Make Your Own Chicken-Feeder Pin Cushion

Pin cushions have a long history in sewing and quilting. Your first one probably looked like a tomato; and for good reason.

The tomato was thought to be a sign of prosperity and good luck in a new home. Because tomatoes were not always in season, a tomato pin cushion was given as a housewarming present and often sat on the mantle.

Among the trends today are beautiful pin cushions made from milk glass candy dishes. The milk glass candy dishes can be found at yard sales and thrift stores for as little as $2.00 in the East and as much as $10.00 in the West. The most desirable are the ones with the scallops that serve as scissor holders. I've seen photos online of ones that have been wool appliqued and are just gorgeous. The one pictured here is only to demonstrate the concept.

So, what's a Westerner to do? A most cleaver person posted online a photo of her chicken feeder pin cushion. This one pictured here in not the beautiful one that the designer created, but my experimental one to see what works. This small metal container sells for under $5 at most western feed/hardware stores. My husband helped me adapt this idea with the corks to hold the scissors upright. Who knew that corks can be purchased in almost any size in a hardware store?

Our next trip to the hardware store yielded these plastic chicken feeders on sale for $1.00!

Our next trip to the hardware store yielded these plastic chicken feeders on sale for $1.00! To answer the question, "Can they be used for pin cushions?", my husband cut styrofoam to fill the inner space in the feeder.

The styrofoam base does hold the scissors, seam ripper, and other tools in place. You can create your base as you wish – making it prettier than the sample here!

The wool balls are the ones that you purchase to felt wool in your washer/dryer. They are also supposed to make your clothes dry faster. They are easy to applique or decorate. Our Guild Boutiques committee thinks we can make up the plastic ones for about $5.00.

Quilting is so much fun because there is always something new to play with!!