by Texas Homesteader ~
I needed a storage solution for my supply of straight-pins. It needed to be compact and allow me to safely retrieve my pins. I found the perfect repurpose – check out this Homestead Hack!
Sewing Supply Needs
OK y’all know I’m not a seamstress. As in, not even a little! I only sew very basic things such as my repurposed denim baskets or repairing a seam on a favored shirt.
So this may not be a new hint for the more seasoned seamstresses out there, but it sure was a helpful find for me! And maybe you too?
Older Sewing Supplies
You see, I have a bundle of straight pins that had been stored in a little hinged plastic box they were sold in for years. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve stuck myself with a straight pin trying to retrieve one! But after years of use, the hinge on the old plastic container broke.
So I went looking for an easier yet still-convenient way to store & use my straight pins. Check out this Homestead Hack, y’all.
Straight Pin Repurposed Container
First, fast forward to earlier in the day: RancherMan & I had just emptied a small box of breath mints.
As I always do when dealing with an empty container, I thought; “Hummm… wonder if I can reuse this somewhere?”
Eureka! The small breath mint container held my straight pins beautifully. The box is compact and easy to use too. Not to mention FREE!
I quickly transferred my pins from the broken box to this mint container. The shape of the mint box kept my pins from getting all tangled together like the old plastic box did.
Now when I need a straight pin I simply flip open the top & shake out the tip of one of the pins. I take one gently & remove it from the container.
No straight pin finger sticks this time!
When I’m finished sewing, the top of this container quickly flips closed again.
My pins are safely stored in my sewing box for next time.
This ‘Use Whatcha Got’ moment has filled a need quite nicely for no cost!
~TxH~
This post categorized in 
Other ‘Use Whatcha Got’ Ideas
- Make A Cute Porch Lantern
- Assuring Safety Around An Underground Cistern
- Repurposing An Empty Parmesan Cheese Container – BRILLIANT!
- MYO Simple Craft Paintbrush In A Pinch
- Replacing Our Bedside Clock/Radio
- Predator Guard For Our Martin House
- Trick Birds Away From Garden Strawberries
- Protecting Tender Seedlings
- Tame Electrical Cords
- Save Your Fingernails When Cleaning
- MYO Chalkboard Labels
- Keeping Boots Stored Neatly
- How Leaves Greatly Benefit Your Garden
- Pretty Wax-Dipped Pinecone Fire Starters
- Finding Free Storage Lids For Canning Jars
- Beautiful All-Natural Tablescape
- All ‘Use Whatcha Got’ Posts
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Oh Geez, One other non straight pin/magnet thing I wanted to share and which sometimes provided an item to use in the classroom and lots of uses in my own home. I and the “bird” man both use Sonicare toothbrushes. They have a couple of the strongest magnets I’ve personally ever had. They are tiny but make great frig magnets and my son’s man lift has some issue that requires a sturdy magnet on one of the outriggers. So, since we borrow that piece of equipment and other weaker magnets have gotten lost I have , when I’m ready to retire one of the heads, allowed some of my “harvested” magnets to be used on it. They are hard as the dickens to get off the brush head but “me and my needle nose pliers” persevere!!!
Perseverance, the secret to success huh Candace?? 😀 ~TxH~
yep, it’s really all we can do, persevere or as someone I used to know would say “keep on keeping on”
For anyone who reads your blog who is a teacher of young children, or of special needs children (as I was) or a Sunday School teacher (as I also have been) this is a little repurposing thing I used in the classroom. For the longest time I saved the little hinged metal Altoide type boxes that held those super strong mints. I had the capacity to take colored pictures of my students so we would reduce a couple of cute pics for the inside of the lid and the inside of the box itself, The students who could wrote or typed (some dictated and for some, my staff and I just “intuited”) a little note about how they felt about their mothers or a little note about how important their mother was and the wonderful things their mothers did for them. We printed them on fancy paper, folded them and put them in the box. For the outside of the lid we printed up some happy mother’s day papers, cut them to fit the box and they were then set for mother’s day and I was rid of lots of “too good to pitch out but what will I do with a zillion of them” metal boxes. Long reply I know.
How much do I love this, Candace??!! ~TxH~
Genius!
LOL Ellen. Simple yet effective! I will sheepishly admit that the small box my straight pins were originally in had my maiden name etched in the cover from when I was in (gulp) home ec in high school! LOL I’d say nearly 40 years is a good track record for a plastic straight pin case. HA! ~TxH~
You may or may not know it but I do some sewing. As in I use to make quilts and doll clothes and jumpers for my daughter and the list goes on (although I’m by no means a C.T. from church)…. When my kids were young i had a problem with my pin box getting knocked over and finding those pins was horrible! So one year my mom gave me a magnetic bowl that men sometimes use for nuts and bolts. I never had a problem after that, even if they knocked it over (which seldom happened, being as its heavier and bigger then the little plastic box ) the magnetism held.
Your mom is clever, Nancy. I’ve heard of using those magnetic bowls, and oh how helpful for spilling mishaps. I’ve never done much sewing – it’s something I do from necessity when required but certainly not for enjoyment. I’ve often wondered if that home-ec class scarred me for life… LOL ~TxH~
Goodness you girls are young. It has been almost 53 years since I graduated from HS.