Harikuyo

Today is the memorial day for used and broken needles and pins.

A couple of years ago I made a special needle book, the last page of which was an "honourable hard work" page for retired needles.

For the past year I have kept my "retired" needles very carefully just to see how many I use in a year.

I am surprised how many there are.   My faith in John James needles is at a low ebb -  the eyes of their needles are very weak and break so very quickly.  There were too many needles this year for my "needle resting place" so the rest sat in a tin waiting to be disposed of today.  

According to Japanese tradition retired needles are stuck into a block of tofu and thanks are given for their help in the years work.   I am thankful (but not to Mr John James!) for my needles but I refuse to waste tofu and instead the HD3QBEM and I are having a  tofu dinner tonight.

Our local haberdashery store has relocated to another suburb so I was not able to get the very narrow ribbon to complete the Christmas Stockings but I am pleased with the way these have turned out.   After experimenting on these I have decided that I like my hardanger picots to be knobs not loops and have made the 'life decision' to make knobs from now on :-)

Tonight I plan to return to my Casket stitching and build a house -  well perhaps lay the foundations.

Festival of broken needles

Today, February 8th is the festival of Broken Needles.   All over Japan women gather at Shrines and Temples to tuck needles and pins into a slab of soft tofu as thanks are made for good and faithful service.

Late last year, under the tutelage of Susan Elliot I made a Hari Kuyo Needlebook in which the last page is the resting place for bent, broken and unserviceable needles.   So I have need to resort to a slab of soft tofu when I have a page of soft doctors flannel.  If you get a chance to take an Eclass with Susan I certainly recommend do.   I had such fun making mine.

But it is here I should admit that my most used and well loved needlebook is in fact this one

Oh the wonders of the internet.   Browsing one day around six or seven years ago I found this, wrote away to the Valley Quail Chapter of the EGA and some days later this wonder arrived.   It has been my friend ever since.  

You can read about it in more detail here I highly recommend these.

But where do I keep my supply/store of needle packets?   Most of my many hussifs, needlecases and etuis have packets of needles in them but the bulk store is in this.

Some years ago I took a Schwalm class with a local needlework teacher and this needle packet case was her design.   

It has been so very useful and is usually stuffed to the gunwales with packets - as you can see I am not exactly loyal to any one particular brand.  I prefer Piecemakers but my choice is made by price so generally it is good old John James!   

So with thanks for needles, needle books, and all the good service these embroidery tools give me year in year out....

What a week this has been!

Coming back to work after a holiday is always hard labour isn't it?   I finally caught up on Friday afternoon so hopefully next week will go smoothly.
On the home front all was equally as busy.   My sister and her husband came for a meal on their way home after a holiday up north.   We had a great time catching up and I managed to sit and stitch while they were here.   Tonight my niece and her husband are coming for a meal so don't you think I can be forgiven for feeling as if I have spent too long in the kitchen??
Never fear, I have managed to find time with my needle and from last week's goals can truthfully say that this is the status quo as of this afternoon
Complete construction on two Christmas Ornaments - Done
Finish two bands on the Assisi page for my NMMSAL -  Will complete the last one tonight
Sort out projects for this month - Done
Kit up and bag a project to take to Embroiderers' Guild meetings - Not yet

But I did one item not on the list!!   My Hari Kuyo Needlebook is completed. 
Allow me a few moments of satisfaction while I show you these photos.....

 These small bead-like appendages were actually made by moi - from Japanese fabric and cover a knot on the rich purple Japanese cord which came on a package of delicious Japanese kinako mochi cakes.

 The pages inside are supposed to be a true rainbow of woollen felt but this needlebook was made from what I had on hand so we are not a true rainbow.

 The small Bohin scissors came as a gift from Amy and the fob was originally on a gift from a friend at the company where I worked previously.  It is exactly right for this book!

And although no needles were harmed in the making of this book one wore out and so has been laid gently in the "honourable hard work" page.

In the rules of the Christmas Ornament SAL the photos must be posted on pre-ordained days so I cannot show you anything but a teaser of the two I have completed.   Watch this space.
Tonight my favourite TV programmes will be set to record and while Anita and Neil are here I hope to complete the Assisi page for my NMMSAL
This week I will not set goals -  there's still plenty of potential in my "want-to-do" box and I need to make up my mind about a Guild Meeting project for 2013 as my first outing is on the 20th.
Have a good week.

Tired needles and tired eyes

My "needles without eyes" have been in overdrive this week as the end is in sight on the "Twenties Chic" top.   I am pleased with the way this has turned out and even more delighted that my poor shoulders which generally creak and groan and demand attention with any repetitive action, have survived this marathon well.  That final surgery four years ago has certainly made knitting more pleasurable.  The handsome surgeon was called Mr Wright so what else could one expect!  

In between knit purl and its various combinations, I have completed part 10 of the Confetti of Hardanger HAL.   Picots and I have reached an equable relationship but we will never be best of friends!

The first two pages of the Needlework Masters Monthly SAL for 2013 are tacked out ready to go.   First page is to be Assissi work - but I have yet to decide the colour of the thread.   Have you ever seen this great webpage with lots of free charts? 

My Hari Kuyo Needlebook is making progress too.   The "final resting place" felt pad (well, doctors flannel if we want to be absolutely precise) for the inside back cover is completed and my next decision has to be on the tape/rouleau/ribbon with which to fasten the book.

I had a piece among my Japanese bits and pieces but it seems too dull  in colour so I may have to make my own.  Here's a shot.

What do you think?  Less than inspiring? It really needs a red doesn't it? While I had wanted to complete this needlbook by the end of the year, that dream is becoming less and less of a possibility in the pre-Christmas rush.

And the tired eyes....?   It's all Ian Rankin's fault!   At the library on Saturday to pick out some large print books for the HD3QEM's holiday reading, I spied the latest Inspector Rebus on the What's Hot shelf.   Irresistible and once started, unstoppable.  Not all of my requests have come yet.  At least the email I received told me that five were ready but there's still another 14 on request. I am part way through and enjoying The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year, so I can wait a little longer.   

My library had an interesting Christmas Tree at the door.  I will not be replicating this but enjoyed the one they had put up. Here's a closer shot.

This little ornament went far across the seas and has been received safely now so I can show it.
Cute isn't it -  well for cat lovers it is.

Hope your week is going well.   We had been hoping for a sunny Christmas but it looks as if Cyclone Evan, having destroyed much of Samoa and Fiji may arrive here, downgraded to a storm but still with sufficient reserves of rain to spoil the day.   I hope not!