Storing Your Pins
Awhile back we took a look at some pin details, we though it was time to examine the easiest ways to keep the pins within reach and make them easy to pick up and return to their proper location.
You probably have your own favorite method for storing your pins. Maybe you keep Grandmother’s pincushion nearest the sewing machine in hopes that she will watch over you at your sewing machine. Or maybe your pincushion is in your favorite shape or collectible item a teacup pincushion, a pincushion shaped like your favorite animal, or maybe it is an overstuffed top of a jar of antique buttons! No matter the size or shape, it needs to be right for you!
Some pincushions consist of a large bundle of felted wool. Wool pincushions can usually hold a ton of pins and as an added bonus uses the wool’s natural lanolin to keep pins smooth and sharp.
Some people prefer to have their pincushion wrapped around their wrist so no matter where in the sewing room they move to they are never without their pins.
Now when was it that we decided that pincushions should look like a tomatoes? (I am so glad you asked)!
“People used to believe that placing a ripe tomato on the mantel when first entering a new home guaranteed future prosperity. Since tomatoes were not available year-round until recently, families moving into new homes often substituted round balls of red fabric stuffed with sawdust or sand. These balls were also used as pincushions, which explains– if you ever wondered–why your grandmother’s pincushion looked like a tomato!”
My personal favorite is a magnetic pincushion. I don’t have to aim at the pincushion for the pin to return to its home! I can just toss the pin in the general direction of the magnet and they stick, usually keeping all the pins in a perfect aligned grouping. And if I loose a pin on the floor, the magnetic pincushion is guaranteed to find it Even though computerized sewing machines have improved over the years, avoid getting the magnetic pincushions near some of the original electronic/computerized sewing machines. Check with your sewing machine dealer to determine if your sewing machine is safe from the magnetic pincushions.
If you are often finding yourself without your pins, maybe it is time to purchase an extra pincushion to keep on the ironing board or cutting table. Keep a separate pincushion (not a box of loose pins) packed with your to-go sewing kit that goes with you to classes. This way the box will not open during transportation and you will have a useful, non- frustrating place to keep pins during the class.
Making a custom pincushion only takes a little creativity and a basic understanding of normal pincushion fillers. Old fashion pincushions were often filled with sawdust and wool roving. Emery was also used and is still used today in traditional pincushions. Emery is the same material used on emery boards and fine sandpapers and is an abrasive material. When pins and needles are pushed into it, it smoothes their surfaces and helps to keep them rust- free. If you can not find emery at the hardware store, substitute a good grade of fine sand. Make an inner bag to hold the sand, wrap it with a layer of batting or fiberfill, then add the pincushion’s outer layer.
Take a look at your pincushion and ask it if it is doing its job or could it do it better. Since pinning is a fact of life in the sewing room, let’s make sure to have proper pins and the perfect pincushion!
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