Grace under Fire

What a great thread Polly We have cut out so many 'family' presents that now we only swap between DH, DD (and boyfriend) and DS therefore no more useless/unwanted gifts anymore :-)

Dee in Oz

"Polly Esther" wrote

She should go out and buy about a dozen of CHEAP tools (hammers, wrenches... whatever he uses most) and replace them on his work bench. (Put the good ones away for safe keeping.) Then when he goes to use them... she can tell him that "Hey -- it's a hammer... what's wrong with it?? Quality doesn't really matter... DOES IT???"

Oh be still, my heart! I love pin cushions! I might actually need a 10 step program to cure me:) Shall I prepare a formal beg:)

Do you use the magnetic pin holders if you don't use pin cushions? A tin? Just wondering . .

Pauline Northern California

All my gifts were great but DH, who collects US made pocket knives got a knife made in Taiwan and a case of 3.2 beer.

It was pretty bad.

Cindy

I love them too, Pauline. I think I have 6 sitting in my Webshots photo of my sewing area. And that's just right in front of me.

Polly, if you say you hold your pins in your mouth, I'm gonna come down there and smack you.

Cindy

I'm a toss or dump pin person. If I'm removing them as I stitch, I toss them in a magnetic sort of saucer that's about 1/2 the size of a teacup saucer. If I'm using them to pin, I dump out a pile of them. None of this: put a pin in a pincushion stuff for me. Polly

My older sister decided a couple years ago that I needed a collection. That silly fabric stuff was taking up way too much room and surely I could make a place on one of those shelves for a "real" collection of something "pretty" and "useful."

So she created the beginning of a pin cushion collection for me, all with the cushion part contained in the top of a shoe. Or actually a high heel. I keep them in a nice box someplace safe. Each has about 5 pins in it and if she ever comes to visit again (not really likely) then I will take them out and put them someplace where they can be seen. In my opinion they are useless and sort of ugly. I have one very, very useful pin cushion that a teacher gave me when I graduated high school. Pins never darkened it's cushion for many years, but I'm lost without it now. It's big and round and has these little weird children holding hands in a circle around the sides.It holds about 100 pins right now. Although I also use a magnetic pin catcher too. I have one little wool pin cushion that's really just a lump of wool where I keep my tiny needles for all that hand work I do (snort).

As for worst Christmas presents, this year that award would go to the fuzzy hat my MIL gave me. It makes my head look like a great, big acorn with a big furry purple top. But can a gift that gave so much laughter really be bad??

Sunny

I have one of those pincushions Sunny, and I used it so much, the material on the top of it is almost see through - because it was a gift from a dear friend, I have put it away for keeping as a memento.

I have another pincushion my foster sister made me and I use it all the time - it stops the QIs from pushing the pins onto the floor.

Happy New Year.

Polly, Polly, Polly. How can you possible dislike pin cushions? I'm constantly on the lookout for unique, fun, "cutsey-poo" pin cushions. If I see on I can't live without, and I have to choose between it and dinner, the pin cushion will win every time. I have some great ones.... not necessarily for "use", but, just to hang around and look at.

I didn't receive a bad gift this year. However, last year, I handmade a bunch of Christmas cards and sent them out, and received one back this year. She had cut mine apart, placed the front on some new cardstock, clipped my sentiment out of the inside and placed it in hers, then signed the back "handmade by *****" like she made it herself. LOL!!! Oh well, it's the thought that counts............

Patti (formerly) in Seattle

Tell us you're kidding. Polly

"Patti (formerly) in Seattle" I didn't receive a bad gift this year. However, last year, I handmade a bunch of Christmas cards and sent them out, and received one back this year. She had cut mine apart, placed the front on some new cardstock, clipped my sentiment out of the inside and placed it in hers, then signed the back "handmade by *****" like she made it herself. LOL!!! Oh well, it's the thought that counts............

I have a an elderly friend who has been sending the same birthday and Christmas cards to her sister and back to her for about 8 years now. They just put the name and year and it is now a family tradition that some of the great grandchildren have started. She says she has noticed over the years how their handwriting has changed - what a lovely memory I think.

i think pincusions are great stocking stuffers. i have one of those little people ones too!! i put it away, the silk just wouldnt give for the bigger quilting pins...and the little people yelped at me when i tried to put pins in them...Just Kidding!!

i do have several for different pin sizes, tho, a couple tomatoe ones for machine needles (separated the sections and marked the sizes) and one for quilting pins, and one other one i got at TSWLTH that cost 50 cents...i use it for my silk pins. one i made that i put my needles in for mending and my antique one i use for applique pins and needles, it's real small and green with a tortoise-shell platform.

and dont lets get started on sissors!!!! LOL!!

amy in CNY

OMG! The Hat!

