Pin Cushion
#13
Steel wool will rust and scratch your pins or needles making them rough. It is not a prefered material. I use walnut shells for the best, though course filling. Sand makes a nice heavy base too.
#14
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,398
I cut open old velvet pin cushions when I find them at thrift shops and yard sales. They are always filled with sawdust. I find a lot of needles inside them. The quality ones like they use to be made. Very seldom do I find any needles that are rusted unless they happen to be newer ones.
#15
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,827
I cut open old velvet pin cushions when I find them at thrift shops and yard sales. They are always filled with sawdust. I find a lot of needles inside them. The quality ones like they use to be made. Very seldom do I find any needles that are rusted unless they happen to be newer ones.
I too remember her opening up the old ones and taking out all the needles.
She'd have a count for us all, as to how many she found.
In fact ... I still have needles that she had saved in her felt needle books!
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
What I used was wool from the inside of an old quilt. Most likely it had never been washed, as we would take the quilt apart if the top needed cleaning, wash the top, put the wool batt back in and retie it. If the batt was in bad shape, it went to the woolen mill to be re-carded. They cleaned it that time and usually had to add some new wool, as there was always some of the old wool lost in the carding process. "Carding"? Using a wire-toothed brush to comb out fibers, as of wool, prior to spinning.
#17
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,398
#19
I fill the bottom of my pincushion I make with poly beads then I stuff it with 100% pure cotton balls. I find the balls stuff better. I use this pattern for most of my pincushions to give away. I make them extra large and fill them with colored glass head pins for gifts. It really makes a gift. Super easy.
https://www.fatquartershop.com/homes...ts-pincushions
https://www.fatquartershop.com/homes...ts-pincushions