EPP & Needles

 I have made 30 EPP flowers so far. I didn't realize how many I had made until I was emptying out my EPP kit. I am quite pleased with them. These are all from scraps. Frankly I have lots more scraps to use. I am not sure how many of these I am going to need for the quilt that I have in mind. I just know that I will probably make not stop when I get enough. This is a good way to use small scraps. I am sure I will find other uses for them as well. My daughter suggested turning them into pockets on tee shirt or child's apron.

As for the quilt, I am going to applique the flowers onto white 5 inch squares. Then mix them with a black and white four patch squares. Sort of a checkerboard style quilt. I plan to use different colors of thread to stitch the flowers down. I would really like the black and white squares to be made from a black with white pin dots print and a white tone on tone print.  I just need to find the fabric I like first.

Another realization of just how much hand stitching I have been doing lately,  is the needle that I am using. I don't know how many people realize that needles are not as rigid as they seem. Just the warmth and pressure from your fingers will cause them to bend. If you look at the needle in on the blue square of fabric, it is definitely curved.  I don't grip the needle tight and I didn't have to struggle to pull it through the fabric. But it is definitely bent.

I have been using this same needle for months now and it has actually formed to the way I am using it. I am doing a lot of overcast stitches and the basting stitches are more of a back stitch. So the bend in the needle actually makes it easier. I can't help but I think that it is kind of neat. 

Despite using it for months, the needle is still sharp. I know because I got distracted and stitched through a layer of skin on my index finger. I didn't feel it until the thread started to drag.  No blood, it was just the upper layer of skin. I did cut the thread and not my skin though. I don't need the open spot with all the hand washing and sanitizing I do at work.

Have you ever used a needle until it has bent from use?