Making Heirloom Tomato Pin Cushions

I got the urge to make a wool Tomato pin cushion this morning when I was playing with some new wool fabric I purchased at Wool & Goods for Primative Rug Hooking.

I googled for a pattern and found The Painted Quilt. What fun to have a quick and easy project that is both very useful and of heirloom quality.

Pin cushions are just that – for pins. Have you ever wondered what happened to all your needles? Pin cushions suck them deep into the center where you may never recover them.

With scraps from making the Tomato I also made a hand full of Strawberry Needle Cushions. Small enough to keep needles from disappearing and cute enough to just display.

I have old pattern weights they don’t seem to make any more. Bright yellow round O’s that fit perfectly over the gathered stitches that create the bottom of your Tomato.

I followed the directions from The Painted Quilt cutting a bias strip 6″ x 12″ long. The remaining triangles were the perfect size for making the Strawberries. I sewed along the folded long edge for the classic strawberry shape.

Stuffed with Corridale wool top, the lanolin is good for keeping your pins in perfect condition.

I do use a fabric glue or fray check on the wool edges to ensure long wear. I recommend also using FrayCheck at the end of the process to protect the edges of the ‘leaves’.

Being a kitchen witch is working with what you have on hand. I could have driven 10 miles to shop for green wool for the small amount I needed to finish the leaf top, but I threw an extra log on the woodstove and overdyed some tan and some dark grey wool with green Pro Chemical and Dye Washfast Acid Dye.

Other than the changes in using wool fabric, wool stuffing and using the O weight, I followed The Painted Quilt directions. I didn’t bother with a template for the greenery and I just cut them free hand.

Try it!

Tomato Hornworm Season – Check your plants for damage.

As the Tomato plants thrive in this beautiful weather, the Horn worms are back to desecrate your green Tomatoes.

Damage is evident as they attack the leaves on their way to the fruit. A cursory look through your plants is enough if there is no evidence of chewing. Stubs of branches with no leaves is proof of their presence.

Don’t be squeamish. The best way to remove them is to pick them off by hand. If you can’t bring yourself to do this then break off the branch they are on. They can get quite big. Big as a finger. And they hold on. They will rear their head at you when you try to pry them off. They have lots of legs.

I can’t tell you what to do with them. I used to destroy them, but I wasn’t happy about that. I then got great joy out of throwing them into the road to fend for themselves among the cars. Now I am too lazy to walk that far, so I throw them as far as I can into the field. Will they crawl back to my Tomato plants? I don’t know, but they must be a tasty treat for some bird out there.

I made the mistake of assumption many years ago. I destroyed a Hornworm that’s back was covered with rice-like pods. I was later told these pods would be moths that would hatch and eat Hornworms. I guess I don’t destroy them anymore in case there is still time for them to be host to these moths.

Check your plants every day. Twice a day is best. It is surprising how far they can munch along. Once they get to your beautiful Tomatoes they will skim over the surface, eating just a bit before going on to the next Tomato. They are not satisfied to just commit to a Tomato and enjoy it completely. No. They have Wanderlust and move from fruit to fruit. Plant to plant.

Hornworms can be difficult to spot. They are usually on the underside of a branch or leaf. You will see evidence of their crap piles that are strange squarish blocks that begin green and darken. If you know you have a Hornworm but still are unable to find it, Crouch down and be silent. You can hear Hornworms eating. They have a constant crunch crunch crunch that will help you hone in on their location.

My No-No Food List

I was asked recently by a friend to make a list of the foods I am supposed to avoid to alleviate symptoms and pain of my Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and post-Endometriosis and post-Menopausal issues, plus, whatever else ails me and my digestive system. I have avoided making this no-no list for years, as you will understand when you read it…

• Sugar
• Salt
• Corn Syrup
• Citrus
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Chili Peppers
• Eggplant
• Mushrooms
• Beef
• Milk
• Cow Cheese
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Corn
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Soy
• Wild Rice
• Wheat
• Alcohol

I am reeling at the thought of cutting any of these items from my diet. I have had a love/hate relationship with food that has spanned Anorexia to high Cholesterol. Chocolate is my go-to addiction as I have Peanut butter-in-a-casing-of-chocolate habit. I make an unbelievably good loaf of French bread that is an art form that deserves to be done well and often. I find great joy in mixing butter and sugar with Vanilla and flour and making a form of culinary art that has no redeeming qualities other than mouth joy, a wonderful aroma, and a craving for more. A comfort food junkie, I can’t imagine life without a Garlic, Onion, Pepper and Tomato mixture with cheese and pasta. Or Potatoes in any form…

Where should I begin on this list? Definitely not at the top…I haven’t had Wild Rice in years…so I guess continuing that trend won’t hurt. Soy? Not really a fan, so I can do this. Eggplant isn’t a favorite of mine, so I guess I can forgo eating it. Seeds? Okay. I’ll start with seeds. That shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ll even add Citrus to my no-more plan. Guilt is already assailing me, as I won’t miss any of these food choices. I have to give up more to begin. Mushrooms. Ooo…that hurts already. Okay, I can do without Mushrooms. I will continue to remove these items from my diet over a period of time to see if there is an improvement in my health and well-being. Meanwhile I will have an opportunity to evaluate my food choices and where I can find hidden forms of these items that I should avoid.

Tomato Hornworm Photos

How Do My Tomatoes Grow?

The Blight has hit my garden destroying most of the Tomato plants.

For the time, we have saved what has not appeared to be damaged.

It is an emotional loss as well.

When living in Maine, with such a short summer season, fresh ripe Tomatoes from the vine are planned on long before the ground has thawed in the spring.

How does my garden grow.

Orange banana Tomato growing

All tied up and ready to grow.

With the indulgence of rain this past month, the vegetable garden is lush and productive!
We tied up the two rows of 18 varieties of Tomato plants as the heavy branches were forming roots of their own.