Festival of Needles

[Carol-Anne]

In Japan, the Hari-Kuyo ceremony is held once a year on 8^th February.  Women bring their broken or worn out needles to the “Broken Needle Festival” to thank them for good service and lay them to rest in a soft jelly or tofu cakes.  This 400-year old tradition has its roots in Buddhism and is based on the belief that even animated objects have a soul.  I do not know much about the ceremony or the beliefs behind it but when I first read about Hari-kuyo, the idea of paying my respects to my needles seemed entirely appropriate.

 

Last year I held my own version of the “Broken Needle Festival”.  I didn’t have any broken needles to lay to rest but instead I spent the evening clean my hand made needles and arranging them according to size in my needle felt.

 

This year, on Tuesday 8^th February, I plan to do it again and I invite you all to join me (virtually) in a celebration of needles.  You don’t need any broken or dirty needles to join in, you just need to spend an hour or so doing something related to your needles; make a new needle book; organise your existing needle book or simply tell us about your favourite needles or share any needle tips or ideas you have.

[Sue Noble]

I will join you on the 8th maybe over the web :-))  might need reminding as it will be my first full day at work for ?? months :-)  so sitting cleaning and arranging my needles sounds  like a brill idea.  Happy Stitching Sue XX

[sharonb]

This is a great idea - perhaps we could focus on needlebooks.

Do pins fall into the needle family? We could include pin cushions then.

What else can peopel do?

Can we link it to orts jars? 

[Carol-Anne]

Pins definitely count and pin cushions would fit very well with the tradition of Hari-Kuyo were broken needles and pins are laid to rest in something soft.

 

 

[Susan Elliott]

I'm in.  Festival of Needles on February 8!  I'll link to everyone else participating too....see you then!

[sharonb]

I will tie it in with a post a photo challenge of pincushions and suggest people also post photos of needlecases. My needles could definitely do with a tidy up too!

[María de Lourdes León Viejo]

Por supuesto Anne que es una idea muy buena, nuestras agujas son las que nos permiten concretar nuestras ideas y conocimientos.

[Carol-Anne]

I agree, María.  Where would we be without our needles :-)

María de Lourdes León Viejo said:

Por supuesto Anne que es una idea muy buena, nuestras agujas son las que nos permiten concretar nuestras ideas y conocimientos.

[Carol-Anne]

Mary Corbet has written an article about "Taking Care of Embroidery Needles" today.  In it Mary talks about strawberry's (should that be strawberries?).  That is another idea for something you could make to celebrate the "Festival of Needles"

 

[sharonb]

I have just written and email to all and will pose a challenge near the day. I hope people see this as much possible fun as I do. It should be interesting to hear what people do and see their photos

[Elizabeth K]

What a wonderful idea!!! I will definitely be joining you, however I have a little charm I make with my needles and will post a photo after ritual.

[Katie Chaplin]

Wonderful! I've been collecting broken needles all year (mainly sewing machine ones from trying to sew too many layers of obi fabric, but I have quite a few bent pins and hand needles from workshops too!). I had planned on giving them to my needlecraft teacher in Japan so she could stick them in the rice cake for me at next year's festival, but now I can do it myself and know there are others all over the world doing the same thing.

 

I'll be doing a TV show on 8th Feb so will be driving and working most of the day, so perhaps I'll do it on the 7th or 9th instead. I think I'll make a little Japanese-style pincushion from kimono fabric to stick the pins and needles in so will put up a pic and look forward to seeing everyone else's xxx

[Judy McGarry]

I think I will organize all my pin cusions and needle holders.