It must be the time of year to clean out pincushions. I did mine yesterday and found about 20 needles that had disappeared inside. I put them elsewhere!

I make it easy on myself -- I only purchase the white glass head pins. If I get others, I usually give them away. Some of the pins I am using are over 40 years old. I use a knitted pincushion and put all my needles in around the outside so I lose very few to a hungry pincushion monster.

I made a little pincushion of felt, like a pillow about 1.5" x 2.5" - really small - sits in my sewing basket next to my chair. I did the "squeeze" test on it once and came up with FIFTY needles, about 30 small hand quilting and 20 larger ones!! At least they didn't wind up on the floor where DH is invariably the one to step on them!

I have one of those magnetic holders for my straight pins and a magnetic case for my needles but how do they STILL end up on the floor all the time?? I always wear slippers in my house !!

When I put a needle in a pincushion I always take a nip of the fabric so the needle goes in and out again, then they do not get buried. I usually put them in a needle case but if it isn't handy I will use the pincushion.

I read on one of the forums about a woman who had been quilting/sewing for years and using one of the big tomato pin cushions. She decided to cut it open and see how many needles she could find, and she said she found close to 100!

recently dh was laying in front of the tv & asked "what is that on the carpet", seeing a line of what looked like sawdust I looked around and found a "tomato skin" wet & obviously chewed on. Our yorkie puppy had got hold of a pincushion and chewed it to bits. I picked up all the pins & over 50 old needles with a magnet out of the carpet. Later found more & a couple caught in the vacuum roll & hose. The pin cushion was old & I never used it for needles, they were all INSIDE . Puppy was ok luckily, don't know how she kept from swallowing one or get one in her mouth or gums.

I opened an old one of my grandma's, and found about 40 needles. The outside of the pin cushion was velvet fabric, and it was stuffed with horse hair. :)

Hmm, I was wondering what to do tonight! Think I will go exploring for needles - thanks for the advice!

I put needles into my pincushion like I'm pinning fabric. Both end are exposed. I try to put them back in whatever pack they came from when I'm finished sewing.
I used to have a habit of using the arm of the lounge chair as a pin cushion. After leaning on it one day with my hand and finding 2 needles the painful way I was cured of that bad habit.