the strawberries have emery in them so the needles are sharpened each time you use it. rubbing a pin or needles lightly over your hair does work. sand in a cushion would probably work like the emery.

You can buy just the strawberry filled with emory particles. Be sure to squeeze the strawberry as you run the needles in and out. Only just found that out recently!!

The strawberry sharpens needles. I use it all the time.
Running a needle thur your hair does help. No idea how works why. These old ideas from the past still work today.

Thanks, all, enough ideas to make me test them out!

Back in the days when I was growing up and learning to sew (in the '50s) and our shoes had leather soles, Mom and I would put out needles on the worn part of the threshold between rooms. Then we would rub the soles of our shoes over the needle and we could use them awhile longer. I'm not sure that sharpened them or just got rid of the "rust" from our sweat when using them. Our house was built in 1918 by my grandfather and the thresholds covered the gap where the floor boards met in doorways. We put the needles on the part where the varnish was worn away, otherwise it didn't "work."

I love that story, Noble! Thanks!

I learned about running a pin thru your hair when I was pinning on diapers, the oil makes them glide better, I would think that candle wax would make them drag.

The needle slides thru the material just fine...once I get it to go thru the material! Its the point that needs sharpening!