Fruit Pin Cushions: A Look Through History

Also inside: a sew-by-hand strawberry pincushion pattern and project.

The tomato pincushion is ubiquitous with sewing. It’s been in continuous use for almost two centuries! But why? Let’s take a look.

Also, be sure to keep reading to discover a vintage strawberry pincushion pattern that you can make entirely by hand—no sewing machine needed.

To start, it wasn’t always about the tomato. Fruit and vegetable pincushions—not just the tomato—became common during the Victorian era.

Velvet fruit and vegetable pincushions, late 19th/early 20th century.

Velvet fruits and vegetables, late 19th century/early 20th century.

That’s not to say pincushions were only fruit-inspired.

Pincushions including silk jockey caps; a miniature sampler; a lady's shoe; a pair of beaded hearts; and several more examples, mainly 19th century.

And even more antique pincushions to admire.

Nor did the tomato reign supreme in the early or mid 20th century.

Steiff velvet chick pincushion, circa 1909; and felt Stork, circa 1910.

Steiff red velvet pincushion with two perches and pom-pom birds, 1936-42.

Hand-stitched fabric star pincushion, about 6 inches wide, circa 1930s.

But, the tomato has endured. Why?

First, let’s debunk a common origin myth.

The tomato pincushion likely dates to the Victorian era. It’s commonly presumed that the shape comes from a superstition about placing a tomato on the mantel to bring luck and ward off evil—but even though there’s no real evidence for that, the myth continues to live on.

What we do know: vegetable-shaped pincushions were popular at the time. Most likely, the tomato shape stuck because it was practical. It was easy to mass-produce, didn’t roll, held lots of pins, and was easy to identify in a crowded sewing box. (A dash of whimsey always helps, too.) And today, the tomato pincushion is omnipresent in sewing.

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Let’s Make a Strawberry Pincushion!

I found this graphic on Pinterest—such a sweet little project. I did make a few small tweaks while sewing and share those below.

Material-wise, I used carded wool cloud as stuffing. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? It’s “short fiber carded fluff. Good for stuffing, saddle making, pillows, or as core wool in needle felting” from Valley Oak Wool & Fiber Mill in Northern California.

The Fibershed Producer Directory is a terrific resource for sourcing wool stuffing and like materials from local farms and mills in the North and Central regions of California.

1. Draw a circle 6 inches wide, and separate it into three thirds.

2. Use one third to make your strawberry.

3. Next, as the instructions say, fold and sew with fine stitches along the straight edge.

I opted for a tiny backstitch.

This is where I drifted from the instructions.

4. Fold the edge first, then run a gathering stitch.

I tried it as per the original instructions, but found it easier to work with a folded edge than to tuck in raw edges after stuffing.

Helpful tip: Cut your thread long and keep your needle on until the very end. This way, you’re working off the same thread, and only need to knot and tie off once.

A blunt-tipped tool, like a knitting needle, a plastic craft needle, even a bobby pin, helps tamp down the wool cloud into the cone.

5. Stuff the cone as much as possible to get a firm shape.

6. Pull the gathering stitches tight, then close the top with lots of secure stitches.

7. Make long stitches with floss or yarn.

I used embroidery floss and a cotton darner, though an embroidery needle would work as well.

Tucking the knot of your floss into a fold helps hide it.

And here’s a cute lil’ strawberry pincushion.

Hope you enjoyed this little dive into the history of fruit pincushions, and a bit of hand-sewing. See you next time!

~ Jane

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