The best description of a "needle minder" that I can think of would be to refer to it as a needle magnet that attracts and holds needles.
I couldn't begin to guess at how many needles I have dropped, and lost, over the years. I have even been know to wash them simply because they were attached to a blouse I was wearing while sewing. Let's face it, when we sew, we get interrupted. The needle is stuck quickly into "something". We may not get back to our work within the hour, or even on the same day and we have totally forgotten what we did with our needle.
Therefore, I now consider a needle minder an essential sewing & needlework tool.
My Needle Minder
My needle minder is a lovely mouse, which is totally appropriate to me. Clearly, the gift giver knew me well.
When I am sitting behind the sewing machine, I attach my needle minder to my shirt like a brooch. When I am cross stitching, I attach it to the aida cloth itself.
Magnetic needle minders do not damage clothing or fabrics. They are ingenious designs with a strong magnet that holds the needle minder from the back side.
The magnet "attracts" needles and holds them for us. When we return to our work, we know exactly where to look for our needles. So much better than randomly poking them somewhere and finding them later, often by surprise, when they stick you.
I am currently working on a cross stitch design that requires dozens of different floss colors. I frequently thread several needles in different colors so I can continue cross stitching without having to change the floss on one needle too often. As you can see in the photo, my mouse needle minder hangs onto the multiple needles nicely, and all in one place.
Needle Minders Available Online
There are several places online that offer needle minders. I happen to know that mine came from True North Needleminders on Etsy because it arrived attached to the store's business card. She has a large variety of choices available so you can select the character that best reflects your preferences and personality.
Here are a few that are currently available at True North Needleminders, but you can click the store link above to see the entire collection.
I can tell you from experience, they make awesome gifts for needlework and sewing enthusiasts. I am most grateful to Olivia for giving me mine.
See More Crafts & DIY Reviews On
ReviewThisCrafts.com!
and
More Gift Ideas for Needlework & Sewing Enthusiasts
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”