The Early Workbasket ~ Tomato Pinkeeps

Welcome dear needlefolk friends

and hello to summer in July!

The weather today in my neighborhood is

 absolutely gorgeous with cool summer

 breezes flowing through my Studio

 screen door...no need for air

  conditioning today...Yay!

~♦♦~

The Early Workbasket 

Tomato Pinkeeps...

The earliest recorded origins of pincushions 

dates back to the Middle Ages of Europe.

In the English language, 

they became know by many names ~

~ pimpilowes

~ pimpilos

~ pimplos

~ pimploes

~ pin~pillows

~ pin~poppets

I love the modern updated version...pinkeep!

During the Victorian Era, according to folklore,

when a family moved into a new home,

 a fresh tomato was placed on the 

 mantle to ward off evil spirits and thus

bring prosperity to the new homeowners!

If tomatoes were out of season, 

families improvised by using a round ball of

 red fabric filled with sand or sawdust and made

to look like the real thing with embellishments such

 as leaves and veins.

The good~luck symbol also served

a practical purpose...a place to store pins!

Typically, the tomato is filled with wool roving

to prevent rust, and the strawberry is filled

with emery (an abrasive) to clean and

sharpen the pins and needles.

These two plump tomatoes I made years

ago using red and green wools, they

are filled with wool roving. 

The strawberries are embellished with

random backstitches to resemble the seeds.

Here is my sewing machine companion...

This one I made using the same basic materials,

but used a flatter pattern design.

These three are the only tomatoes made by me, 

the rest are all old vintage tomatoes!

A group photo of my tomato harvest...

Collecting tomatoes is such fun!

With all my many collections,

I always seem to have a favorite...

This sweet little tomato all dressed up with a
sterling silver cap and silk tassel wins my

first place "Blue Ribbon!"

Hope you enjoyed this months 

Early Workbasket feature on Tomato Pinkeeps!

The next featured topic is scheduled for 

Friday, August 5th.

~♦♦~

Little Sparrow Pinkeep Club Update...

"Mend Thy Soul" kits 

have shipped and are on their way!  

Please keep in mind there will be no 

mail delivery on Monday for (4th of July)...watch

for kits to arrive either Tuesday or Wednesday.

~♦♦~

Oh the joy that summer delivers...

Fresh garden veggies at their best!

All this writing about tomatoes is making me

hungry for something like spaghetti...

Or, maybe homemade pizza!

~♦♦~

Weekend Soul Food...

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink,

or whatsoever ye do,

do all to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31...KJV

~♦♦~

Blessings for a safe and relaxing

Fourth of July weekend!

Kindly, Tammy