Originally Posted by irishrose
I would add piece of study cardboard or plastic inside the pin cushion on the machine side. Some of our grandmothers really did a number on their machines using something tied on the cross bar for a pin cushion. My machines may be vintage, but they don't need any more scratches than they get with normal use.
That being said, I do like this idea.
I agree. Many a vintage machine is ruined by "pin rash", as the owners had a piece of cloth pinned around the arm for pins to be stuck into as they were taken out of the sewn area. The machine body underneath gets all gouged up and ruined. Even with a backing, you are still going to miss your cushion sometimes, and hit your machine. Be prepared for "pin rash" around your pin cushion.
I keep a magnetic pin cushion (a dish, really) in that same area, on the table right in front of the tower, and just drop my pins onto it. It's fast, I don't have to look, and if I'm even close the magnet will pull the pins to it.
I can also wave it over the floor to pick up pins that have fallen.