XPJ XLCSUH XLYX….. (Please refer to your newspaper for complete puzzle.)
TODAY’S CLUE: L = H
ANSWER: TWO THINGS THAT FOLKS DO IF THEY’RE SEWING THINGS WHILE THEY’RE WALKING: NEEDLE AND TREAD.
Sewing Needle
Hand Sewing Tool • Point, Shaft & Eye
🪡 A Simple but Essential Tool
A sewing needle is a slender tool used to carry thread through fabric or other material. A typical hand sewing needle has a sharp point at one end and an eye at the other, allowing thread to be passed through the needle and pulled through the material to form stitches.
🦴 Ancient Needles
Needles are among humanity’s oldest specialized tools. Long before metal needles existed, people made them from materials such as bone and ivory. Archaeological discoveries show that eyed needles were being used tens of thousands of years ago to stitch materials together.
⚒️ From Bone to Metal
As metalworking developed, needles were made from metals such as bronze and iron. Steel eventually became the standard material for many sewing needles because it could produce a thin, strong, smooth tool with a fine point capable of passing repeatedly through fabric.
🧵 Threading the Eye
The small opening near the end of a hand sewing needle is called the eye. Thread is passed through it before sewing begins. Needle eyes vary in size and shape, with larger eyes commonly used for thicker threads and specialized types of stitching.
✂️ Different Needles for Different Jobs
Sewing needles come in many lengths, thicknesses, and point styles. Sharps are common general purpose hand sewing needles, while other varieties are designed for embroidery, quilting, darning, tapestry work, leather, and other specialized tasks.
👕 A Tool That Changed Clothing
For thousands of years, the sewing needle has helped people make, repair, and decorate clothing and other textiles. Its basic purpose has remained remarkably consistent: carry a thread through material so separate pieces can be joined or a surface can be decorated with stitches.
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