I used crushed walnut shells which I got at the pet store. They are used for lizard litter. Much cheaper way to buy them, especially if you are making many. I like that they add some weight to the pin cushion so if sits better

I hadn't heard of this before and since seeing it I wonder -- do you use a second cloth as a liner for your pincushions? It seems like this might seep out through the fibers over time. Maybe it's coarser than it appears from the picture I saw. Sure seems like a functional filler!

I use crushed walnut shells and fiberfill to fill mine. As for patterns, a favorite is Dorene Speckman's chicken, and the newer versions thereof. Tons of fun patterns on the net. :)

I like "poly pellets" in my pincushions. It's weighted, washable, and non-allergenic. I use a funnel and pour it right in.

If you want to go bigger, you might consider a thread catcher that has a pincushion.

Unless you're sure the recipients have no nut allergies, I'd avoid the walnut shells. Besides, walnut shells, beans, sawdust, rice and the other plant derived fillers actually dull pins (like wood dulls saws). It's the mineral fillers (emery, sand, cat litter, etc) that sharpen pins.

I use emery sand to fill my pin cushions. Emery sand is heavy and it keeps my pins sharp. I have purchased emery sand from Amazon, etsy, and joggles.com. Have fun making your pin cushions.

I most just use poly stuffing. Have you checked Jenny Doan's new you tube for the chicken pincushion .http://youtu.be/nyvomCiN9Oo

Tomatoe pincushions use to come with the tiny strawberry attached that was full of emery. I have several old ones and the emery has never seeped out, the strawberries still feel very solid. Most of my old tomatoe pincushions are made from velvet. Many of the old pincushions are filled with sawdust, thus the emery attached. Someone posted here that if you find a very old one, cut it open. There will be lots of needles and pins in it. The older the pincushion the better.

Being gluten intolerant myself, I would never use any nut product. I use a couple of metal washers, tied together with selvedge, wrapped in batting and then however much more batting I need.

I've never made my own pincushions, but when I buy them I buy emery-filled. Or magnetic.

I like the emery ones because they seem to help de-burr pins, and I like the solid heft of them.