What do you use for stuffing them? My BFF said she would weight them with something... but then what?

If your going to use weight, why not sew a little pouch from stabilizer, add the weight, and hand or machine sew it shut. I try to use up all the bits of stabilizer with these types of projects. I grow catnip and I put the "nip" in a stabilizer pouch than sew a decorative material around it, pinking shear the edges. One mean nasty cat treat, fresh from the garden!

I have always preferred to use a piece of foam rolled around a wad of poly stuffing. You can cut the foam the size/shape to fit inside the cushion. If you want it circular, just tug the corners and edges of the foam towards the bottom creating a rounded shape. Stitch them together by hand, after
tucking the poly stuffing inside. For a weight, I use somthing like a heavy metal nut, or several small ones, from the toolshed. These are put inside the middle of the stuffing, before stitching the foam at the bottom. Old fashioned way, perhaps, but the way I have always done a pincushion!
Angel

Thanks, good friend! Interesting!

Hi at the crft store like Joanne's or Michaels they sell little plastic pellets that you stuff dolls with. They are heavy enough. I have used sand which works out great. I make a small muslin bag and put the sand in there and then put that in the pin cushion. No leakage.Some I put it straight in with no problems. I have used poly fill and even coffee grounds in large ones. It smells wonderful when you put the pins in. Try the pellets or the sand. Good luck! Suzanne

I use the plastic beads used to fill dolls and bears, I also use polyester stuffing and I also add a small amount of stainless steel "pot mit" to a section of the pincushion, this is great for sharpening your pins, even really blunt ones.
Hugs and roses, Meganne

When I made those Owls, one I filled with polyester and Kitty Litter (we use in cat litter boxes). The other with just Polyester wadding. When I fill my Biscornus I fill with polyester wadding. Lyn

I'm recycling the contents of a polyester filled pillow!

How would you keep fine sand or things like sand from leaking out all over the place?

2 comments

by bevintex 30 Mar 2011

First add some poly stuffing, sand or shells etc in the middle and cover with a small amount of poly stuffing again. I think that would work. I think I would also use a heavier fabric to sew out the cushion.
Bev

by meganne 31 Mar 2011

Use an old stocking to fill with sand, tie it off securely before placing inside what ever the article is.
hugs n roses, Meganne

If you weight pincushions they don't fall around on you so much. The walnut grounds are good and are said to keep your pins from rusting and keep them sharp. Along time ago I had one with some poly stuffing and bebe pellets( you know xmas story you will shoot your eye out,LOL)(you can find them in sport section of Walmart)

1 comment

by nhsmith55 31 Mar 2011

I've never thought about using BB's! I think that's a great idea! They are certainly heavy enough to keep the cushion in one place.

take a look at the diy video. They make a cute owl and stuff it with walnut litter. They explain you can get it at a pet store. It's ground up walnut shells and pretty inexpensive.
Bev

1 comment

by shirlener88 31 Mar 2011

thanks Bev

All sort of things: sand, old washed nylons, poly fill like you use for stuffed animals.

The big one of my Mothers had a small bag of sand and quilt batting!!But i never ever heard anyone else say this till now lol carolyn