I remember when we had to save our coffee grounds. They would spread them on a jelly roll pan and slow bake them in the oven to get rid of the smell and super dry them. And then they were used for pin cushions. Does anyone else remember this?

I use the polyfil but put poly pellets in the bottom for weight.

I use crushed walnut shells, it keeps the pins sharp and stops them from rusting. I get it from the pet store, they sell it as Lizard Litter and use it in the reptile cages.

I have made pin cushions with polyfil and flax seeds. I have an Amish store close to me so the flax seeds are not expensive at all.

Barb

do you put the sand inside a liner? I've thought of this but couldn't think of a non-messy way to do it.

My grandma used sand in hers. I'm not sure if she put it in a liner or not. Seems like you should.

sawdust or wood shavings.

I put very fine steel wool (home store) over sawdust.

I simply use batting. Though I make my pin cushions more like pin pillows. I take a 10" quilt block, and use strips of batting and a backing square. I have all of my straight pins in one and I have my safety pins in the others.

This thread just flooded me with memories of my great-grandmother who taught me to sew (i was named after her)!! We were called Big-Leona and Little-Leona, but I called her Grandma Precious. She was always making pin cushions and including them in homemade gift baskets she would give to her friends and family member for birthdays etc. She would use the lid/top to I think it was arisol (spelling?) hair spray cans. They were pink and made out of plastic. She would sew fabric and stuff it into a round half-dome shape for the pin cushion part and then glue it to the open side of the lid, and then glue lace around the perimeter where the fabric met the lid. It was a pin cushion and it looked like a frilly cupcake!!! I remember her using hair to stuff some of them. I totally forgot all about that until I read the post about the hair!

Remembering that has made my day!!