Favorite Tools: Magnetic Bowl

I'm sure many (if not most) sewists today have a magnetic pincushion just like the one pictured above.  I've had this particular once for almost as long as I have been sewing.  But one pincushion is never quite enough, is it?  I don't know about you, but I pin at my cutting table, then carry the pieces over to another room with my sewing table.  I usually forget to bring the pincushion with me, so I usually spend half my sewing time traipsing back and forth across my house.  

So, I decided to get another magnetic pincushion, only to find out that they are expensive!  I believe at Joann right now they are around $15.  Ridiculous!  There must be a cheaper solution.  

Well, I can thank my husband for solving the problem.  One day on a shopping trip, we stopped by Harbor Freight Tools.  While he did his thing, I was wandering around and saw quite a few tools that are great for sewing!  

Here is what I found, a 4" magnetic bowl (same size as the pin cushion from Joann) but for $3!  

Now, of course it doesn't come in pretty colors, but if I have to choose between form and function, I'm definitely going to choose function!  And at that price, I bought two so I have multiple pin cushions around my sewing areas.  I also like to put the screws and throat plate on here when I clean my machine, so nothing gets lost.  You do clean under your feed dogs, right?  Right?... ok, maybe that's a blog post for another day.

Do you shop for sewing tools at the hardware store?