Pincushion Passion!
I LOVE pincushions! I collect vintage pincushions and just adore anyone who gifts a pincushion to me!
I lived outside of the Houston area for about 20 years where I was a member of an awesome 'stitch' group that met on a regular basis. Not referring to the monthly Quilt Guild meetings, but a sub-group of the guild that met on a more personal basis. We usually met on a rotating basis in member homes. The best part of this was that we exchanged 'homemade' gifts at Christmas time. A good number of these gifts were some pincushion variation. Please note that I STILL have (and treasure) all of these pincushions.
Probably the oldest 'homemade' pincushion was an 'arm wrist' pincushion that was included when I purchased my Gammill from Linda's Electric Quilters way back in 2005. This was a wonderful little freebie; when spending nearly $20,000 for a new quilting machine; and they included this cheesy little pincushion from their their beginning quilting training classes with really awful quilting,
This post isn't about making those pincushions, but WHAT to stuff those pincushions
So, What Should I Use To Fill Those Pincushions?
A pin cushion can be filled with a variety of materials, each with its own benefits.
Popular choices include:
- polyester fiber fill (Poly-fil)
- cotton or wool batting or roving
- crushed walnut shells
- sand
- emery sand or powder
- sawdust
- dried rice or beans
- fabric scraps or batting
- lavender
- steel wool
- dryer lint
Polyester Filling (Fiberfill)
This is a “fluffy” filling that is often used for making pillows and stuffed animals. The advantages of polyester filling are that it is easy to find in any sewing store, it is clean and free of allergens, and it is washable. You can STUFF as much as you want to into it, but really, I find that my needles or pins don't really like poking into this container. Keep in mind that polyester does not do anything for the long-term care of your pins or needles.
Personally, I do not care for pincushions made with polyester. It is more difficult to poke your pins or needles into this foundation.
(I saw a suggestion to sew a heavy metal washer to the bottom of the pin cushion to keep it from sliding around.)
Cotton or Wool Batting
Cotton or Wool fiber is a little heavier than Polyester filling. Some people say that the lanolin in wool batting will keep your pins and needles smooth and shiny.
Crushed Walnut Shells
You can find crushed walnut shells in bulk in pet stores, it is sold as reptile bedding, and it is pretty inexpensive for several pounds of crushed shells.. It is nice and heavy, which makes a nice pin cushion, and makes the pincushion pretty stable. It also fills in the corners very easily and nicely. Unless you are making a gazillion pincushions, you might want to seek another option because of the quantity of shells.
If you have a nut allergy, not sure if there is any risk from using ground shells and possible oils that might be present.
Sand
Sand can be found in hardware stores. Maybe you brought home sand from a vacation in Hawaii! It makes a nice heavy pin cushion. Disadvantage is that a sand spill can make a real mess in your house! Be sure to use a funnel and some sort of shallow pan under your pin cushion when you are filling to catch any spills. Purchased sand can be a finer so be sure to use a smaller stitch length to prevent the sand from leaking out. *
Emery Sand or Powder
Remember your Grandma’s old fashioned tomato pin cushion with the strawberry on top? That little strawberry was filled with emery powder (the tomato part was filled with sawdust). This super fine sand actually sharpens your needles. It is made of very finely ground minerals/metals and has an abrasive property. Because it is so fine, I would still suggest making a lining packet the pin cushion and using a very small stitch length to prevent leakage. Keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way. Back 'in the day', pins were made of 'steel', and the emery helped keep the pins from rusting. That is not an issue in this day and age.*
Sawdust
I have never used sawdust, but have some vintage pincushions that have been filled with sawdust. I imagine if you have a woodworking husband or friend, you can get lots of it for free! It would make a heavier, denser pin cushion than would polyester filling. Not sure what wood type would be more successful as a filler.*
Scraps of fabric, batting
Try cutting your scraps into small fabric scraps and batting it into your pin cushion. I've tried it, and was not pleased with the results. Unless you have pretty sharp pins, they are harder to poke into the cushion.
Lavender
You could use dried lavender to fill your pin cushion, or mix it with another filling. Have also heard of buckwheat hulls (like 30 years ago). Rice might also be an option, but keep in mind, Mice, Moths and other Mysterious critters.
Steel Wool
Less commonly used, but have heard of it being used. Maybe they are thinking of it being comparable to using emery. I imagine the old 'steel' pins would rust in one of these pincushions.
Dryer Lint
However, if you have lots of dryer lint here are Eight Ways to Use Dry Lint!!
A Little Creepy - HAIR
Not sure if they were referring to Human hair or Pet Hair. I guess if you work at a hair salon ( or pet groomer), you might be able to accumulate a decent over a long period of time. My thought - need to wash it somehow.. *
* Enclose stuffing in an inner bag to help contain product.
