The abrasive pincushion! This most basic of all sewing notions is a
must-have for anyone who sews and you're so lucky you found us! We sell our handmade Emery Pincushions as well as loose Turkish Emery Sand so you can create your own emery pincushions!
Please visit our shop
You probably have one or two already,
there are a hundred different styles and types. Some are crocheted, some
made with felt, some filled with cotton or yarn, left over from other
projects, perhaps, some of the them with polyester fiberfill. Whether
you view them as an individual works of collectible art, a fun project
to make and sell, or a necessary evil for all serious fabric crafters,
seamstresses and quilters, just about everyone will agree, a pincushion
(or three!) is a must-have.
You've probably seen that pincushion found in any store - the
tomato with strawberry one. How did this come to be? A strawberry with a
tomato? How very strange. Like many things in life, it's not what's on
the outside that's important in this case. For years we've used the
strawberry pincushion without realizing its very important function. I
can tell you here, and now, as a matter of fact, this strawberry
pincushion has emery grain inside. Emery is a very hard rock and mixed
with other species of mineral, it becomes extremely abrasive.
When you use this black mineral to fill your pincushion it
becomes one of the best pincushions in all the world! Emery pincushion!
Every time you stick your needle or pin into an emery pincushion, it
cleans it of the natural oils in your fingers and any impurities in your
cloth. It also sharpens the very tip of your needle, making your work
quicker and easier on your hands. This pincushion has a lot of
advantages! For example it's heavy. I hate to use lightweight
pincushions! They jump around like a ball, turn upside down, needles
fall out. Ever had a needle in the foot? I'm not saying you'll never
drop a needle ever again, but if you put one in an emery pincushion,
foot/needle accidents will certainly diminish in probability. It'll only
be your own stupid fault, you won't be able to blame the pincushion.
And another thing - this pincushion is very sturdy. It won't move around
even on your sewing machine. 1 cup emery is 16 oz (1lb). For 2"x3"
emery pincushion you need 1/4 cup emery pincushion. Of all of its
qualities, the best thing is using it to keep your needles clean and
sharp. If you sew silky fabric you can understand what I mean.
A good abrasive mineral is not just hard, it's also tough and
sharp. It also must be plentiful (or at least widespread) and pure. My
emery grain is natural, milled to the finest grade and mixed with the
just the right blend of complementary minerals for pincushion use.
I always recommend using an inner liner for your pincushion,
so that if anything happens to your outer covering, the emery doesn't
end up going everywhere. This is particularly important if you make and
sell pincushions!
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