The handiness of a Magnetic Pin Holder

Hands up who has one of these? Magnetic Pin Holders are a god send when you have little one's around you when you are sewing and wanting to 'help' you. I can't actually recall where I got mine now and I think it was close to the $10 mark...mmmm...I am thinking it was textile Traders? This little beauty is SO handy...

You can be sitting at the sewing machine, pulling pins out of your garment/creation as you sew and even if your magnetic pin holder is at arms length away, if you have a good aim, you can literally throw the pin in the air in the general direction of the pin holder and it will draw the pin to it! Magical qualities you ask? Sadly not, rather an extremely strong magnet. Just be careful when you bend down to the floor to pick up your tape measure that has slipped from your neck for the umpteenth time. You might find your glasses fly off your face onto the magnet like it did with me once! Anyone have those disheveled creating days when you feel like looking over your shoulder to check no one is watching you in your clumsiness? Sometimes when I am sewing at the kitchen table and I hear the 'tink' of pins dropping on the floor, I fear not, because once I have finished I just grab my magnetic pin holder. Holding it upside down in my hand I do wide sweeps in an arc around the general vicinity of where the pins dropped. Voila! No need to crawl around on the floor to pick up pins! I love it and can't do without it. I am thinking of getting another one to keep on the kitchen window sill as I am forever using one near the kitchen bench for ironing or in my sewing room. My kids will think it's for them because I often entertain them (deter them from playing with the sewing machine/pedal) by letting them play with the pins/magnet...shocking mother that I am! lol! Actually, It has really helped their eye-hand co-ordination and fine motor manipulation~dexterity of their little fingers...they have also learn't that there are sharp things in this world and they have to slow down and approach with caution! Another reason I find magnetic pin holders so useful, is if you are taking your sewing supplies to classes, workshops or traveling whilst on holidays, you can just pop the holder on top of your fabrics/supplies in your sewing bag and they are still there when you get to your destination. You might be thinking that with the way I am raving about Magnetic Pin Holders, I am in the business of selling them! I'm not. It's just such a handy tool to have for the craft/sewing room that I felt driven to write a post and share about them. If anyone knows where to get them and can suggest to our readers, please feel free to comment. I am sure they must go on sale somewhere at some stage. Feel free to let us know what your favorite Sewing/Craft room tool is that you can't live without. x Tanya