A lot of the new machines take care of that nasty little bother...but there are still those of us around with a machine that uses the manual method. :? I have found that snipping the end of the thread leaves a nice sharp edge and enable it to enter more easily. You can do it on a slant as that provides a leading edge for the rest of the thread to follow. I don't see why a regular needle threader wouldn't help as well. It is still the eye of the camel...try it and see which woks best for you. :-)