Kitchen. Just like a darning needle, only much larger. They come in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch lengths, have big eyes, are threaded with heavy string, and are used to truss fowls and roasts. They are easier to use than skewers.

Larding. These needles are of two kinds and have no eyes. One of them is a long, hollow, pointed, tapered needle. A strip of fat is forced into the hollow end of the needle and then the needle is pulled through the meat while you hold on to the end of the strip of fat. The other type of needle is a semicircle of steel, similar to a steel used to sharpen knives. This needle is pushed all the way through the meat, then strips of fat are laid into the trough of steel and then the steel is turned over and pulled back out, threading the meat with fat. Hold on to the end of the fat as the needle is pulled out.