Did ya ever wonder about why there are pin cushions shapped like tomatoes??? On a ramble today!!!!!

It's raining as  I write this also I'm tired to the the point of inertness from a marathon grocery shopping trip....and it is raining, a very good time to log in to Facebook, where upon I found a post that started me rambling, and a fine day for rambling it is.

Today it shall be rambling about tomato pincushions. or at least it starts there.

I have to admit that I often wonder about things especially when I am doing dull tasks and/or busy work. But  never wondered about why there are tomato pincushions. Nope not even once, thought they were just the right shape and one could easily stab a a pin or needle into them.  I have wondered about why they chose to fasten an emery powder filled, stylized strawberry  to a stylized tomato.   A smaller tomato would make more sense in my not so humble opinion.

 I thought why not ask AI....and was pleasantly surprised!  also I like to look things up, learning new things  etc. etc., so I looked up why the tomato pincushion has an emery filled  strawberry attached to it. And the answer, which involves the symbolic meanings of the strawberry follows.

Symbolism	Meaning
Abundance & Prosperity	Associated with good luck and wealth.
Purity & Innocence	Symbolizes purity of heart and soul.
Healing & Well-Being	Represents growth, renewal, and fertility.
Love & Passion	Linked to desire and romantic bonds.
Transformation	Reminds us of potential for positive change.
Intuition & Wisdom	Encourages trust in instincts.
Creativity & Inspiration	Inspires creativity and imagination.
Protection	Acts as a spiritual shield against negativity.
Emotional Healing	Promotes tenderness and emotional healing in relationships.

~~~~~~~

“Symbolism of Strawberries” by Copilot. Adapted from spiritual beliefs and cultural associations. Retrieved from OpenAI Copilot.

  

 

There was a huge 5&10 in the town I grew up in, and for a brief time I worked there, in the fabric and notions department.  That was a time when there were very few synthetic fabrics, and many people made their own clothing.  It was actually a "fad"{again in my not so humble opinion} , an homage to hippy-like expression, but I enjoyed then and even now enjoy making my own clothes.  I still love to remake well worn, read that as raggedy clothing items  ....will save that for another ramble, back to my subject.  What was my subject. OK, got it now.  In the counter bins that required daily filling there were a variety  of sewing supplies and  tomato pin cushions,  excellent sellers they were, and the bins required frequent restocking.   One had to go to the basement of the store, {there might be spiders, for sure there were spiderwebs}, with a bin tag to identify what you needed, then it would be sent upstairs on a conveyor for you to pick up, so one could   restock the item.  Even though this was my favorite chore, perhaps that is why I never owned a tomato pin cushion, or not.

 And I ramble on, and wonder on  because  they,like their cousins the potato are members of the nightshade family and were once considered poisonous.  To me it seems odd that a vegetable once thought to be poisonous, no wait I take that back, or do I?  

 The vegetable  species Capsicum and Solanum include some of the most consumed veggies including tomato, potatoes, sweet and hot peppers.  But still, it made little sense to me, so I searched further.

Peter J. Hatch,  director of Monticello Gardens and Grounds, noted that Thomas Jefferson grew tomatoes and his daughters and granddaughters used them in a variety of soups, pickles and general cooking.  In an article written in 2000, Hatch stated that in 1824 speach to the Albemarle Agricultural Society Jefferson's son-in-law Thomas Mann Randolph commented  "though tomatoes were hardly known 10 years prior, by by 1824 everyone was growing and eating them."

 Now I am wondering, again,why I have never owned one. The answer is that I prefer a homemade one.  

Not everyone who sews has a tomato pincushion, I don't, mine is a small cube with horse's heads crudely cross stitched on it.   But it do have one of those emery strawberrys to sharpen my pins and needles with.

 My Mom made her own pin cushion in the shape of a hat , her Mom had a pillow shaped one with embroidery on it, and my other Grandma had one the was really ornate, it was made in the shape of a hot air balloon from an old time light bulb wrapped in layers of fabric, covered with crocheted netting which attached  to the basket of the "balloon'  which was filled with fabric scarps, and the pins and needles were stabbed into the fabric filled basket. It hung over her sewing machine.

And now some brief bits of info about the iconic, tomato pincushion.  Which is must admit is well designed, in my not so humble opinion.

********************

  ·

Everyone who has ever sewn has a tomato pincushion... our Grandmothers, mothers, aunts, literally everybody, and I wondered why. Well, according to folklore, people once thought the tomato was a symbol of good fortune and prosperity so when people moved into a new home they placed a tomato on the mantle. Since tomatoes are only seasonal, the ladies would create them from fabric and fill them with leaves and things from the outdoors.

During this same era the ladies did all the sewing for their families and their hand needles were very important, so they placed their important hand needle in their fabric “good luck” tomato and the tomato pin cushion was born. When I think of the pin cushion, I see my grandmother’s wrinkled hands, the bright red tomato next to her, sewing away. The tomato may not bring prosperity and good fortune but it definitely has nostalgia.

Posted by Kimberly Wright

* *********************

 

 

The tomato pincushion has a fascinating history rooted in tradition and practicality. Let’s unravel the story behind this iconic sewing accessory.

1. Folklore and Prosperity:

   • During the Victorian era, placing a tomato on the mantel of a new home was believed to ensure prosperity and ward off evil spirits.
   • However, since tomatoes were not always in season, people got creative. They improvised by making pillowed tomatoes out of red fabric, filling them with materials like sand or sawdust.
   • The tomato pincushion became a symbol of good luck and also served a practical purpose: providing a safe place to store pins and needles¹².

2. Evolution of the Tomato Shape:

   • During the Tudor Era (1485-1603), it became common practice to use fancy, stuffed shapes to store needles and pins.
   • The familiar tomato shape evolved due to the folklore surrounding the fruit. Tomatoes symbolized prosperity and were believed to have protective properties against negative energies³⁴.

So, the next time you see a tomato pincushion, remember its rich history and the delightful blend of superstition and practicality that led to its enduring popularity! 🍅✨

~~~~~~~:Retrieved from OpenAI Copilot.