I like pincushions and have a lot. My favorite is the large old fashioned tomato one made out of velvet. I don't know what is inside. All the ones I make have a rice bases with wool stuffing. Natural wool has lanolin. My most useful pincushion is the Zirkel magnetic one. It looks great filled with a lot of pins. The post earlier of the little girl sewing caddy with pincushion was darling.