I hand quilt, and sometimes have trouble pulling the needle through the fabric and batting. I use a section of a "jar opener" to pull the needle. I bought the "jar opener" at a dollar tree, got 4 for $1. They look like a circular cut of rubber cabinet liner, a little bigger than a jar lid. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put it next to my quilting. This really saves my hands when pulling a stubborn needle.