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I am trying to thread a needle (I am using the largest, with the largest eye) and I'm using waxed linen thread (the same kind Tim Holtz is using in his picture tutorial). I am unable to get the thread into the eye. Can anyone recommend any tips that might help with this? I know I can use dental floss or other twines, but I want to use the linen thread.
By the way, I'm trying to lace ice skate dies. These don't have holes, they have the slits. The problem isn't the slits, it's the threading of the needle.
Hi, since we can't delete our questions, I'm going to pass on this one. I think, for me, this technique is just too difficult. I just tried bakers twine (much thinner) and got the needle threaded with no problem. I simply can't lace the skate. I fumble and I'm just not a sewer. LOL So, I'm withdrawing my question and I'm going to move on to a simpler project that works better for me. Thank you. :-)
If you have very thin (fuse) wire around you can do a DIY threader of the same type, too! Lydia is right, super-fast and easy way to tread a needle!
Back to your skates - could you use a fineline marker to draw in the laces and just add a bow at the top? If you used something like embroidery floss so it’s not too bulky it would likely kind of blend in with the marker lines as far as the eye is concerned as long as the colours are similar.
Angelnorth, that's a good idea, and something I hadn't thought about. I could try that. Unbelievably, I was actually able to thread the needle a little while ago, and laced the skate up. (Using chipboard). I'm thinking about using these on Christmas cards, but with 20 cards to send out, and two skates per card, 40 skates is quite a bit. Thanks for your suggestion. I may try that instead.
WOW! Those are huge, which is good! I bought some (months ago) that were large needles, but these look like they have bigger eyes than what I currently have. Thank you for sharing that link. I'm going to see about getting those!! :-)
maybe look for ribbon embroidery floss type needles too the hole is longer than for sewing threads. (so the heads have a oval type shape to them and the tips end up being kind of blunt for all those times you get your fingers on the back side)
I think that may be what I have. The eyes are oval (long oval shaped). I bought a pack of 5 at Michael's, several months ago. I got the big ones. But since I'm not familiar with sewing and all that, I will look for the ribbon embroidery floss needles. They may work better for me. Thank you so much.
it depends on the diameter of the cord you are threading. maybe stick a piece of that in your purse so you can eyeball it near the needles in the notions dept?
(ribbon embroidery needles are assuming the ribbon is fairly flat, its just the eye is longer.) seems to me I have some tiny cords in that box too. ( I used to do a lot of needlework but, my wrist screams no now)
(stamping is way easier)
every now and again I get something that is just a pure booger to thread, ( through holes not needles) so, I cut the cord on a slant and sometimes I take a piece of scotch tape, tape off the end of the cord and cut that at a sharp angled point and pull with the taped end of the cord.
You can also buy beading needles, which have a wire loop at the thread end, rather like Needle Threaders suggested by Lydia. I've also used the method Angelnorth suggests too, and it works well. Think very thin beading wire, or eben better, fuse wire from a hardware store.
The dental floss threaders (to floss under bridges and such) have big eyes and work great for this. I use them when I am crocheting to pull the yarn ends through. My dentist always used to give me a sample pack of floss threaders along with a toothbrush after my cleanings. Well I use an electric toothbrush, and I made the MISTAKE of telling her that I used both the floss threaders and toothbrush in my craft room. Now she doesn't give them to me anymore :-(
I'm recommending dental floss threaders also. These are the ones I use, and you can't beat the price of 50 for less than 2 bucks. You can get these at the drugstore, Target, Walmart, etc.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
As a beader and embroiderer as well as a papercrafter, I wouldn't be without my Big Eye needles. They're not really needles, just one big eye, made of two sides of wire (if that makes sense). You can get them around 3" long or a much bigger one, can't remember the size: just open the wires up and poke your thread, fibre, twine, ribbon or whatever into the gap and release the wires to let it close. You can 'stitch' from either end because it's like one big eye.
Invaluable when you have a tiny end of fibre and want to take it back through to the other side of your work.
I am sure that everyone has done this before. But on the slim chance that someone has not, I'm gonna try to explain what I have done in the past when trying to thread needles. If it does have a fairly large eye and I still can't get the thread thru the eye, I will cut a piece of paper, really thin but about 2 inches long and lay my thread in the center of the length of the paper and fold the paper strip up over the thread and thread the paper thru the needle. It doesn't have go all the way thru, just far enough to be able to use a pin or another needle to grab the loop and pull it on thru. I've even used gross grain ribbon the same way, but I do prefer a thin paper strip. Something else that works pretty good is to put nail polish or glossy accents on the tip of the thread and flatten it as flat as you can get it and let it dry. That will most usually go thru the needle eye and then you cut the glued end off. Hope some of this helps somebody who has difficulty threading needles with bulky thread. patty
If you are using linen thread, I learned a great tip in bookmaking class: use waxed linen thread or run a length of unwaxed thread over a block of beeswax. Then put one end of the thread down on a hard surface and drag your fingernail across it until it's flat. The wax softens the thread but also makes it stiff, so it becomes easy to thread through almost any size eye!
