Pincushion ... Fillings!
 

I have decided to make a few pincushions for gifts.
The outside will be assorted test quilt blocks (approx 2" to 4")
I'll lightly quilt them before making them into the pincushion.

As for the fillings ... what is best to use??

I know crushed walnut shells have been used, but I have no clue why.
Similarly, I remember some mentioning wool as a filling. Again, why?
I'm guessing wool batting trimmings would be OK for this?
What else, do you use?

In other words, please share the pros and cons of assorted fillings.

Please? and Thanks!

I've only made a few pincushions and I just used batting to fill them because I had batting scraps on hand!

You might want to check Carie Nelson's video on Youtube.
She gives some great tips on filling and stuffing for pincushions.
I've only made one and I used sand in it for weight. Not a big fan
of sand. I prefer wool. Have a few of those in my sewing room.
I think the lanolin in wool keeps the pins lubricated. Not sure.
Anyway, I keep all my pins in those wool pincushions. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png
Here's the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TfvvPx_ydw

EasyPeezy is right on -- the lanolin in wool does the trick. If you happen to have a dog with an undercoat like a sheltie the undercoat also works well. My mom once spun dog undercoat into yarn for a good friend. Never got any feed back from her on it but knowing my Mom and seeing as she never offered ever again it must of been either too time intensive .or very tricky. A good undercoat brushing leaves your hands soft. Might want to consider pre-felting the wool batting a bit.

Crushed walnut shells are cheap (it's sold as reptile bedding). They have the advantage of a little residual oil so they keep pins from rusting. They're also "dense" (high weight for the volume they take up) so the weight they add helps keep your pincushion from moving around. They work great in the pincushion end of a thread catcher you can hang on the edge of a table or longarm.

Pincushion Thread Catcher pattern

I agree to the crushed walnut shells. Be sure to get it at a pet store. They are ridiculously priced at quilting shops.

Watson

Agree completely with this for sourcing. I paid less than $1 per lb for 6 lbs of crushed walnut shells last November. If buying it as pincushion fill it is priced at $16 per lb, so that 6 lb bag from the pet supply would be almost $100 from a quilt store https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/eek.png

6 lbs will last me forever ;-)

Old velvet pincushions were filled with saw dust. I have cut open many of them to get the quality steel needles out of the centers. I have found many silver needles. I never pass up an old dirty pincushion. I use cotton gleamed from the roadside ditches after the fields are picked. We have lot of cotton fields. I can gather up a bag of it in no time.

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone!

I guess a question I should have asked ......
What should NOT be used in pincushions? and the reasons?

CashsMom ... Funny thing, I have used batting scraps for pin cushions. I don't used them much, so never really cared what was in them. Being that they are now gifts, I was wanting to do it "right"!!

EasyPeezy ... Great video. Gave me some important food for thought before I get into production. More to making pincushions than I ever imagined!! Yes, lanolin, that would be the why for wool. Just didn't remember that part.

SheltiesMama ... No pooch available to harvest! Why would you recommend felting the wool batting when using as stuffing?

MKC ... Thanks for the pattern. Have never had a "heavy" pincushion, but I can see why crushed shells would be advantageous. Honestly, I seldom use a pincushions, with magnets as my choice, so I know the benefit of weight.

Watson ... Never even though of an LQS. Already have priced it in a pet store. Even asked our local one if she ever breaks a bag, please let me know. No wonder LQS' sell them, as I will have a lifetime supply, when I get mine!

OneByOne ... Now you have brought back memories! Had forgotten that my Mom filled her pincushions with sawdust. Yet, I wonder why? It seems that sticking pins and needles into "wood" would only dull them. Do you know the reason? Or was it just frugality at the time? I can remember her taking her pincushions apart and announcing the # of needles that were buried in them. Yes, the quality would have been so much better than today's. Something new now for me to be on alert when antiquing or at garage sales.

Any other thoughts, please keep them coming!

If people are allergic to walnuts, poly pellets are a good substitute. They are good for weight and are cleaner than some things.

Pins slide in and out of polyester batting very well, but my pincushion filled with poly batting won't stay put.

Pins slide in and out of wool very nicely, too.

Too much worry thought about pincushion filler for me. LOL
I have more pins then I'll ever use so whatever is fine.

I've always used a scrap of white or tan wool for the batting and then stuffed with walnut shells. Worked out great for me.

I never thought about making pincushion as I had one cat that pulled pins out of the pincushion.
Been several years since he's been gone, still miss him.

To add to this discussion. I have used cheap kitty litter for my pin cushions with bags to hold thread snips!

I use Walnut Shells. Not only for the oils but because they naturally sharpen the pins and needles. I bought the last box I purchased online and paid $12-14 a box. I forget the weight but it is enough to last a very long time for the number of pin cushions I make.

I bought some emery grit from eBay. The bag ripped somehow and it’s all over the drawer it’s in. Supposed to sharpen the pins and needles. Hate it. Have also used the walnut shells ground up. Also didn’t like it. I collect antique metal pincushions and most of them need a new top. I used velvet. What I want are those raw wool fibers that shrink in warm water. They would have the lanolin they were talking about. My question is how long is the lanolin good for before it goes bad? And won’t the lanolin gum up my pins and needles?

Can't tell you how long the lanolin lasts but I've had my pincushions for
several years and they are still good. It's not going to gum up your pins and needles.
It's not like you're pouring oil in a pincushion. It won't make
your hands greasy.
It's just wool.https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png

I've used rice.

I use a mixture of walnut shells, batting and rice to weigh it down.

I took out the bag of sand that was in my cushion with hanging bag and replaced it with the square Zirkel magnetic pin cushion. It's heavy and the bag will not fall and it holds, pins, wonder clips, snips, and seam ripper while I'm sewing.