sinceresissy

Ok, I ordered some needles for hand quilting and they have a little tiny hole. I usually use a cheap silver threader thing but I can't get those wires to go through the hole. Someone told me the smaller the needle the smaller your stitches will come out and I wanted to try a smaller needle but I can't get them threaded. How do you hand quilters get these small holed needles threaded?

Quiltngolfer

Use a thin 50 wt. thread.

Geri B

..I hate those little wire threaders...they break so easily......I found, at Michaels, I believe, a threader that is a little hook-like thing that you slide thru the eye, catch the thread and pull out.....in the embroidery thread/supply section....works for me..but I use the #9 needle...any smaller and it bends too quickly, for me anyway

mermaid

If you will wet the eye of the needle (touch your tongue to it), sometimes that will pull the thread thru...and cut your thread at an angle to help get it started.

Tartan

The hole is just too small to use a threader in my opinion. Try holding the needle in front of a dark surface so you can see the hole. Do this under a really good light and trim the thread end at a angle and try to thread the needle. Good luck because those things are tiny!
If you have someone that visits or a young quilter friend, (with young eyes) have them thread the whole package of needles onto the thread coming off your quilting thread spool and knot the end. When you are ready to sew, clip off the knot and pull the first needle and thread out with a long tail. Clip the thread and knot the thread coming off the spool again. This keeps the rest of the needles threaded and ready for the next time. You can quilt for a while before running out of threaded needles again.

feline fanatic

I have found some of the manufacturers, the eye is so small about all you could thread would be a 90 or 100 wt silk!

Roxanne #11 needles are great because while they are tiny as a size 11 needle the eye is the size of #10 and I have threaded them with 30 wt!

I have an Ott floor lamp with the attached magnifier, plus I wear 2.5X cheaters when handquilting. So between the two I can see to thread them. As Tartan said, it is easier when you have something dark in the background and really, really good light.

Jackie Spencer

My daughter would always thread a whole pkg. of needles onto the spool of thread for me. I used an #11 needle.

kamaiarigby

I could not get any hand work done with out my clover needle threader IMHO it is a must for all of us that sew

IQ2

I absolutely agree. With a 50% off coupon it's the best buy out there. Like the auto-threader on your machine. Works like magic and worth every penny! I bought it when I took a hand quilting class and needed to use the tiny-holed needles. Now I swear by it.

terri bb

i use 'betweens' with large eyes. i can't do it either!