John James is really quick to respond to questions about the content of their needles. Hopefully she'll have better luck finding nickel-free quilting needles than I had trying to find nickel-free applique needles. I went on a worldwide search & checked with all the major needle manufacturers as well as a number of smaller needle makers that I read online or was told by various people were "nickel-free". To this day, I haven't found one. I have to carefully manage how much time I spend at a time doing hand work & was given a special protocol & topical steriods + topical NSAIDS by my dermatologist to manage the contact dermatitis I get that causes my hands to severely swell when working with needles. The plating rubs off when you work with it so if her allergy isn't only to nickel but to other metals as well, she will need to find out what is in the core of the needle, too. Gold & platinum are likely both too soft to make an entire functional needle out of. I believe JJ said their gold/platinum needles have a steel core.
Anything is worth a try, but I tried working with latex fingertips & with AloeTouch gloves but couldn't hold onto the needle properly with either one. I guess there must be something that works since surgeons hold needles & stitch all the time; I just haven't figured it out yet.