Screwing up irks couple employed by Mme Defarge, say (8,7)

I believe the answer is:

knitting needles

'couple employed by mme defarge say' is the definition.
(Mme Defarge is a knitter in A Tale of Two Cities)

'screwing up irks' is the wordplay.
'screwing up' becomes 'knitting'.
'irks' becomes 'needles'.
'knitting'+'needles'='KNITTING-NEEDLES'

(Another definition for knitting needles that I've seen is " tools for craftspeople".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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