With all the sewing we do, threading a needle can be the most difficult. I have had trouble doing this and so has my mother and I’m sure my grandmother did too. Especially when our eyesight starts to get fuzzy. So we get glasses and the problem is still there. So I have found ten ways to help. Try them all and see which one works best for you.
Source Image: craftsuprint.com
1. Keep beeswax handy (chapstick works also) and rub my thumb and fore finger on it. Next, I pull the last inch of thread between my fingers. That keeps the thread stiff and makes it easier for me to hit the eye.
2. Moisten the eye of the needle instead of moistening the thread.
3. Pinch the tip of the thread between my left thumb and forefinger so that just about 1/16 of an inch of the thread shows; then hold the needle in my right hand and bring the eye of the needle over to the thread and it slips right on.
4. Fold the thread in half, then wrap it tight around the needle to get a tight crease in the thread, then pass the folded end through the eye.
5. Cut the thread at an angle. That would create a point, making it easier to thread needle.
6. The needle hole is wider in one side, so just turn the needle over
7. Try a bit of moisture on your thumb behind the needle. The moisture works like a magnet to draw the thread through the eye of the needle.
8. If you have a black thread, use a white piece of paper as a background so that you can clearly see the angle of the thread. Conversely, if you’re using white thread, use a black piece of paper as your background.
9. The thread has a twist just like a rope. One end of the thread will enable the needle to slip over it more easily than the other. If you’re having trouble, try the other end of the thread.
10. When all else fails, try a needle threader. Push the needle threader through the eye of the needle, thread your thread through the larger loop then pull the threader back through the eye of the needle pulling the thread with it.