Originally Posted by Carol's Quilts
I tried this over and over and couldn't do it, even with my magnifying goggles on! How on earth do you push the needle through that skinny thread? Your eyes must be a whole lot better than mine!
I have terrible vision, 20/200 in one eye and 20/500 in the other (looking forward to cataract removal!). I was taught to lock the thread onto my needle by feel, not by sight.
How I was taught was to lightly pinch the end of the thread between the thumb and index finger on my non-dominant hand. Then, without looking at it, slide the needle between my fingers until it hits the thread. Gently slide the point of the needle through the thread.
I don't think I could do it if I looked at what I was doing! The fingers hold the thread just firm enough to hold it in place but not so tightly that the thread is squished. And I move the needle slowly, so that I don't poke myself, and so that I can feel when the point hits the thread.
If I go too fast, the needle will just push the thread out of the way. Going slowly and feeling for what the needle is doing is the key.
Oh, and using a needle with a sharp point. A dull needle doesn't do it and is frustrating to sew with because you have to use more force to shove it through the fabric, then it goes too far and either your stitches are too big or you have to pull the needle back to the proper stitch length. Lots of wasted effort that can be avoided simply by using needles with truly sharp points.
It's well worth learning just for the convenience of untwisting your thread. Just drop the needle, then pinch the thread lightly where it comes out of the fabric and run your fingers down to the needle. I rarely get knotting of the thread because I let it untwist frequently.