Tomato pincushions - it's a bumper crop!
Aren't they wonderful?
Lots of work, but wonderful.
I found this great pattern and instructions on Martha Stewart.
You begin with a 5 x 10 rectangle of fabric.
Fold down the center and sew across the two unfinished five inch ends.
You now have a tube.
With a running stitch, gather the bottom of the tube and secure. With another running stitch, gather the top, pull it slightly closed, stuff with fiberfill, pull tight and secure.
Next, with a very long cording needle and six strands of coordinating embroidery floss, go through the center and around the tomato and back through the center again.
Do this five or six times.
Secure the thread at the top and attach a primitive star shape green cap with a stitch or two before you secure the thread.
Do this out of sight under the little green cap.
The star may be a little loose. That's okay.
After you have all your stars attached you are almost finished.
Now add just a touch of craft or fabric glue under the cap.
Use a glue that will dry clear and don't use too much.
Now you have the finished product!
I chose three shades of red fabric, one yellow, one green and one yellow green.
It has been a very long process, but then I was making eight of each color. If they sell well, I have enough to do eight more of each.
If you are only doing a few, you could whip some up in no time.
Piled in the basket, they almost look good enough to eat.
You know how you need something and you try to find it, but you can't find it anywhere?
Well that's the way it was with me and that long cording needle.
I went to Wal-Mart. (Thirty minutes away.) No luck. The fabric store. No luck. Mom didn't have one and I knew if I ever did have one it was long gone. Since we've moved, we now are at least one hour and fifteen minutes away from Michael's and Hobby Lobby. ( The only bad thing about living here!!!) I was ready to give up and but the green felt tops on without the embroidery loops going around the body of the tomato.
I was looking for fabric glue and I ran across a sweet little sewing basket I had bought last year. A friend of mine has an antique booth about one hour away. The basket had made it's way all the way from Missouri. It is just too precious. I had to have it.
When I saw the basket in the drawer, I just had to look through it again. And there it was, the needle I was wishing for that I didn't even know I had. Tucked down in the bottom of a basket that I am sure some little lady had used and held dear for years.
Isn't the basket precious?
I plan to keep it safe and intact, only borrowing from the basket to return things to it again.
Whoever she was, I plan to keep her basket safe and all together.
You know, sometimes life is funny. What we think we don't have, what we think we need to find, is sometimes right there all along.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day
and I hope you find what you're looking for!
See you soon,
Tommye
P.S. For really good directions, do try Martha!
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