Pincushion Filling
 

For those of you who make your own pincushions could you share what you have been using for filling? Crushed walnut shells are often recommended, but I’ve heard they were bad for pins. Also recommended are poly and cotton stuffing or sand.
I’d really like to make some cute pincushions with scraps that I could keep pins in all the time.

I have not made any pincushions recently - but a wonderful lady here sent me a pincushion made of felted wool. It is fantastic and it keeps the needles and pins so nice and they glide easily. I have put crushed walnuts in the bottom for weight but you can put the wool in the top, I used the poly stuffing for the ones I made. Never thought to use cotton.

My pincushion was made for me, it's huge because I use a lot of pins and is made of wool stuffed with raw wool. The wool has the natural lanolin and it good for the pins, especially in my humid part of the country. Not a cheap way to go, wool...

My portable pincushion in my sewing kit was also made, but not by/for me but was bought for me. It's a knitted/crocheted? cupcake filled with poly. What was really nice was the maker included a large metal washer in the bottom of the cupcake so it has a weight to it, otherwise any breeze would knock it over and roll it across the room.

I've used rice.

. No poly fill, shells, rice, or sand for me anymore since I found the weighted poly beads. Excellent for pincushions.

I made some pincushions that look like cacti for my guild's autumn show. I used leftover quilt batting for the stuffing.

Hmmm... I bought a bag of crushed walnut shell pet litter because I heard it kept the pins sharp. It made a nice pin cushion but was very fine, so it kept filtering through the fabric, which was a little messy. I like the idea of a large washer in the bottom of a pin cushion!

I love felted wool. I've had one for years, don't remember where I bought it but it's a good one.
I once bought emery but the one I chose was too fine and made a mess!

I use Emery Sand. Ordered through Amazon. I made a bag, filled with the emery sand and then inserted it into the cushion. Easy peasy and no mess. Love it.

I had a pin cushion made for me by a very thoughtful member on this board and it feels like it has walnut shells in it. I love it and use it daily. She embellished it with cute little charms on the top. I also have a friend that buys the crushed walnut shells by the bag to put in her pin cushions.

I'm with Onebyone.......poly beads.....they work great, and are heavy enough they don't move when you push or pull the pins into our out of the pin cushion.

dryer lint. It is clean and accumulates quite quickly. No, I am not joking.

I use crushed walnut shells in my pin cushions. I usually sew the seams, then sew a second row of stitching just inside the seam allowance. It helps to keep the shells inside. :)

I've a bunch of raw wool if you need some... I have an entire shed full of fleeces. You can wash it and use it for stuffing, felt it and use it for the outside, whatever. Message me.

I like to use emery sand in my pincushions. I also make wool pincushions with wool yarn wound into balls and felted.

I don't recommend rice...it can attract mice.

Interesting video about pincushions by Carrie Nelson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TfvvPx_ydw

Thank you for all of your great ideas!!

Emery sand, buckwheat hulls or I use poly-fil.
Depending on if I know how it will be used. if for decoration than poly-fil,
other wise I use the sand or hulls.