Originally Posted by MMM

I received a cute little pin cushion as a gift a few weeks ago -- and am wondering if I'm having some sort of reaction the filling -- Has anyone heard of anything like this? (I hope so - else I may be losing it!!). Right after I started using the new pin cushion, I found that my lips and inside my mouth get numb and tingling shortly after I started pinning my quilt together. At first, I thought it was just odd, and didn't make the connection to the pin cushion........but I started paying more attention to it and am really convinced this is the problem. I had one 2-day point where I did no sewing/pinning and it cleared up.......then started all over again the next day when I pieced another little quilt top......and it seemed to be getting to be a stronger reaction at that point. So, now I've pulled all the pins together and washed them (yes...I have lost my mind!) and then rinsed them in rubbing alcohol to hopefully avoid rusting).......and I'm going to see what happens next. I don't know what kind of filling is in this pin cushion- it's soft on the top part of the pin cushion, but there is definitely something harder and firmer (and heavier) at the base. The inside of my mouth is still not back to normal -- scary! (p.s. I guess I should point out that I am one of those sewers who was taught to hold pins in the mouth so hands were free to hold the fabric together!!.....I started laughing when I re-read this before posting! LOL)