She watched as her grandmother struggled to thread a needle with fingers that were beginning to bend at odd angles, like old trees.

NEWYORKER: The Visitor

From the valley below, each pier and mast merge to look like a single needle with an elongated eye: Foster's drawings, in fact, depict a thread piercing the eye of a needle.

WSJ: A Concrete Ribbon Through the Clouds | Millau Viaduct | Masterpiece by Joseph Giovannini

But a needle and thread could.

WSJ: On Pins and Needles: Stylist Turns Ancient Hairdo Debate on Its Head

Acus has several meanings including a "single-prong hairpin" or "needle and thread, " she says.

WSJ: On Pins and Needles: Stylist Turns Ancient Hairdo Debate on Its Head

The last scrutineer pierces each ballot with a threaded needle through the word "Eligo (elect)" and places it on the thread.

NPR: The Papal Transition: An Overview