Pincushions

Linking up to Beth's Love Laugh Quilt for her Pincushion Parade! When you use these workhorses a lot, it's nice to have something that evokes inspiration and good feelings.

The blue magnetic pincushion is a wonderful invention. When I was a girl, I didn't pay much attention to the mess I was making and where stray pins might be falling. My sister Grace was usually the one to find the pins, by stepping on them. I'm sorry, Grace.  Now, when I drop a pin, I wave the magnetic pincushion over the floor until I hear the tick of the pin being snapped up onto the magnet. So cool.

I like the magnetic pincushion so much, I decided to make a portable version to use when hand-stitching while watching TV, or for taking to classes and workshops.

Just used a candy tin I already had. (Mmmm, those grapefruit candies were tangy and juicy and good!)

Added two powerful, donut-shaped magnets left over from another project. No need to glue them, they just stick to the tin.

Voila! Attractive and useful!

I made this needle book to try to sort through all the needles in my old tomato pincushion when it finally disintegrated.

This teacup was a Christmas ornament, given to me many years ago by a BFF, Pam. A year ago, after Christmas, instead of putting it away, I filled it with steel wool and a wool felt cover. It's very sweet when I'm hand stitching, with my spool of thread resting on the attached saucer. 

I was brand new to quilting, and brand new to the quilt blogosphere, when I entered Cindy's give-away on Live a Colorful Life. She makes wonderful things using the selvages on the edges of fabric, and made a few of these to commemorate the Bloggers' Quilt Show. I was so happy to win this pincushion, but I have yet to be brave enough to show anything in the BQS. Maybe this year!

Thank you, Beth for such a fun idea!