Pincushion Question
 

I took a class and the instructor was talking about making pincushions and said to never use batting scraps in them. At the time I didn't ask why but now I am wondering about it. Does it dull the pins? Seems strange to me and I know I have used batting scraps in some of mine....

I use batting in pincushions that will be for a decorative collection. Yes, poly batt will eventually dull the points, but I would imagine it would take a while. Products from the Warm Company are cotton, don't think they will dull points. If you are a purist, use ground walnut shells. I get mine at the pet store, they are sold as bedding material.

My friend used crushed walnuts that you can get at the pet store.

Maybe because batting can attract moisture?

This is one of those things where there is the "gold standard" and then plenty of other methods that are still perfectly decent. Walnut shells will give you the best results. They sharpen & moisturize your pins to keep them lasting extra long.

Cotton batting will add a tiny bit of moisture, but also has the possibility of developing mildew inside if in an area of extra high humidity and not periodically washed/dried ... and it will dull rather than sharpen your pins. Poly batting/fiber fill adds no moisture and will dull pins very slightly more than cotton. But honestly, the difference is small & I've bought, made & used fiber fill pin cushions plenty of times. Honestly, my pins bend well before they ever rust or dull so it's not a factor for me. I use silk pins & they are not very strong so I end up replacing probably them every 2 years anyways.

I've used wool that i've gotten from a local sheep farm. The lanolin in the wool keeps the pins from rusting. I also have a pincushion w/ walnut shells in it and it is also a fav of mine.

Pin Cushion fillings
 

I just made another one last night. I lined it with fusible interfacing and filled it with walnut shells & steel wool. The interfacing prevents the shells from escaping the small holes or loose stitches and the steel wool sharpens the pins.

Pin Cushion fillings
 

I just made another one last night. I lined it with fusible interfacing and filled it with walnut shells & steel wool. The interfacing prevent the shells from escaping and small holes and the steel wool sharpens the pins.

Have you ever cut open old velvet tomatoe pin cushion? It's filled with sawdust. And many many old needles! Not a one is rusted.

One hone, I would never cut my old tomato open! I love her! She was my mother's. I have pin cushions all over the place and love all of them but the Tomato is my fav!

Living in the tropics, the tomato pin cushions become hard inside -- they must slowly absorb moisture -- using the felted wool ones work, any pin not pushed down to it's head (and any needle) will rust starting from where it is exposed to air. Have to admit I've never made one! The bucket list of quilts to make is too long....

I have used wool too......I go the annual county fair, sheep building and gather some shearing......have never tried crushed walnuts...have to remember that....

I had a friend who had a pincushion made by filling a sock with fine sand and tying a knot in the top. It was heavy enough to stay where she put it, the sand helped keep her pins sharp, and it was a no-cost project as well.

I don't really know what to fill pin cushions with. I don't use walnut shells in mine. My DD is allergic to tree nuts and could react from touching my pin cushion. I have one that was a gift that has walnut shells and it is only used as a decoration. If you do fill them with walnut shell you should let others know. I had never heard of putting walnut shells in a pin cushion when I got the elephant one as a gift.

I concur that raw wool is best for preserving pin points and preventing rust. You can get sometimes it as "roving" at local fairs or become friends with your local sheep rancher.

This may sound odd but the best working pin cushion I have found is a good old fashioned sink sponge. It works. I use glass head silk pins and have never had a problem with dullness or rust.
peace

I love pincushions to look at, but for everyday use I use a magnetic pin cushion. I sew fast and don't take time to stick pins in a cushion... I just toss them in the general direction of the magnetic dish and it sucks them right in! Super easy.

I do love to make and give pin cushions and have some special ones from swaps and gifts sitting about for decoration in my sewing room. Will look into the walnut shells for gift pincushions....

Great thread!

Possibly because the pins go through it and it's easy to get stuck by a pin if you pick up the cushion? I have that problem with one I made for my own use. I used poly-fill and stuck myself so many times I finally threw it away and made one larger and used walnut shells. Maybe I'm just a slow learner and should know after three or four sticks that I should pick it up by the sides??

Regarding using SAND:

You need to be careful when using sand to make sure that it does not have any salt residue in it. I don't know how you do this, perhaps you have to wash the sand first. But, I found out the hard way when I was making a slew of pincushions to sell at our guild's quilt show boutique. I must have sewn about 20 of them and filled them with the sand that you get from the hardware store. It was inexpensive, the sand weighed down the pin cushion and it would keep the pins sharp - Right? WRONG! Apparently there was salt in the sand and they eventually started pitting my pins and then they started to rust. I don't live in a humid area, so the only reason I could come up with was salty sand. Fortunately, I didn't sell very many, but the one's I gave away to friends I had to replace because their pins started to pit and rust, too. I used crushed walnuts as a stuffing this time.

My favorite pincushion is an oval one made out of sheep's wool.

I made one and filled it with play sand.

My favorite old pincushion is made from hair -- my grandmother's. I have also made them from my hair and my mom's (collected the hair when we got it cut and after we laid it out to dry). Since I don't shed so much when I get my hair cut now, I use wool roving. Have a grand son allergic to nuts -- he can't be around the oil so this works.

My favorites are wool roving and walnut shells are a close second. The wool keeps your pins sharp and also prevents rust. Best of all both these fillings add weight to your pin cushion so that it stays where you put it.

I just read an article that said never to lick your thread because it would rust your needle. I have never had a rusted needle.

I've used rice - seems to work. Any thoughts on using rice?

Caution about using magnetic pin cushions close to a sewing machine with electronics or a mother board. A friend gave me a strong magnetic tray to use as a pincushion or a catch all. i asked at my sewing machine dealers and they advised not to use things with magnets close to any electronics. They told me a lady had ruined two mother boards in her sewing machine before they figured out she had a strong magnetic tray and a magnet on a handle to pick up stray pins. Magnets can be used around vintage machines, but not should not be close to any electronics, even your cell phone.