I'm late at reading the posts here, but if anyone is still watching this, do you have trouble with your needle unthreading? If so, after you thread your needle, put the point of your needle through center of the thread of the short tail that you have to keep your needle threaded. Yes, you will be splitting the thread with the needle. Pull the needle through the thread, and it will knot it's self on the needle. It is easier with thicker thread than thinner thread, but I use this with my regular sewing thread too. It keeps me from losing a needle on the floor, or where ever I am, and also will keep the needle easy to find in the pincushion as it won't come unthreaded and go into the pincushion. To unthread the needle, just pull on that short tail and you'll get a loop and can pull the thread off the needle. Try this, It really does work! I hope this helps! I'd like to know if anyone else tries this and likes doing it. Or am I the only one who does this?