Tulip, a sewing needle manufacturer in Hiroshima, Japan, recently celebrated its 65th anniversary. Founded in 1948 to make fishing needles, the company switched to more crafty consumers in the 1950s when they began exporting crochet hooks and knitting needles. Now well-known for their quilting needles and beading tools, Tulip has refined their product for a market keen on quality materials and elegant packaging.

I’ve been using the sashiko needle set for several months now and I’m very happy with the variety of sizes and how well the needles hold up to frequent use. The Olympus needles I’ve been selling for years are best for beginners or those who prefer a larger needle with a big eye, but the Tulip sashiko needles are finer and have smaller eyes. Now that I’ve been trying a variety of Tulip needles in the studio I can see why they are so popular and keep selling out in my shop.

Here’s a video of Carol Cypher, the USA representative for Tulip, and the woman you’re most likely to talk to at a trade show. She’s a passionate fan of Tulip, and she certainly converted me. Last week when I called to reorder for an upcoming event I asked for six cases of sashiko needles. “Wait,” she said to me over the phone, “did you say six individual packages or six cases?”

“Cases,” I said. “I sell a lot of these needles.”

I currently stock Tulip Piecing Needles, Quilting Needles in various sizes, Sashiko Needles, Appliqué Needles, and Sharp Tip (general use) Needles, and Extra Fine Straight Pins. I’ll be ordering Embroidery Needles and anything else that sold out over the past few days. If you have a request let me know soon so I can have it on hand.