Thread your needle with alittle more ease

[Julia L.]

My eyes have gotten weaker so I finally gave in and got a new pair of eye glasses. We won't even talk about the Dr. visit cost or the price of glasses - crazy$. Thank goodness for alittle eye insurance coverage.
I don't always use my needle threader on both machines.
Today I could see the needle hole,before It was abit fuzzzy/blurry
I learnt if you take a black permanent marker and mark across the hole area of your needle you can see the hole much better. So every time I change my needle that marker will be near by to mark the hole New Eye Glasses was a big help!

Kathy

[Patti P.]

Hey thanks Kathy I'm going to try that. I am so overdue to update my glasses. I'm sure I keep buying packages of defected needles without holes!

[Terry K.]

Kathy, what a great tip and Patti, we must be shopping at the same needle store!!! I too should have had my glasses changed last March; but I decided that I could get one more year out of this set of lenses. . . .hmmm now, I am thinking that that wasn't such a great idea. March will be here soon and I will get updated then. I sure hope my eyes don't change much more or else I doubt even a permanent marker is going to be much help for marking the needle eye!

[Sandy F.]

What is this about eyes. I was stitching my binding on The Big Red Quilt last night and after a while my eyes were getting blurry. It has probably been a couple of years since my eyes were checked. I guess I need to make an appointment also. SandyTN

[Sandy F.]

What a good tip. And I thought they were just making the holes smaller on needles these days. Have to confess though that the needle threader on my new machine works a treat. None of the others I had worked - or maybe I just didn't read the instructions on those. Just a thought - do people who wear glasses become quilters or does quilting cause you to wear glasses? Maggi (eye test due next month and I know I'll need a new pair. :roll: )

[Sandy F.]

I have needle threaders on 2 of my machines and on the ones I teach with at JoAnn's (Singers). The trick I've found is that you simply have to be sure the needle is in the highest position. The threader actually has a tiny hook that must extend through the eye of the needle and then it just pulls the thread back through. Once I realized this, it was a snap to use it every time!

Nancy in lovely, western NY

[Patti P.]

Look at how good this guy's eyes are:

http://www.maniacworld.com/art-in-th...-a-needle.html

[Patti P.]

Patti, that artist is amazing - beyond comprehension! This thread (pardon the pun...) reminded me of the time I was struggling to thread a needle for hand-quilting; DH said, "Here, let me do it for you!" Then he said, "No wonder - that needle doesn't have an eye!" :roll: I told him"Yes it does!" and grabbed it back and promptly threaded it! Then we both laughed. Obviously, we're the same age, and so are our eyes...

[Patti P.]

Patti

How amazing, and to think he is now a billionaire,has great eyes.I got tickle about him inhale-ing the little lady! Can you imagine all that we inhale in fibers! If this man can do this I think they can fix the eye of the needle - high light the eye of the needles.
Pretty amazing young man. Thanks for sharing. Kathy

[Patti P.]

That artist is awesome. Awesome. I won't complain any more about not threading my needles, I will know there is a beautiful sculpture in those that won't thread Sandi in FL

[Patti P.]

That artist is incredible, what wonderful work he does. Charles Gibson (I think that's the anchor's name) called the spool a "ball of thread". Some education needed there!
JoAnne

[Patti P.]

Patti, thanks so much for that link, loved the bit about him inhaling one of his pieces. He is an awesome artist but how sad to hear him say he only enjoys the pieces when they are finished. At least we quilters enjoy the making. Maggi

[Patti P.]

I think I need glasses! I had a hard time seeing the "enlarged" video of those tiny sculptures...
-Tina

[Wanda M.]

Lorchen, that video is truely amazing! Libby Lehman gave us a tip at the Super Seminor for threading the sewing machine needle. Take the thread and run it down the front of the needle slowly. There is a groove in the needle and the thread will just slip through the eye of the needle. I had to try it when I got home and it really did work!!
Now, if I could just figure out how to thread my hand needles. I actually took a package of needles back to the LQS owner and asked her how to thread the needle!! ops: After looking at the eye of the needle, she gave me a needle threader!! Unfortunately, it doesn't work so well. For those of you wondering...I purchased new glasses about 6 months ago. I had to go to bifocals! :cry:
Good luck with threading those needles!

[Wanda M.]

I saw Alex and Ricky in October for the seminar in Buffalo that was won in the Quilt Show contest and Alex gave a great tip -

Put a drop of spit on the back of the eye of the needle and it sucks the thread right through. I tried it an it does work.

I guess you still have to see the eye!!

Nancy in chilly western NY