What's the point?

Sharp as hell, that's what.  Hiya.  I'm bringing up needles again.  I haven't rid the drawer of all the different sizes in my attempt to simplify just yet.  There has been a kitchen table in front of that spool cabinet for over a month, so I'm using the variety of sizes and brands found in my pinkeeps. 

 Let me tell you, this one can be a really nasty prick.  I had little bleeding thumb pricks from a very sharp eye, and now found one with the point end doing the same.  Being purchased over 20 years ago I have no idea the brand.    Here's a close-up of the pricker (left) and good girl (right).   I thought all embroidery needles had blunt tips, but this one is definitely a sharp. 

 

 I kept having trouble with the needle splitting the linen threads but it wasn't until it found its way into flesh that I realized why.  Yikes. 

 

 

I first thought it might be the linen itself causing the problem. You can see that not only is the bottom thread split, but the upper stitch is also.  I use the sewing method when stitching and move along pretty quick so maybe some of it is my fault, but I've never had this happen so frequently and easily. 

I felt no resistance when the needle was violating that weave.  My thumb holds the floss away from the next stitch and kind of guides the needle.  Rarely does the needle end up under my nail but this one would certainly cause a whimper.  Into the trash it goes. 

 I probably shouldn't mention this because my husband thinks I'm nuts, but here goes.  Years ago, there was a large starving and injured dog found in the local garbage dump, eating what it could find.  Well, I don't care what animal may be foraging, I wrap duct tape around the needles, secure them to styrofoam or cardboard, wrap it again, to make sure it doesn't get into a morsel of food scraps.  Same with glass, fish hooks, anything small and sharp.  OK, so I may go overboard but suffering animals rip my guts out and I don't want to be responsible for inflicting even more.  When I discarded my old straight pins, I put them in a plastic box and wrapped tape around several times.  After approaching those Amish women in the parking lot to offer them my quilting supplies and needles, I thought it best to not do that again so I threw them out.

I finished the cardinal and will show it off next time.

 

Thanks for visiting - enjoy the weekend.

 

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