# Tomatoes, Strawberries, and Pin Cushions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomatoes-strawberries-and-pin-cushions/280908>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 21, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomatoes-strawberries-and-pin-cushions/280908 "2004-12-21T02:53:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomatoes-strawberries-and-pin-cushions/280908/1 "2004-12-21T02:53:39Z")

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Why is the [classic pin cushion](http://missourifamilies.org/learningopps/learnmaterial/tools/pincushion.htm) a big tomato and a little strawberry? I understand why the two different parts (holding and sharpening), but why those fruit? When was this invented, and how did it become so universal?

I’m sewing a tree skirt ATM, and my mind tends to wander.

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**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomatoes-strawberries-and-pin-cushions/280908/2 "2004-12-21T02:58:25Z")

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WAG: that is what they originally used and it stuck? As in, they would waste a perfectly good tomato and strawberry (where would it be grown from?!) to stick it full of needles instead of say a spare cloth.

Hey, I said it was a WAG.