{{Short description|Item for storing sewing needles}}
thumb|Handmade fabric needle book with embroidered butterfly design
A '''needle book''' is a small booklet designed to hold a variety of sewing needles. Needle books can be made of fabric, thick paper, leather, or other materials and contain pages of felt or flannel where needles can be stored safely.<ref name="Threads">{{cite web |title=Needle Books from the Past |url=https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2024/02/14/needle-books-from-the-past |website=Threads Magazine |date=14 February 2024 |access-date=14 February 2026}}</ref> They may include decorative elements such as embroidery, decorative stitching, and closures like buttons or snaps.<ref name="PW Art">{{cite web |title=Artful and Practical Fabric-Covered Needle Books |url=https://pieceworkmagazine.com/artful-and-practical-fabric-covered-needle-books/ |website=PieceWork Magazine |access-date=14 February 2026}}</ref>
==History==
thumb|Historic needle case from the Wisconsin Historical Museum
Needle books became widely used during the 18th and 19th centuries as tools for storing and protecting sewing needles.<ref name="Ronningen">{{cite book |last=Ronningen |first=Dawn Cook |title=The History of Needlework Tools and Accessories |publisher=Schiffer Publishing |year=2018}}</ref> They were frequently produced in Japan and Germany,<ref name="PW Paper" /> and commonly included in household sewing kits and personal sewing supplies. Needle books could be made from a wide range of materials, from rough wool to delicate hand-painted silk, and were often given as gifts.<ref name="PW Art" />
==Commercial needle books==
thumb|Example of a sewing kit containing needle storage
In the 19th century, needle books were sometimes used as advertising items.<ref name="Threads"/> Needle manufacturers printed decorative paper needle books featuring business names, branding, and promotional messages. These promotional needle books were sometimes distributed to customers as advertising materials, similar to matchbooks.<ref name="PW Paper">{{cite web |title=Paper Needle Books |url=https://pieceworkmagazine.com/paper-needlebooks/ |website=PieceWork Magazine |access-date=14 February 2026}}</ref> ==Cultural significance==
Prior to industrial clothing production, hand sewing was a common household skill used to maintain and repair garments.<ref name="Ronningen" /> Needle books were in widespread use, including use by military personnel. The books were often designed to appeal to particular audiences, such as battleship decorations on the cover for sailors,<ref name="Naval">{{cite web |title=Pieces of the Past: Needle Books |url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2015/april/pieces-past |website=Naval History Magazine |date=6 April 2015 |access-date=14 February 2026}}</ref> or images of women and girls for the domestic market.<ref name="PW Paper" />
Today, antique needle books are preserved in museum collections and are considered historical sewing tools and collectible artifacts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Needle case |url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O63695/needle-case/ |website=Victoria and Albert Museum |access-date=14 February 2026 }}</ref>
== References == <references />
Category:Sewing equipment