Sweetheart cushion

3D Model

This intricately crafted pin cushion would have been produced during WWI by a soldier as a form of therapy whilst recovering from injuries. They are known as ‘sweetheart’ pin cushions as they would have then been sent home by the soldiers to their loved ones. The hearts were produced from kits contained within a template-cut cardboard box which would have also contained the fabric, beads and pins needed to produce the cushions. The mass production of these kits meant that there were standard patterns produced. These could then be personalised to an individual or to reflect a soldier’s regiment, as this example is, having at its centre an image of regimental soldiers in uniform.