I have a high end sewing machine and believed based on what I had read that having a magnet close to it would not be an issue. I placed my Zirkel pincushion right next to the sewing machine (right side where the controls are) and heard a strange noise. I moved the magnet and put it back. Same strange noise. It was affecting something inside the machine. So I keep the magnets at least an inch or two away from the machine.