If you have pre-pierced or pre-punched holes, you can always use a dental floss threader in place of a needle. It's basically a folded piece of monofilament, with a very large "eye." The only real requirement is that your folded thread/twine fit through the hole in your paper, chipboard, etc. You can get the threaders in any drugstore in the tooth care section. Might even find it in that section at Wal Mart or Target. I found mine at Walgreen's. Interestingly, I also saw the exact same product, marketed as needle threaders, at a now-defunct fabric chain store. They were about twice the cost of the dental floss threaders I got at Walgreen's! You can get a pack of 25 for just a couple of bucks, and they work really well! Hope this helps!
If you are using waxed linen or waxed cord, you can 'mash' the end with a bone folder or fingernail to make it flat and then thread the needle. Usually a needle threader doesn't work with the linen or cord since when it's doubled it won't fit or breaks the threader. Also using the blue plastic dental threaders works too. Hope this helps.
Also, sometimes it helps to needle the thread instead of thread the needle. Sounds funny, but it has often worked for me. Hold the very end of the thread between your thumb and forefinger and bring the needle to it.
Another tip: if your thread doesn't split easily, it helps to cut it an at angle. You'd be surprised how often that works!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Uncbballfan, I have definitely never heard the term, "needle the thread" but that sounds like a brilliant idea! And thank you for explaining how to do it. I appreciate the tip too! Y'all are just full of wonderful suggestions and help!! :-)
You wanna hear something funny? I was looking at your name, Uncbballfan and was wondering what it meant! OMG! I'm really slow. It was only after looking at your name a 2nd time, that I saw the HUGE blue basketball under it. Nobody could have missed that, but me. Haha! UNC Basketball Fan! LOL
The dental floss threaders (to floss under bridges and such) have big eyes and work great for this. I use them when I am crocheting to pull the yarn ends through. My dentist always used to give me a sample pack of floss threaders along with a toothbrush after my cleanings. Well I use an electric toothbrush, and I made the MISTAKE of telling her that I used both the floss threaders and toothbrush in my craft room. Now she doesn't give them to me anymore :-(
Bingo!!! This is what I use to lace SU linen thread into some project. I use a stiletto to make a little hole and then the dental floss threader with the thread in it to do the lacing. Works like a charm and doesn�t shred the thread like metal needle holes sometimes do.
Ps - you can buy a pack of these at Walmart in the dental/toothpaste area. Very reasonably priced!
Boss, (love your name, by the way), I have some of the SU copper and gold linen thread and love it. It's so thin - thinner than hair! LOL I'm going to get some dental floss threaders.
Boss, (love your name, by the way), I have some of the SU copper and gold linen thread and love it. It's so thin - thinner than hair! LOL I'm going to get some dental floss threaders.
Head smack moment! I never thought to use the threaders with the skinny metallic threads! Should work great though and I will put in my gotta-try file.
That skinny thread is so snake-y and has a mind of it�s own. The only way I�ve used the stuff is looped and tucked under things on a card. Love the way it looks, don�t love working with it! Ha...
Thanks for your comment on my screen name. Our yellow lab�s name was Boss and he was our best-buddy - hence the name to honor him. Seeing your avatar makes me think you are a doggie person, too, so you will likely understand my thinking!
I am definitely a doggie person! We have a Beagle (Daffney) and a Yorkie (Emmy) and we love them to death! It's always had to lose one of our "children." We've lost several and it never gets easier. I had always hoped that mine would simply "go in their sleep" and of course, that never happened. It's nice to honor Boss. I remember after I lost one of my Beagles (to a dental cleaning)…...I was so upset and did not think I could go on. Buddy was a special boy and he had seizures, when I adopted him from the animal shelter. I didn't know he had seizures until 3 days after I got him. I put him on medication and sat up with him in the middle of the nights, when he would wake up with seizures. I went on a pet loss website and found a beautiful quote that I adopted for myself and it is: I didn't realize how imperfect life was, until I lost you, and saw how perfect life had been. I didn't mean to write so much, but yes, I am a doggie person! LOL :-)
Oh, and by the way, I too use that thin skinny thread looped and tucked on my cards too. It's hard to handle to me. But I love the unusual look of it.
Boss, mine too! There is another poem that I found when I lost my Buddy and you may have already heard of it, but it's called Heaven's Doggie Door. Here is the link: Heaven's Doggy-Door (Written by Jan Cooper in '95). :-)
Need suggestions on how to thread a needle.
