Hari-Kuyo Festival of Broken Needles

Today is February 8th, where, in Japan, the Festival of Broken Needles is celebrated. Each year the a ceremony is held to give thanks to the needles that needle workers have used in their stitching over the last 12 months.  Seamstresses and embroiderers take their broken and worn needles to a shrine where  the needles are placed in tofu or jelly. The ceremony is to give gratitude and show respect to the needles and to pray for improved needle working skills. The belief is that inanimate objects also have a soul and as women stitch they pass their burdens onto their needles  The needles are given a soft resting place.

Several years ago I participated in a course held by Susan Elliott to create a needlebook.

My needle book has been well used.

The last page of this book is where broken and worn needles are stored.

I place my needles in a piece of batting and put that in a small container and bury it in my rose garden.

I have made several needle books now and given them as gifts.

Hari-Kuyo is a fascinating tradition that has been celebrated for several hundred years.

To read more about how I made my first needlebook and lots more about this wonderful tradition see here.

Susan has a post about the festival and how to create your own needlebook here .

Have you made a needle book?

Learning to rock, and lots more.

Well, its been a couple of weeks since my last post, so there has been some stitching happening here! :)

Each summer Somerset holds a Summer School with various classes held over about 2 weeks. This year I attended the hand quilting class. I have, unsuccessfully, tried to hand quilt by rocking before. This time, just one little change to my technique and it works!!! I know I need to keep practicing, but I am happy with how my stitches are progressing.

I tried both the Thimblelady thimble and the Roxanne thimble. At the moment I am most comfortable using the Thimblelady thimble.

Here in Melbourne the week before last we had a 4 day heatwave that saw temperatures well over 40 C.  I hid inside and distracted myself with some sewing.

The week before I had been in the city and visited my favourite shop and purchased this pattern.

L'ucello collaborated with French General to produce this sewing accessory pattern using a French General line of fabric that will be released later this year.

I made 2 needlebooks for friends having birthdays.

I used French General fabrics I had on hand. The flowers on the covers are appliqued with hand broderie perse.

The inside is finished with mother of pearl buttons. I did a machine buttonhole stitch around each leaf of the book.

Last week was the annual Fabric Frolic here in Melbourne. I was lucky enough to win a voucher from Ringwood Sewing Centre! :)
This is what I came home with.

The Clover pen was one recommended during the hand quilting class. The Swatch Buddies will mean I won't have a purse full of little scraps of fabric! Lol. Now I will be able to use those clips instead of pins when I am stitching down bindings.  The Japanese fabrics just had to come home also...can't resist half price!

A little bit of hand applique has also been happening.

Block 2 of Noah and Matilda is complete.

Block 4 is underway.

I'm still not sure whether to continue with the print fabric for the 8 outer flowers. I am wondering if a plain red might look better. What do you think??

I have started to prepare block 3. All the templates have been cut, fabrics chosen and cut and an overlay made. Its a doozey!!!!

We are experiencing another heatwave here in Melbourne! Luckily we get a reprieve tomorrow, then its a few more hot days with an even hotter weekend!

I rescued these roses from my garden this morning.