It's dead, Jim.

I was all set, yesterday, for finishing the woman's overgarment before ending my day... and then my current favourite needle broke. To be more precise, it's eye broke. (I'm always tempted to write "ear" of the needle, since the German word for the needle's eye, "Öhr", is close to the German word for ear, "Ohr".) I took that for a sign, heaved a sigh, and got some chocolate.

Over time, I've killed quite a few needles - they have a limited life-span, after all. I had the classic broken needle (shaft snapping in two), I also had needles bent so badly that I did not really like working with them anymore, but I think this is about the first time the end of the eye snapped off.

Over time, I've also learned that what my favourite needle is depends on the fabric I'm working with, the thread I'm using, and my current state of mind. Quite a few of my needles had that position for a while, and it's also quite possible for them to re-gain it one day.

Fortunately, I have found another needle quite like the one that broke in my stash. (Needle stash. Good thing. Good thing.) The surcot is almost done... whew.