Did you know that there is actually a right side and a wrong side to thread a hand needle?? Learned it yesterday in my new American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. It said if you're having trouble threading a needle, turn it around. It actually worked!!

Just wanted to share in case I wasn't the only one who didn't know that.

Trina

Another trick is to wet the needle eye - it wicks the thread through.

What great tips - thanks - after all these years you can always learn something new!

I've turned the needle around to make threading easier but I can't identify which is the "good" side before I try it! Thanks for the tip!

Unrelated to needle post, but I like your avitar - what's the pattern?

I have found that the wrong side of the eye is very smooth and the right side seems to "dip" like scratch in a smooth finish.

Thank you for passing on this great tip!! :D:D:D

i didnt know that but i do have better luck putting needle on thread not putting thread in the needle, if that makes sense

Thanks for the tip. I have to remember that next time I need to thread a needle

FYI...when needles are made they are just blanks and then a machine punches the holes in them. So one side is the back side.

It also helps if you cut your thread on a slant.

I just use a needle threader...

Thanks for the tips! I find it very amusing that I can thread a #10 easier than I can an embroidery needle, my hands just seem to know where that tiny hole is, right side or back side.

Absolutely! I do it the same way and I have no problems to thread my needles. I hold the thread between thumb and forefinger of my left hand very short and guide the needle's eyer over the thread's end.
It also helps when you cut the thread diagonally!

Thank you so much, Trina! It really makes sense to me. I will tell the students im my workshops if you don't mind!

:)

Great tip!

I read you Nancy, I do that too. It is a lot easier holding the thread pinched below the surface of fingers and 'pushing' the needle eye down over it...man we really need a picture. I'll try to get my husband to take it for me.

Never heard that........wonderful and thanks for sharing :D

I'll try that next time!

Well.... heavens to Betsy! Who would have thought. Thanks for sharing! ;-)

I didn't know. Thanks for sharing.

Great tip. Thank you for sharing.

Cool, thanks.

Yes, and you can also cut your thread at an angle and it goes through much better.

LOL and here i thought it was because i could not see the tiny little hole. Thanks for the tip

Oh Thank you so much I thought it was just me. Shirley

Thanks for the tip!

who would have ever thought?

I find that if you cut your thread on an angle, that it goes through the eye of the needle a little easier, both hand and machine needles.


Great OMA

That is something that I share with the students in my beginner quilting class - needles definitely have a male side and a female side!!! It's much easier to thread from the female side so even when you can't tell by eye, if the thread doesn't go through easily, just turn the needle to the other side. Cutting the thread at an angle helps too. Did you also know that you should knot the end of the thread that you have just cut from the spool, and not the leading edge of the thread?

Great tips. Thought it was just my eyes when I have trouble trying to thread a needle.

Hmmm... I was taught to thread the end that comes off the spool..

Wow! But it makes sense. I'll surely try it next time.
Thanks for the tip.

well.....I'll be something! Learn something new every day!

for my hand-quilting, i use YLI thread because it's glazed cotton thread and it goes thru the eye easy peasy

Yes, that's what I learned.

me too..much easier :)

hve read that before but love tips

Me, too. I got in trouble in Home Ec back in high school for doing this. I had been making all of my own clothes since 10 so I just ignored it! Teacher didn't like my hems either but I won the design/sewing contest. She protested. I think this is when I first learned there is more than one "right" way to do things.

great tip!

Never heard of that before, but I sure am going to try it. As the eyes get older, it isn't fun to spend 15 min. just trying to thread the darn needle.

By the time I get the thread into the eye of the needle, I have tried every trick. Some work for me sometimes, some don't. I just discovered the two sides yesterday while looking through TWO pair of readers. LOL