Originally Posted by
Tiggersmom
Silica sand is poisonous. The bag I had said it was highly dangerous.
I'm sorry, but this isn't quite accurate. Maybe the bag you had contained other ingredients, but silica sand by itself is quite safe. One of the main uses for it is water filtration.
Another place to get walnut shells is at sporting good stores. It's used to polish brass shells. I don't know how the cost compares to the pet store shells.
I have a friend who is allergic to lanolin, so she can't enjoy anything wool. I think the best idea is to know who you're making the pin cushion for and use something appropriate for them. If you want to sell them at a bazaar, sort and label them accordingly.