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I had a pincushion made by my sister about 60 years ago. My daughter has it now and uses it. It is knit.
Using wool, knit a piece in garter stitch about 2 inches by 2 inches. Sew it into a circle and then fold that circle in half (so that is only half as high). Knit another 2 inches by 3 inches. Do the same and insert the first circle into the larger one. Make two more circles, each a little larger. Put circles inside the last one. The folded edges are all on one side. After it was finished, there were some beads sewn on the outside in a random pattern, just for looks. Cute! |
Originally Posted by daisydebby
(Post 6423459)
Just out of curiosity... You know when you buy the tomato pincushion that has the strawberry attached....what is in that little strawberry that sharpens our needles? Maybe we could put that in the pincushions we make. What do you think?
Nessie, I wasn't trying to cause controversy. I see you highlighted my words re: flimsy...maybe the word I was looking for was lightweight??? Anyway, I like the heavier pincushions, personally. |
speaking of wool-I wonder if it would be good to buy old wool jackets and such at goodwill and then cut them up into narrow strips and stuff with that...
I have a pattern for a pincushion that has an attached trash can. I had the idea to put a small amount of fishtank gravel in the bottom of it, then some thick cardboard to keep pins from going into the gravel part, and then fiberfill for the top. |
You can get emery sand on ebay. I bought 4 lbs last year.
Originally Posted by SueSew
(Post 6423462)
My DD gave me a beautiful pattern for a pin cushion, way too complicated for me to try to make, with a little strawberry side piece for keeping needles sharp.
Dear child thought she was ordering a lovely pincushion from the Internet but what arrived was just a pattern!!! The strawberry needs emery - where would I buy that??? I certainly won't use walnut shells as the mice around here will eat anything. Or hair. I'm sure that's nice but my own hairbrush creeps me out. Lanolin is a little oily; that's why it is so good in those wood dusters. Right now I use cute little china dishes for the different kinds of pins, and a cute little old catnip mouse for the needles, but I keep the catnip mouse in a box so real mice won't get it. Between the stray coffee beans and the catnip mouse they'd be really wacked out! |
Originally Posted by daisydebby
(Post 6423459)
Just out of curiosity... You know when you buy the tomato pincushion that has the strawberry attached....what is in that little strawberry that sharpens our needles? Maybe we could put that in the pincushions we make. What do you think?
As a rule, it is the minerals...sand, emery powder, silica, glass beads, clay cat litter...that sharpen pins. It's the same as using whet stones, grinders and files to sharpen metal tools like saws and pruners. It's the vegetables...walnut shells, rice, beans, sawdust...that dull pins. Same as sawing lunber, pruning trees, and cutting fabric and paper dulls metal tools like saws, pruners, rotary blades and scissors. |
i use coffee it works for me
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I would be concerned about steal wool as it will rust if moisture gets to it. Bronze wool, on the other hand will not. Not sure how good it would be at sharpening pins.
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I have some wool sweaters from the thrift store that I felted. Cut into small pieces, they make a very nice, firm filling.
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I use Lizard Litter from the pet store. It is actually crushed English walnuts.
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I use crushed walnut shell or for making it puffy ploy filling
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