better than an adorable crocheted pincushion that doubles as a cute amigurumi figure? Even if you’re not the one walking on pins and needles, this makes an excellent gift for friends who craft with sharp objects.
This tiny cactus from Ana Paula does just the trick, housing as many pins as you can stuff in it, and with its cute little smile, it does so quite happily with no fear of injury. With a few different colors of worsted weight yarn, some fiberfill and some pellets or glass beads, this little guy whips up in no time. And if you’re up for an extra mini challenge, there’s an option to crochet a tiny red bow to top it all off.
You’ll need the following: worsted weight yarn in green, brown, and tan; an F size crochet hook; fiberfill for the cactus body; poly-pellets or glass beads (dry rice or small beans will work too in a pinch) for the planter; two 6mm eyes with backings; scissors; black embroidery thread for the mouth; and a tapestry needle to sew it all together.
There aren’t many stitches involved either, just a simple single crochet (sc), decrease (dc), back post decrease (bpdc), and chain (ch) to make this tiny buddy.
If you are already a fan of amigurumi or try this project out and find that you want to make more adorable, tiny creatures, Ana Paula has plenty of options for you on her Ravelry page, such as a bear with a pot of honey, a couple of cupcakes, or a jellyfish ornament. You can also find the free pattern for this cactus pincushion at her site, Amigurumi Patterns.
