Threading Needles

[Wanderinstar]

I have 18/3 thread and 01 needles.tried with a small wire needle threaders, but the double thickness of thread was too much for it. The wire snapped. A seamstress friend told me to put nail varnish on the thread and let it harden. The wife is still wondering what happened to her bottle of nail varnish, who me?

Does anyone else have any tips for needle threading?

[TwinOaks]

If you're using nylon or poly, heat the end with a flame briefly and mash the end flat. This will give you a chisel tip to push through the eye, and keep all the cord ends together.

[Wanderinstar]

No at the moment I am using linen. What are the sizes of nylon thread? I have a bobbin of "40" and it seems very thin. Was wondering about sewing with it double thickness. It is certainly very strong.

[TwinOaks]

Using linen, cut the thread at a taper then twist. If you aren't doing so, you should be waxing the linen thread...and once its waxed, tapered, and twisted....you should have zero problems getting it on a needle.

[Wanderinstar]

Hmm, I,m 60 and the old eyes aren,t what they used to be.

[TexasJack]

I hate threading needles more than anything else involved with leather!! I think I can sew a holster by hand faster than I can thread the needles for it.

I use linen thread, so I do wax the ends and that seems to help.

[Les No6]

The correct way to thread a neadle is to take the end of the thread squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger so you can just see the end of the thread, take the neadle and push the eye on to the end of the thread and down between your fingers. You can also taper the ends of threads by drawing the ends of thread under a knife and scraping the thread then wax and twist the ends and you will (if done correctly) have ends that taper to a point.

[Wanderinstar]

Thanks foe the replies. I have got some needles from Identity Stoe, here in England and the eyes are quite long. Can now thread without needle threaders. Much better.