My fabric is cotton.

I'll look to see if I have an applique needle. I have a pack of assorted needles.

So long thin needles are the best to use when hand piecing and hand quilting?

stick it in a bar of soap!! don't some of u ladies remember our babies in real diapers before disposable diapers, the diaper pins got that way and we just stuck them in and out of a bar of soap. gosh, i'm dating myself, aren't I?

I don't remember the soap I always ran mine across my scalp, just don't push hard. And I have done that with my safety pins when pinning a quilt.
Sharon

It sounds like you have some heavy fabric...or starched fabric....I use Thread Heaven ...it's like a wax.....and a #9 Milliners needle...good luck....:-)

I tried an applique needle and it works much better than the one that I was using.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Even though disposable diapers were available when my children were babies, I used cloth diapers and remember running my pins through soap to help them slide through the diaper easier.

I'll have to look for Thread Heaven. I wonder if they have it at Walmart.

I haven't either.

My only guess is that it will pick up a little oil from the scalp.

But if it works great!!!

ur exactly right about it picking up a little oil from the hair or scalp, but i'm so old and dried up now that i don't have any oil anywhere, lol.

If a #12 hand sewing needle is too frustrating to handle or thread, try a #10 or #11.

I've found the gold eye needles seem to glide better.

Also, is your needle new? They do get dull with a lot of use.