If you are a quilter you might recognize these objects. They are Pinmoor quilting pin anchors and they are so great, but at about 19 bucks for 50 they are also pretty expensive. Especially when you typically need 300 or more for a lap quilt.
So it was time for an Internet search to see if there was a cheaper alternative. Nothing out there! But I did come across an idea some blogger had (sorry, I didn't save the site so I can't give her credit) to use poly foam caulk saver as a super cheap substitute.
Costing less than 4 bucks for a 20 foot long roll, caulk saver can be found at Lowes and Home Depot. From that roll I got 300 anchors. The same number of Pinmoors would set you back about $114! I just cut the roll into pieces (about 3/4 of an inch long) with regular scissors. It is made from closed cell foam and does a good job of gripping the straight pin.
Alright, now let's talk about the downside of the caulk foam version. It comes in one color, gray, so pretty it is not. Also the caulk foam is foam not silicone so obviously these will eventually breakdown, after maybe a hundred uses, so you will have to replace them at some point. The Pinmoors will last forever. The foam is also larger in diameter than the Pinmoors and I cut them longer than the Pinmoors. Why longer? The foam isn't as dense as silicone so the pins need that extra length to protect the point from going through and sticking me! So.....they take up more storage space. Final verdict? For me, none of the above really bothers me so I am definitely going to put off buying more Pinmoors for now and give these a try. If any of you try this idea let me know what you think.
Diana
What a great idea!! I have been thinking about the pinmoors for quite a while, but living in australia and having to pay exorbitant amounts of postage as well...it turns out to be QUITE expensive. I will have to try and find a good sub!! thanks so much
ReplyDeleteJessica
Did you find a substitute for caulk foam in Australia
DeleteThanks for pointing out the cost advantages of using caulk foam, and the disadvantages. I appreciate your detailed review of the pros and cons.
ReplyDeleteI went to Joann's to purchase craft foam to cut into shapes that would work as an alternative to Pinmoors. I found some precut shapes. And they work well. For about $7.00 I purchased over 300 precut shapes. They come in stars, rectangles, circles, and squares in many colors. The squares have letters of the alphabet printed on them. The squares are a bit small so I use two. They don't stay on quite as well as Pinmoors but they work well enough for me.
ReplyDeleteor you can go to Harbor Freight and buy disposable ear plugs!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I'll give those a try!
DeleteSo smart! Excellent idea!
ReplyDeleteI purchased 500 mini erasers from Amazon for abut $8.00 that work very nicely....
ReplyDeleteI cut up the foam midsoles from worn out running shoes. I find the calking foam is not dense enough to hold the pins very well. I still like pinmoors better, the hit the sweet spot of holding the pins, without being too dense to make it hard to get them in. Another idea I haven't tried is to form a "rope" of Oogoo silicone putter (google it or got to Instructables) and cut them into nubbins of the right size.
ReplyDeleteYou can also cut medallion type slices of glue sticks. Either leave as a whole, or cut in 1/2 or 1/4’s for even more. Cut the tips off for a larger insertion area. Very cheap and they lay flat on the fabric.
ReplyDelete