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πŸš€ Inventions and machines πŸ”§ Machines and tools

Needles

Needles

πŸ“– In short

A needle is a tiny but important tool, with a sharp point at one end and a small hole called the eye at the other, where the thread goes. We use it to sew, embroider and mend clothes. There are also syringe needles, which doctors use to give medicine and vaccines.

🀩 Did you know?

  • A single needle can go through about 20 steps before it's finished.
  • The first needles were made of bone.
  • A syringe needle is hollow so medicine can pass through it.
  • A compass needle doesn't sew, it shows direction!

πŸ”Ž Find out more

🌟 Very old needles

Early people made needles from bone and ivory tens of thousands of years ago to sew animal skins into warm clothes.

πŸ” Careful making

Making a needle isn't easy and takes many steps: the wire is cut, one end is sharpened, the other is pierced, then it's polished until it shines.

πŸ’‘ Many kinds of needles

There are sewing needles, embroidery needles with big eyes, long knitting needles for wool, and sewing-machine needles whose eye is near the sharp point.

🎯 Be careful

A needle is very sharp, so use it carefully, put it in a pincushion or its box afterwards, and don't leave it on the floor or in bed.

πŸ“Έ More pictures

Needles
Needles

🧩 Test yourself

1 What do we call a needle's hole?

2 What were the first needles made of?

3 A single needle can go through about ?? steps before it's finished.

4 Which picture shows β€œNeedles”?

πŸš€ Discover more

πŸ“· Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons