A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or 18K gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are plated with two-thirds platinum and one-thirds titanium alloy. Traditionally, needles have been kept in needle books or needle cases which have become an object of adornment. Sewing needles can also be kept in an etui, a small box that held needles and other items such as scissors, pencils and tweezers.
A needle for hand sewing has a hole, called the eye at the blunt end to carry thread or cord through the fabric after the pointed end pierces it.
Read more about Sewing Needle: Types of Hand Sewing Needles, Needles in Archaeology
Famous quotes containing the words sewing and/or needle:
“One has to look out for engineers—they begin with sewing machines and end up with the atomic bomb.”
—Marcel Pagnol (1895–1974)
“Up through the lubber crust of Wales
I rocketed to astonish
The flashing needle rock of squatters,
The criers of Shabby and Shorten,
The famous stitch droppers.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)