This is so great! In Japan, on Feb 8th , is a memorial service to retire broken, bent needles & pins.
The service is to give Thanks for their hard work. The needles are stuck in pieces of tofu or jelly. They believe all things have a spirit and soul.
It is also a time to value small everyday objects of life that are otherwise forgotten. Burying the needles in tofu is said to symbolize rest for the needles, as they are wrapped with tenderness. It's also about the many sorrows that women are believed to carry in their hearts, the burdens that are passed onto needles in the many hours of sewing.
They also use this time to pray for better sewing skills.
To read more go to ,
www.odditycentral.com and search for Hari Kuyo... This would be a fun and good thing to do at our quilting circles, don't you think?