Needle in a HaystackA needle in a haystack is an English idiom that refers to an object (or a person) that is difficult to find because it is lost, mixed in, or buried within a much larger space, mass, crowd, or group of some other objects. (wikipedia.org) I don't know about you but that pretty much explains my entire needlework area. Whatever it is that I am looking for, that's what has suddenly disappeared!! My needles top that list. It never seems to matter what I am working on, if I lose the needle, I can't find another one like it anywhere ...until I start a different project that is. Today we take the needle for granted. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to come by, but that wasn't always the case. _____________________________________________ HistorySome people say the greatest invention man made was the wheel. I would like to suggest that the needle ranks right up there also. Prior to the modern version, primitive man (and woman) used awls and needles made of long bone fragments (or large thorns) to punch holes in the hides and then laced them together. Click here if you want to try your hand at making a bone needle. The first improvement was the use of bronze and then steel. We are so blessed to be stitchers in this era because we can obtain high-quality needles for relatively little money. Stitchers from prior centuries paid high prices for their needles, so they were well maintained. How needles are made (excerpt from the link above):
The "anatomy" of embroidery needles:
___________________________________________________________ Inquiring Minds Q. I am always confused by what size and type of needle I should use for which stitching project. A. This is a wonderful question! While researching we learned there wasn't just one answer. The basic guideline is that your needle should be large enough to properly fit the thread(s) width, but not so large that it distorts your fabric or canvas. The size of the needle is determined by the diameter of the shaft (as stated above). As a general rule of thumb, the higher the size number, the smaller the actual diameter. This, of course, has some exceptions, but for those needles used commonly (i.e. for counted cross stitch, Hardanger, canvaswork, etc.), this is an acceptable guide. Also, taking this rule of thumb into account, another easy tip to remember is: the higher the fabric count, the higher the number of needle size.
The type of needle used is also dependent on the type of fabric you are working on or embroidery you are stitching. To be quite broad, you can classify needles into two categories: blunt and sharp. Blunt (Tapestry) needles are used in embroidery work that is done on fabric that is not tightly woven. Tip: If you can see the holes in your fabric easily, you should probably use a blunt tipped needle! Types of embroidery that employ the use of blunt needles include Hardanger embroidery, canvaswork and needlepoint, counted cross stitch, pulled thread and drawn thread work, and huck and Swedish weaving, to name a few. Sharp needles are used when you need to pierce the fabric to allow your threads to pass through. Embroideries that require a sharp needle are Brazilian embroidery, traditional Blackwork (for piercing the thread and fabric fibers while creating reversible pieces), silk ribbon embroidery, Crewel, stamped cross stitch, smocking, and other types which use tightly woven fabric. For more information about needles and needle sizes, click here to visit Colonial Needle's website for more information. Q. What is the difference between a plated needle and a regular needle? Q. How do I keep my needles sharp?
Q. How can I keep track of my needle while I am stitching? Needle minders will keep your needle handy as you work. They are magnetic and can be placed anywhere on your working fabric so when you aren't stitching, your needle will stay in place.
Alternatively, if you are doing a large project with lots of threads, like a Fractal, you might consider a system like PAKO where you can pre-thread your needles and keep them organized. Q. Is there a good way to keep them stored? Throughout the last few centuries, men have carved needle cases to store the precious needles his wife needed to make and repair clothing and household goods. Depending on the region the cases might be of bone, ivory, or wood. I can remember my grandmothers storing their needles in handmade needlebooks. It was also popular to provide customers with manufactured needlebooks with advertising on them. Today we have numerous options available that will protect and prolong the life of our needles:
Q. Cindy Clark purchased a needle about 25 years ago in New England that had a tiny round ball on the point so it separated the fibers instead of piercing them. Do we know what it is called? ___________________________________________________________ Strange But True The Japanese tradition Hari-Kuyo (Hari, meaning needle) is an ancient Buddhist ritual celebrated annually on February 8th to pay an homage to all the needles and pins that were used or served to their expiration during the year. The tradition includes sticking your used needles into a sambo (navel orange), and all your broken needles into a soft material (usually tofu or konnyaku jelly) to "thank" them for all their hard work, and the ceremony is performed to recognize that all living beings and objects have a spirit. Although traditionally celebrated in Japan at Buddhist temples, in our findings we discovered a Hari-Kuyo celebration right here in the states. Needleworkers from the Wool & Willow needlework shop in Shaker Hts, OH honored their loyal and wounded needles through this authentic memorial. Anne from Wool & Willow let us know that this is their third year performing the ceremony. What a tradition! Click here to see pictures from their Hari-Kuyo service - scroll down! Another interesting wives' tale involves suspending a needle dangling from a piece of thread over the belly of a pregnant woman to determine the gender. If the needle swings in an oval or circular motion, the baby will be a girl, but if the needle swings in a straight line, the baby will be a boy! Who knew needles were so mystical and fascinating? ______________________________________________
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