Originally Posted by efayard

The first I heard of "straw needles" was when I first started hand applique and they were mentioned by Jeana Kimball. She has them on her website and describes them as:

Best known for use in hand applique, the Straw needle has a narrow shank that glides easily through several layers of fabric. Since the eye of the needle is punched within the existing shank, it does not hesitate at the eye when pulled through fabric. The Straw needle is also useful for basting, hand piecing, and applique. Here's her website: http://www.jeanakimballquilter.com/s...awneedles.html.