Wrist pincushions for working standing up

A wrist pincushion solves one specific problem: you are standing, both hands are on the work, and the pins are on a table three feet away. For anyone fitting a garment on a stand, pinning a slipcover onto furniture or working at a cutting table, it is the difference between a smooth job and a hundred small interruptions.

Where it earns its place

Upholstery and slipcovers. The work is on a frame, you are moving around it, and there is nowhere to put a cushion that stays within reach.

Fitting on a dress form or a person. Both hands are occupied holding fabric, and the pins have to come from somewhere that is not the floor.

Cutting tables. Anything larger than a domestic table means walking to reach a cushion at the far end.

Where it does not help is sitting at a machine, where a magnetic tray or a cushion on the table is faster and more comfortable.

Wearing it so it stays put

The near-universal complaint is that the cushion rotates round to the underside of the wrist, which the wearer usually discovers by pushing it against something.

Three fixes:

• Wear it on the forearm, not the wrist joint. An inch or two up the arm is a more stable, more cylindrical location and the cushion turns much less.
• Tighten it properly. Snug enough not to rotate, loose enough to slide a finger under. Elastic bands stretch with use; a buckle or hook-and-loop closure can be tightened again.
• Wear it on the non-dominant arm. The dominant hand does the pinning and reaches across; a cushion on that arm is in the way.

Loading it

Push pins in at a shallow angle with the heads facing your fingers, not straight down. A pin standing vertical on a forearm is a pin waiting to catch on a sleeve.

Do not overload it. A wrist cushion is for the dozen pins you are about to use, not for storage — the rest live on the table, and a heavy cushion drags round the arm.

Who should not use one

Two situations where it is the wrong tool.

Anyone with sensitive skin or a nickel allergy should check what the pins and any metal fitting are made of, because a wrist cushion holds metal against skin for hours.

Anyone working with small children or animals nearby should think about a magnetic tray instead. A wrist cushion is at exactly the height a toddler’s face reaches when you turn round.

Alternatives that do the same job

A pincushion on a strap around the neck hangs at chest height and does not restrict the wrist. Popular with people who find anything on the forearm irritating.

A magnetic wristband holds pins by magnetism instead of by fabric. Faster to load, and it will not hold a threaded needle.

A cushion clipped to a belt or an apron pocket keeps pins at hip height, which suits work at a low frame.

Comfort over a long session

Elastic that is too tight restricts circulation, and it is easy not to notice for an hour. If your hand tingles, the band is too tight — it is not the cushion.

A wide, soft band spreads pressure better than a narrow one. For long sessions the width of the band matters more than the size of the cushion.

Cleaning

Same as any filled cushion: do not wash it. The filling holds water and takes days to dry through. Surface marks come off with a barely damp cloth.

Fabric worn against skin does pick up oils, so a wrist cushion has a shorter life than a table one. When the fabric goes shiny or thin at the top, replace it.

Novelty shapes

The hedgehog and cactus cushions on this shelf are more than a joke: a shape with spines gives visual grouping — pins in the back, needles in the head — and the dense fabric of a novelty plush cushion grips as well as a plain one. They are also, straightforwardly, gifts that people who sew like receiving.

Where to look

Wrist cushions and novelty shapes are on the wrist and novelty pincushions page. For bench work, the wooden Japanese pincushions stay put better than anything, the magnetic pin holders deal with dropped pins, and the traditional cushions are at tomato pin cushions. Sets that arrive with pins, a seam ripper and a tape measure are under pin cushions with pin sets.