Self Threading needles

[Zarah]

The spiral eye needle looks interesting. I use the self threading needle all the time and have the same problems as mentioned in other posts when I use a thread that is not very strong

[Zarah]

I took a machine quilting class with David Taylor, who shared his opinion of "self threading" needles. David said they do not work! The first time he used one he had the needle in one hand and the thread in the other and watched and waited...and watched and waited...and watched and waited...nothing happened. The needle did not self thread! Now just picture that sweet faced TQS favorite telling this story. We are all sitting there, listening intently waiting to pick up every word if advice this award wining quilter is going to share with us and this is how starts the class! It was funny...very funny!
Seriously, David uses self threading needles all the time and hand knots and buries every start and stop thread. I guess that is how you win the ribbons.
I have the best luck with clover self threading needles but when I used bottom line thread it did break on me. Alot.

Barbara

A bit like the book (& film) 'The Neverending Story', I was mightly peeved when I got to the end of it...

[Zarah]

Rosemary...very funny!

[Sewdreamy]

I have no problem with Bottom Line breaking with the spiral eye needles. I just lost one this week somewhere in my quilt studio, or quilt perhaps. I'll probably find it, but I hope it isn't the hard way that is accompanied by blood.

[lotti]

Oh, I know that one... But generally I'll see something shine totally unexpectedly... :roll:

[Renata]

I can never seem to find a needle or pin after dropping it, but rest assured, my DH's bare feet will find them every time!

[Reetzbobeetz]

Having been to the A&E with two children with needles in their feet I am not one to leave a needle lying around anymore. My solution? One of those magnets on a retractable arm like car mechanics use. You can get them in any car accessory shop.

[Renata]

I agree, Rita. Soon after we realized that DH's feet were the natural magnet for my needles and pins (somehow, I never seem to step on them), he bought me one of the retractable arm magnets with a light at the tip of it so I can actually see where the pins might be as I scan the floor with the magnet. It works like a charm because I usually know when I drop a pin--I see it fly off but it is never where I thought it should have fallen--so I go straight for my magnet and scan the floor until it picks up the pin.

[Mrs.A]

I'm a thread burier...took a class w/Sue Nickels a decade ago and she recommended the same needles way back then. In my opinion, not all self threading needles are created equal. There are several brands available and I've tried them all. Basically in a pack of 5 - 7 needles, only one or two are really good (meaning that the notch is open enough to accept the thread and not shred it). I keep those in a special little pincushion and they last a very long time. I pitch out the 'bad' ones immediately to save myself the frustration. I really hope this helps. Mrs.A

[Renata]

Basically in a pack of 5 - 7 needles, only one or two are really good (meaning that the notch is open enough to accept the thread and not shred it). Mrs.A

I'm glad you raised this point--when I started quilting two years ago, I purchased several packs of 6 cheater needles by Colonial because they were the only ones I had seen up to that point. They were also under $2.00 a pack. I, too, found several that would shred my thread, tossed them and kept the few good ones. I'm wondering whether all of these kind of needles are the same in quality or whether, Clover, for example, might have better quality control over their product. I don't know who else, out there, makes these kind ofself-threading needles. Of course, Spiral Eye needles have caught my interest.

[Margo]

A Google search for Self Threading Needles gives several brands to choose from.

[Mrs.A]

I've got John James, Dritz and Bohin in my hand sewing kit. I could tell no difference between the first two brands (except that Clover might be a bit less expensive). I bought the Bohin needles because so many of their products are great but I found that their self threading needles are so fine & smooth, they unthread themselves at will.

[Margo]

Thanks for the comparison info Nancy! And welcome to the forum!

[Renata]

Googling brands is okay, I do it all the time, but I'm not particularly interested in trying out a bunch of self-threading needles and finding more duds than not. I still have sufficient Colonial self-threading needles to keep me going, but if anyone out there is super happy with a particular brand, I'd be interested in knowing about it and I'll be happy to check them out when I run across them. I probably should have said I don't know which are the good ones or which are worth looking at--sorry about that.

[Renata]

As far as needle brands go, my top favourite is John James, Milwards are ok, haven't tried Clover. The ones I wouldn't touch with a barge pole are made by a company called Pony.