And why, you might ask, would anyone need a home for broken needles?
It turns out that saving and honoring broken needles is a 400-year-old tradition in Japan where every year, on February 8th, kimono makers and other embroiderers celebrate Hari-Kuyo, the Festival of Broken Needles. A Google search for “Hari-Kuyo” or “festival broken needles” will summon up a wealth of information and images, but here in Sun Region, our Indian River Chapter uses the idea of broken needles to think about where we’ve been and where we’re going as embroiderers.
But…if you’re going to honor your broken needles, you need to save them! Indian River chapter member, Laurie Hardin was inspired by the simple, yet rhythmic lines of Japanese sashiko quilting when she turned an empty prescription bottle into her Storage Container for Broken Pins and Needles.
She has graciously agreed to offer her design instructions here on the Sun Region website where everyone can find them and start saving for next year’s Hari-Kuyo.
Download the instructions in PDF form HERE