I think everyone must get one at some point, I've gotten two in my life so far.

Shortly after DH and I were married, one of my SILs gave me a violently purple one with lime green trim, it was crocheted and buttoned under the chin, and had a rather helmet like appearance. I'd have thought better of it if she had crocheted it, but she actually spent good money on it at a shop. I could have coped with just the one color or the other, but together they were too much for me. My eyes turned inside out so I kept it in a box for 10 years, then I gave it to the thrift shop.

The last one was some five or six years ago. A dear neighbor thought I looked cold. She gave me a hat to replace my toque. It was sort of a pillbox affair made of long faux fur that was entirely too big for my head. I have it on authority that I looked like an angora teddybear had died on my head and fallen into my eyes. None the less, I was brave. I had to walk past her house when I went to the store, so I would wear it over the top of my toque (which helped keep it out of my face). It made her happy because she thought I looked much warmer. I imagine it was quite the fashion statement with my black leather coat. (G)

NightMist Now has a black leather parka with a hood.

LOL, thank you, NightMist. I just knew somebody would have a hoot of a gift but an angora teddy bear dead on your head? That's priceless. If it's any comfort, let me remind you that people rarely pay much attention to what anybody wears. Now and then when I was gainfully employed, I would wear earrings that did not match just to see if anybody really looked at me. For the most part, so long as I didn't bite them, they paid me no mind at all. Polly

I think I have that pin cushion Sunny. I got it in S.F. Chinatown for about $2. The piece the pins go into feels almost like it could be an extra large tennis ball. The children holding hands are, I believe Chinese men with little pig tails & in traditional dress.

I think we pin cushion collectors of the world should unite! Save a pin cushion, that's what I say! I also collect pin cushion patterns - of course, with full intention of making them all one day:)

I organized a small group of ladies to go on a retreat to Asilomar in January & I'm making a cupcake pin cushion for everyone - need to get busy with that - I hope they don't all roll their eyes!

i think pincusions are great stocking stuffers. i have one of those little people ones too!! i put it away, the silk just wouldnt give for the bigger quilting pins...and the little people yelped at me when i tried to put pins in them...Just Kidding!!

i do have several for different pin sizes, tho, a couple tomatoe ones for machine needles (separated the sections and marked the sizes) and one for quilting pins, and one other one i got at TSWLTH that cost 50 cents...i use it for my silk pins. one i made that i put my needles in for mending and my antique one i use for applique pins and needles, it's real small and green with a tortoise-shell platform.

and dont lets get started on sissors!!!! LOL!!

amy in CNY

Pauline, I may have to get in line behind you for the beg! I, too, prefer pincushions to any other method of holding pins. The very best one I have is one I made myself and it's stuffed with wool sent me by Mary of this group. It isn't pretty or novel or fancy, but I like it and I think of Mary every time I use it! Now my pins and needles don't rust, even during monsoon season!

Like many large families, we don't exchange gifts much, either. I have two sisters, one BIL and one brother to whom I like to send a Christmas gift, and they usually send me one, too. (I don't get bent out of shape if they don't.) Sisters and BIL send me consumables and/or useful things that I might not buy for myself, and/or gift cards to stores I like. My brother is a big believer in gift cards and he also sends cards for stores that I like. Since he's in the process of decorating his new home, it's easy to find something for him these last few years!

I believe that the best gift I gave this year was to my BIL the chef. I went through Mom's recipes and picked out the oldest and best-loved ones, put them in one of her recipe tins, and sent them to him. Mom loved him very much and his feelings for her were the same. He and my sis treated Mom like a queen when she visited. My sister said he got a bit teary looking at the recipes and said he can't wait to try some of them. His reactions tells me that the monetary value of a gift doesn't matter to the recipient so much as the affection and thought involved in the giving.

I don't like pin cushions,

=BDThe husband doesn't blink

Polly, I feel for your neighbor! However, the plastic machine may give her a start on something, and she can always get a good one down the road if it becomes her passion.

I'm embarrassed to say I didn't get a single gift this year that I didn't instantly love or eat. Some of my siblings spoil me and all I can do is accept it and love them for the affection that prompts the gifts.

If the pincushions are not your thing, I can provide a good home for some of them!