Where are the needles?
 

I need some new quilting needles and frequently shop at WalMart so have looked there. I have been to two different WalMarts and their hand sewing needle displays are absolutely empty! There are machine needles, usual display of thread and buttons but no needles at either store. Does anyone know why? The racks and prices are still there but not the merchandise.

Probably coming from China and are temperarly out of stock. Have you tried Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Target, and even Walgreens carries a very limited supply of needles.

The best needles I have ever used to hand sew are hiroshima needles by Tulip. Lots of different types and sizes. Amazon has them and sometimes I find them in a quilt shop.

Wouldn't be my first choice but the larger chain supermarkets often have a few notions. When you need a needle and you are getting groceries it is worth checking out!

I see packages of needles at Dollar General. I've never used them so don't know how sharp but if I needed a needle I'd buy a package.

It just seems odd that every hook is absolutely empty. It's not just one; it's every one of them. How can there even be a recall on sewing needles? Thought has crossed my mind that a number of years ago, I needed a skein of embroidery floss. That display was in the back of the store at JoAnn's and I found that display empty. The manager told me there was some kind of a "challenge" happening among "kids" to go into a store and empty a display. I almost wonder if that's where all the needles might have gone, too??? But certainly strange to find not one needle on the racks at 2 WalMarts. I did end up at Ben Franklin where they had a good offering. The old pkg of betweens from J.P. Coats that is dwindling had their tag on it priced at $.85. The new pkg from John James is $3.69! Now that's inflation!!!

All needles are not the same quality. I am buying a few extra packages of my favorite because of importing problems from Japan. I remember once my grandmother told me her grandmother told her that needles use to be shared between families. That's how hard it was to buy needles.

I stockpile things like this. The local sewing warehouse sells things like this reasonably.

There may be a shortage due to shipping or tariffs. Or maybe WM just hasn't adjusted stocking since Joanns closed. I would guess that would be where lots of people would be looking for them now.

I agree that Tulip needles are fantastic. I also like Primitive Gatherings binding needles. I'm also picky about pins. I want strong, but not thick, sharp, no burrs, and no rusting. If I am in a LQS, I get a pack. Or if I am placing an online order, and need to spend a little more to get free shipping, that is one of the things I will look for.

Absolutely true that not all needles are equal, not by a long shot! Better quality needles glide through fabric and last a lot longer.

I use a company called Wawak (wawak.com) for many of my sewing supplies. I get thread, needles, pins and many products I use for the alterations I do for a formal dress shop. But they have all kinds and sizes of both needles and threads.

I just purchased from them and they were fantastic. Also, I had either fat fingers when placing the order or the computer glitched and was trying to send the order to a house number that didn't exist!! I had to contact customer service. I was very impressed with the service/support I received. They have become my new go to.

Yes they are fantastic! They have always given me excellent customer service when needed. I bought one of the jiffy steam irons and it came with parts the manual didn't show. Within hours of calling them they emailed me videos of where the parts were meant to go.

I've used Wawak as well, wonderful customer service! I had to call about an issue and they answered the phone immediately :shock: took care of my concerns in a very timely manner

Wawak here! I buy 100 needle boxes. I break needles or I change when I here the popping sound when sewing, which means I have messed up the pointy tip.

I second the recommendation for Wawak. Great selection, very good prices, quick shipping.

The Walmart near me in Shorewood had some hiccups with hand sewing needles. They were there then a few weeks later they weren't. The last time they were back again. Same thing with the Elmers school glue, gone. Just gone. My daughter said all the kids were using it to make slime. Then a few weeks later the store restocked all the back to school stuff and it was back.

Hand quilting needles
 

I hand quilt. Try 123Stitch.com. I just placed my 2nd or 3rd order with them. Shipping is the lowest I've seen. You have to do a search in the search box for "hand quilting needles" to find their selection, but they have a lot. Many brands. I'm going to get some Tulips, Colonial, Piecemakers, and Clover hand quilting needles this time. Plus an 11x17 Q-snap frame, YLI hand quilting thread and a Tulip Needle Threader. Oh and my 1st Jelly Roll. They have a lot of fabric, too. Hand quilting thread, as well.

They also have Dritz, John James, Foxglove Cottage, Roxanne and maybe some more hand quilting needle brands.
Roxannes seem thick to me, eyes are too small on the FCottage betweens. JJ are nice & thin and there are big eye options which make threading easier.

Walmart fabric & craft dept. - 20 yrs ago, I worked the school year there. Had a dept. manager, assistant manager plus 3 employees. Every day we scanned the barcodes on low stock items to order more. None of that is happening anymore.

I was just on the Wawa website and they are out of most machine needle sizes. So it must be an availability issue.

Not only are the needles missing, but other sewing notions are also. Remember when you could buy bra hooks and eyes by the package and not just an extender piece? Broke a hook and desperately looked for the hook and eyes to no avail. Finally found them on Amazon super cheap, plus we have Prime shipping. Now I may never run out of them again!