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Typical "tomato and strawberry" pincushion.
A pincushion (or pin cushion) is a small cushion, typically 3–5 cm across, which is used in sewing to store pins or needles with their heads protruding so as to take hold of them easily, collect them, and keep them organized.
Pincushions are typically filled tightly with stuffing, so as to hold pins rigidly once placed. Magnetic pin cushions are also used, though technically they are not "cushions" they serve the same basic function of holding pins neatly.
The most popular design;[citation needed]; a tomato with a strawberry attached was[1] most likely introduced during the Victorian Era. According to folklore, placing a tomato on the mantle of a new home guaranteed prosperity and repelled evil spirits. If tomatoes were out of season, families improvised by using a round ball of red fabric filled with sand or sawdust. The good-luck symbol also served a practical purpose—a place to store pins.[2] Typically, the tomato is filled with wool roving to prevent rust, and the strawberry is filled with an abrasive to clean the pins.
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