Melita has a bunch of old bent, broken or tarnished needles to dispose of.
http://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/disposing-of-needles-a-celebration/
Long ago I read an old article by Amy Bunger in which she said the most common mistake stitchers make is to stitch with a worn out needle. Ever since I put my old needles in a medicine bottle and collect them to dispose of every February when the Japanese festival of Harikuyo is celebrated. Of course the fact that I have acid hands and my needle start to tarnish fairly rapidly encourages me to do this. Recently I have heard several folks say that they treasure their needles (which were so precious to our stitching ancestors) and only discard them when they bend or break.
So there are many schools of thought about how often to dispose of your needles. Like so much else in needlepoint, there is no right or wrong answer. But if your hands tarnish your needles, I think it is common sense to get rid of them and start anew with each new project. Otherwise, how you feel about needles and how often to choose new ones is up to you.
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 22, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.
