“Needles are not what they used to be. They break so easily; they become dull so quickly.” I hear this so often, and experience it myself.

“Not the same steel” one woman said. Yet another said it “depends on where they are made maybe.”

It all takes me back to a great hint we had sometime back, a year or so ago. When L.S. gave us the sandpaper hint that her home economics teacher had given each of her students — a small piece of medium grade sandpaper. It was to be kept with their sewing supplies. Then, as their needles would start to become dull, they would (without thread in their needles) sew 4 or 5 inches through that sandpaper it would (it does) sharpen that needle (and they don’t break so easily).

You may have to help your machine pull the sandpaper through and under the needle. Just pull easily on the paper as it goes under the needle. Some feed-dogs (those little teeth under the needle) find it hard to grasp that stiff paper.

I’m using a small section of that black emery cloth, it does the same thing.

To sharpen those single-edge razor blades we like to use in ripping out seams, I just sharpen them with an emery board.

Danny Jones from Houston gave us a couple of his favorite sayings to live by:

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow a mystery, Today is a gift from God.

Then he also said “The kind of day I have is up to me. I can choose to complain or I can choose to be grateful.” Danny was here for his Aunt Bernice’s funeral. Thanks, Danny.

And may God Bless all of your tomorrow’s.