In some blog I read somewhere they mentioned using crushed walnuts in pincushions. Does anyone know what this is about and/or why :?:

I buy them in bags from my local quilt store. They had nice weight to pin cushions.

Are you sure it wasn't just the shells? I would think the walnuts would get bugs after a while.

Yes, thinking it just the shells, is what I have heard, save the nuts for baking, lol...

Yup, they are walnut shells, ground very fine; they sharpen your pins and give a really nice heft to a pincushion. I bought a bag of crushed shells at the pet store - they sell it as lizard litter (!) and it's lasted me a looong time!

Thanks, grendelskin. That is exactly the info I needed. Will try it soon. :-)

If you're making these pincushions as gifts, please find out if the recipient is allergic to nuts!!!

It's just the shells you use, not the actual nuts.

that. My dd is deathly allergic (literally) to walnuts and since I read that people use walnut shells, I never join swaps or sign up for blog giveaways anymore. I don't want to have to worry about whether touching a fabric or a place where the fabric touched might cause a reaction. When I place fabric orders with shops I let them know about it so they can avoid touching nuts when they prepare our order.

btw I also read that walnut shells actually dull needles. It would be similar to pushing your needle through a bag of wood chips.