pin cushion material
 

We lost our home in the spring tornado in OKC and my sewing room was destroyed. I am beginning to collect the notions, cabinets and sewing machine so far. Some time ago I found on line a source for metal filings to use on the inside of pin cushions. This really worked! The order came with a small amount of filings and a small piece of fabric (somewhat like swim suit fabric) that would contain the filings. This fabric was for the inner cushion, then I made a decorative cover. I have searched on Google and cannot find it again. I must have found the original source on a sewing board. I don't like a pin cushion that won't stay in place and this one had enough weight to stay on the table and the filings sharpened the pins. I would appreciate any feedback of the metal filings or something new to me that would work. Thanks. Frankie

What you're looking for is emery sand, try googleing it and see what comes up.
sorry about your house.

The last time I looked at emery sand, it was unbelievably expensive, so I started using kitty litter. It's baked clay that is crushed into little pieces. It is abrasive, so sharpens pins and needles, and it is inexpensive. I make weighted bases for the pincushions I sew by using ceramic tiles (either the square or rectangle) as the base. I sew a fabric covering that the tile slips into from either the same or contrasting fabric. The covering has a piece of velcro sewn down the center and the open end is slipstitched closed. Then, I make a pincushion that has the other half of the velcro sewn on it. You can remove the pincushion from the base, but it will not slip off.

Were you in the one near Edmond?

I don't know where the metal shavings are but I have started to use sandblasting sand. There is a place in OKC that supplies it and it's very, very, very cheap and heavy too.

I use sand also. I just bought a sack of playground sand. I have enough sand to make LOTS of pin cushions. :) It has to be so hard recovering from a tornado. I am glad you are getting your sewing stuff all fixed up.

Dina

After seeing a post on the board about pin cushion made with sand blasting sand or Glass blasting beads both can be get at harbor freight. I made pin cushion out of both. both are gone to stay in place. I have pin cushion out of both look them both. My son also had some walnut hull and I try one out of this as well and I can tall that anyone is any better them other. You can only get blasting thing in only big bag is the only bad thing.

I used the Play sand made for the kids sandboxes. It usually comes in a large bag, but there is plenty to share with your quilting buddies.

If you can find a supplier it's really much, much cheaper. I think I gave $14.00 for 80 pounds.

Thanks everyone for your help. I will look at the sand idea.