In Japan there is a special festival on February 8th (December 8th in some regions) to honor needles and pins that have been bent or broken during the year. The festival is called Hari-Kuyō and seamstresses gently lay their broken needles on a bed of tofu in gratitude and pray for improved skills.

Here in the US we also break our share of needles. Lacking a tofu altar, it is still a good idea to corral all our sharps in a safe container rather than throw them into the garbage where they pose a hazard. An empty prescription bottle or bead tube can gather them all in one place until you can dispose of them safely. Toss the tube and start a new one each year. Maybe the quilting spirits will grant you improved skills