Threading a needle. Not my favorite thing on Earth. Sometimes it just drives me nuts. I remember my grandma always used to ask me to thread her needle. Mostly eye-squinting. That’s what I remember. I struggled so much she would just say “give me back my needle, I’ll do it by myself”! If you’ve ever struggled to get that thin thread through the tiny eye of a needle, don’t feel bad — you’re certainly not alone (hi?)! Over the years, I’ve found a few cool tricks that make threading a needle a lot easier. Trust me, your life is gonna get so much better.
Old-School Trick: The Folded Thread Trick
The best solutions are often the easiest. Here’s an old-school trick if you have no special tools.
How to do it: Fold over the end of your thread and squeeze it tightly to make a cornered point at the end of the thread. (Then slide the folded edge through, with the eye of the needle facing up.)
Why it works: Folding the thread in half stiffens it and makes the edge more solid for the end to pass through. If you don’t have any extra tools, this is a great, extremely effective method to use as the go-to.
Toothbrush Hack
This one is slightly unconventional, but that is what makes it so clever! An old toothbrush (cleaned, obviously) is all you need to help threading a needle become child’s play.
How to use: Place the thread over the bristles of the toothbrush. Push the eye of the needle onto the bristles so it sits on top of the space where the thread is. As you push, the bristles will pull the thread directly through the eye without any extra effort!
Why it works: The bristles keep the thread in place while pressure is applied to it to slide it through the eye of the needle. This technique is also super handy if you’ve had issues threading and using your hand-eye coordination.
Using an Empty Blister or Tablet Pack
Have an empty blister pack lying around? Here’s a fun trick for how to use it to thread a needle.
How it works: Cut a small strip from a blister pack and cut a teeny + in the end (to receive the thread). Put thread into the slit, press the needle’s eye onto the slit, whipping the thread through the needle and coming out of the bottom of the grommet.
Why it works: The stiffness of the blister pack stops the thread from wiggling and allows it to glide right through the eye of a needle. This hack is a game changer, and it requires using something you otherwise would have thrown out!
Swab Hack (Tube from the Inside)
This is a great hack to do if you have a cotton swab or Q-tip lying around.
What you do: Cut off the cotton ends of a swab, so there’s just the thin plastic stick in the middle. Then take a small piece of a broom bristle or a small thin wire and insert it through the inner tube to make a small hook. Get the hook through the eye of the needle and use it to pull the thread through.
Why it works: This unsanctioned hook creates a runway for the thread to slide into the needle’s eye without bending or shredding. It’s a clever, creative way to use what you have at home, and it makes the threading process so much more manageable!
Trick # Thin Paper or Folded Fabric Strip Trimming
This is one of my refuges when the thread is continuously fraying or breaking.
How it works: Lay a thread across a small piece of thin paper or fabric and fold over the thread. Pull the folded paper (thread stuck inside) through the eye of the needle. When the paper is done, yank the thread out.
Why it works: By stabilizing the thread, paper or fabric provides it with a firm surface to go through the eye of the needle without fraying. This technique is particularly useful when working with “splitty” threads.
The Simple Wire or Twist-Tie Trick
You can also use a thin piece of wire — like the wire inside a twist tie — as a makeshift needle threader.
How it works: Take a length of wire and fold it in half. Pass the thread through the loop of the wire and thread the folded wire through the needle eye. And if you pull the wire out — your thread is coming along on top of it.
Why it works: The wire loop allows you to pull the thread through with ease, behaving like a classic needle threader. This shortcut is excellent for when you don’t have a needle threader on hand but do have a twist tie (like the one from a loaf of bread) readily available.
The Cable Trick
Next time you find yourself in need of repair of an electrical wire or cable, if thin enough, you can potentially fix it with a simple pencil.
How it works: The paper shop’s purchased wire is stripped to expose the slim, pliable strands within. Utilize one of these strands as an impromptu needle threading hack. Fold the strand in half and put the thread inside the loop, then pull it through the eye of the needle.
Key chain: Instead of creating a knot at the end of your thread, use this fabric hack.
Why it works: Like the wire trick, this makes a tiny loop to grasp the thread and pull it through. This is an oddball way to do it, but with enough extra cable lying around, you can pull it off.
If you’re still having trouble, here are some additional tips to make threading a little easier:
- Wet the Thread: Sprinkling a bit of moisture on the thread, whether it’s water or even a few runs over your fingers, can help flatten the end, making it easier to pass through.
- Take a Diagonal Cut: Trim the thread at a diagonal with a pair of sharp scissors. This generates a point that is easier to pass through the eye of the needle.
- Good Lighting: The right lighting can make all the difference when you want to thread a needle. If you need to squint, try sitting near a window or under a bright lamp.
How many times I’ve sat there, one eye squinting at a needle as if it had personally offended me. Threading the needle shouldn’t be so difficult, right? No, honestly, there’s no need for you to spend a minute or two every time you sew fighting with such a tiny little hole. I know—I have been there, and that is precisely why I swear by these shortcuts: they have kept me from going out of my mind more than once and likewise will save yours too.
