Flowery Crocheted Pincushion
Identifier
2025.021
Title
Flowery Crocheted Pincushion
Creator
Unknown
Date
Estimated late 1970s to early 2000s
Format
1 3/4 inches high
4 3/4 inches in diameter
4 3/4 inches in diameter
Description
This sweet hat-shaped pincushion was crocheted with white cotton yarn that seemed similar in size to sport or DK weight yarn. The decorative flowers were crocheted with No. 10 crochet cotton in two different variegated colorways. Lengths of blue 1/2 inch satin ribbon were woven around the hat brim and tied into a bow, and around the hat crown (no bow).
The pincushion has been in my collection since the early 2000s. It may have been in a batch of crocheted items from eBay, or I may have rescued it from an estate sale.
The maker glued the flowers onto the hat's brim. Very fine transparent filaments attached to the flowers looked very much like remnants of hot glue. I assumed the maker used hot glue as an adhesive.
An internet search revealed that hot adhesives were used in industry since the mid-twentieth century. Inventors developed more accurate and safer systems for dispensing hot glue as the years went by. Sure Tack Systems identified Carl Weller as inventor of the hot glue gun (https://suretacksystems.com/2017/03/not-grandmas-glue-gun-latest-hot-melt-adhesive-technology). Crafters started using glue sticks and hand-held hot glue guns sometime after Carl Weller patented his invention. This information led me to estimate the pincushion's creation date as late 1970s to early 2000s.
The pincushion has been in my collection since the early 2000s. It may have been in a batch of crocheted items from eBay, or I may have rescued it from an estate sale.
The maker glued the flowers onto the hat's brim. Very fine transparent filaments attached to the flowers looked very much like remnants of hot glue. I assumed the maker used hot glue as an adhesive.
An internet search revealed that hot adhesives were used in industry since the mid-twentieth century. Inventors developed more accurate and safer systems for dispensing hot glue as the years went by. Sure Tack Systems identified Carl Weller as inventor of the hot glue gun (https://suretacksystems.com/2017/03/not-grandmas-glue-gun-latest-hot-melt-adhesive-technology). Crafters started using glue sticks and hand-held hot glue guns sometime after Carl Weller patented his invention. This information led me to estimate the pincushion's creation date as late 1970s to early 2000s.
Provenance
Suzann Thompson
Collection
Citation
suzannthompson, “Flowery Crocheted Pincushion,” Center for Knit and Crochet Digital Repository, accessed June 17, 2026, https://digital.centerforknitandcrochet.org/items/show/41042.
Added by suzannthompson
Comments