Ghost of a needle

"The needle is among the oldest of artifacts, and its usefulness is without question. ... Needles can be thought of as headless pins with a single eye meant to pass readily through anything from the hem of a veil to the hide of a camel, leaving behind only a thread of a clue to their presence. When fully sewn into a garment, a piece of thread can be thought of as a continuous and flexible ghost of a needle. ..."
From The Evolution of Useful Things by Henry Petroski.