A portable, resealable storage container and a method for manufacture are provided. The container includes a body having a bottom opposite an opening, and sidewalls attached to the bottom, wherein the body defines a storage cavity. A top having an attachment band and a flap operable to connect to and disconnect from the attachment band covers the opening of the body when connected to the body. A ridge is disposed along an outer surface of the sidewalls and is configured to provide a seat for the attachment band of the top. A mating surface disposed at an upper end of the sidewalls above the ridge and is operable to contact the attachment band of the top. When the top is positioned to sit atop the ridge, the attachment band is in substantially continuous contact with the mating surface. The top is securely fastened to the body.

A floral sewing needle assembly for sewing flower petals into a garland includes a sewing needle that has a diameter being no greater than 0.81 mm. In this way the sewing needle can pierce a flower petal without damaging the flower petal. The sewing needle has a length of at least 233.0 mm to facilitate a plurality of flower petals to be positioned on the sewing needle.

A floral sewing needle assembly for sewing flower petals into a garland includes a sewing needle that has a diameter being no greater than 0.81 mm. In this way the sewing needle can pierce a flower petal without damaging the flower petal. The sewing needle has a length of at least 233.0 mm to facilitate a plurality of flower petals to be positioned on the sewing needle.

The present invention teaches a tear away quilting template system comprising a row template and at least one corner template. The row template and at least one corner template each feature a solid line pattern and a dashed line pattern. The dashed line pattern is designed to match and correspond with portions of the solid line pattern.

A system that can be used for suturing implants includes a first automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder and a second automated fixture configured to operate as a sewing machine to sew material onto the implant. The second automated fixture uses a curved needle to form a stitch without having to release the needle in the process. The second automated fixture can also include a stitch looper that moves in coordination with the curved needle to perform a single-suture or single-thread stitch.

A sewing needle having a needle tip configured to pass through a sewing material and a first needle portion that follows the needle tip. A second needle portion is removably connected to the first needle portion and includes an end that is inserted into an elongate hollow receiver located on the first needle portion. The second needle portion follows the needle tip through said sewing material substantially simultaneously with the first needle portion. A first thread connection formed on the first needle portion is configured to carry a first portion of said thread through the sewing material and a second thread connection formed on the second needle portion is configured to carry a second portion of said thread through the sewing material. After passing through the sewing material, the first and second needle portions are separated, brought around outside edges of the sewing material and reconnected for subsequent stitching.

A fabric art hanging apparatus (402) is disclosed which is arranged in use for mounting an item of fabric art (403) at a support structure such as a wall or other structure. The fabric art hanging apparatus (402) comprises a thin panel such as PVC sheet having opposed major faces, with a layer of a sewable material such as grosgrain fabric affixed by gluing to one face of the panel, and with the layer of sewable material arranged with at least one portion which extends beyond a perimeter of the panel. The portion of the layer of sewable material which extends beyond the perimeter of the panel is arranged in use for sewing to the item of fabric art. The outer face of the panel, which is opposite to the face glued to the sewable material, is adapted in use for locating a prior art mounting device (401) thereat, for example Commander brand strips or double-sided tape, depending on the user requirements. The fabric art hanging apparatus (402) therefore provides a re-usable item which interfaces between an item of fabric art and a hanging surface, and is adapted to join each one of them in a non-damaging way.

An assistance system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures includes an automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder. The target device holder can be positioned and oriented to reduce operator strain during a manufacturing or inspection process. The assistance system includes a user input device enabling the operator to move between positions to assist in such processes. The assistance system can also be trained by capturing sequences of position data corresponding to a manufacturing or inspection process.

Aspects of the present invention provide devices that receive an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user that includes multiple destinations, each destination defined by a geographic identifier and a corresponding time. Embodiments identify multiple vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, each of the delivery options including at least one of the destinations, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options have attributes that include a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of a destination at a corresponding time, and wherein the embodiments select one of the vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

Methods for manufacturing or sewing a prosthetic heart valve and associated systems can include an assistance system that includes an automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder. The automated fixture can be configured to rotate a target device held by the holder. The assistance system can include a camera system configured to generate an enlarged image of the target device, and a display configured to display the enlarged image. The display can also display information to aid an operator in performing a procedure, for example, instructions, reference images, or a visual indicator to indicate a target position on the target device for performing a step of the procedure.