bj riley

Sometimes I can thread my machine and some times I can't. Colored thread is easier, but even then it often takes me many tries. I have tried handicap needles but they don't stay threaded. Both my machines have needle threaders on them but they have gone out of alignment and I have been told it would cost 40.00 to repair. This would be ok if it would STAY repaired but they both stopped working with in a very short time. Some times I have to wait for hours for my husband to get home and thread the machine for me. Any suggestions?

Scissor Queen

Stick a piece of white paper behind the needle. You can see the eye that way.

deedum

Put chapstick on your lips, putting the thread on your lips, then thread your needle. Works everytime.

Holice

get a needle with a larger eye. Some are called top stitch but Superior Threads has the #80 with larger eye.

ckcowl

if you wet the back of the needle instead of the thread it will draw it through nicely.

Prism99

There are small manual needle threaders you can buy (Walmart probably has them), usually 3 to a package for a couple of dollars. Basically you thread the needle threader, then place the wire in the groove of the needle (near the top of the groove) and slide down until the wire goes through the eye.

Placing a card behind the needle helps too. Bernina feet have a white coating on them for this purpose -- to see the needle eye better. You could use a colored card for white thread, a white card for colored thread.

Here's what they look like:
http://www.amazon.com/Prym-Dritz-R-N...dp/B001HZSK5Y/

jean1941

Thanks for suggestions last night I doing hand embroidery and my lips were chapped so put on chap stick and was threading needles and I thought boy these are treading so easy now I know why. I always use the white paper but lady the other day said it keep white plastic spoon close and you hold spoon instead of paper works great also

sewwhat85

i have been using topstitching needles or embroidery needles in my machine they have a little longer hole in them makes it easier to thread they come in many sizes

ann31039

Metallic needles for metallic threads have large eyes

irishrose

I do as much strip piecing as possible, so there are no threads to come unthreaded. My granddaughter used leaders and enders to get around having the needle come unthreaded.

Hand needles, hold the thread still and move the needle to it.