Getting to the Point
- Krista Moser
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Have you ever stopped to think about how some of our most used notions are made? The ones that have been around forever, and we wouldn't know what to do without them? I came across this fantastic video showing the manufacturing of hand-sewing needles and pins. I found it so fascinating, I wanted to share it with you!
Bohin, a French company, has been making high-quality needles since 1833. This video condenses their 27-step process into one minute. If you enjoy the details behind good tools, this is worth taking a look at. (More about Bohin's history can be found here.)
If you can't expand the picture, you watch the original video here.
This is how they do it!
High-carbon or stainless steel wire is straightened and cut to length.
One end is ground to a fine, smooth point using precision grinding wheels.
Head attachment: Glass heads are fused at high heat (~1000°C). Other pins may have metal or molded heads.
Pins are tumbled in drums to smooth the surface and remove imperfections.
Steel pins are nickel-plated.
Each pin batch is inspected for sharpness, straightness, and secure heads.
Sorted by size/count and packed in boxes, tubes, or display cards.
It’s amazing how far we’ve come. Modern metal needles are made with incredible precision, but the earliest versions were much simpler. The type of needles our ancestors used was made from bone, ivory, or wood. The oldest ones, found in Russia, are estimated to be 25,000 to 50,000 years old.
Can you imagine trying to sew with that needle?
About 3300 BC, people started working with metal. Needles became sharper, stronger, and more durable using copper, bronze, and iron. As you can see, these aren't exactly the sharpest needles. I can only imagine what the underside of those projects looked like! Haha!
By the Middle Ages, needle making was a serious craft with artisans in places like Germany and England becoming truly proficient, hammering and polishing each needle by hand. Needle makers started making needles for a specific use, including embroidery, quilting, and darning. The Bayeux tapestry (1077) was embroidered using a bone needle? I can't even imagine!
With the Industrial Revolution, machinery brought mass production of needles, making them more available and affordable, leading to the range of needles we have available today for every crafting application.
If this inspired you and you want to know everything there is to know about making hand sewing needles, this 4-minute video, from How It's Made, shows every detail. It's really quite fascinating!
I hope you enjoyed this brief look at how hand-sewing needles are made.
Happy Sunday, everyone,
Krista
Follow all my quilty adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Visit my YouTube channel for free tutorials and tips. If you like my patterns, you can buy them on Etsy and here on the website.