Observing that others are equally enjoying the pleasures that come from making hand stitches, I thought that an account of my more recent hand needle experiences may be of some help. Trust me when I say that choosing the correct hand needle for making hand stitches can be revolutionary!
I use around 7 types of needles in the main and my make of choice is CLOVER - a long standing Japanese manufacturer, so named because the founder used clover leaves as book marks. There are numerous needle types and I particuarly like their Gold Eye feature for ease of threading. Most important is that when used correctly, Clover needles do not bend and they glide smoothly through fabric.
So to start with a general purpose needle. 'Sharps' took me through many years of every day use, however, however, they have recently been replaced by wonderous SELF-THREADING NEEDLES! No more searching for magnifiers or needle threaders, as they quickly thread by placing the thread in an indentation at the top of the needle and pulling the thread downwards - job done!
Next up are the EMBROIDERY NEEDLES, that I have long used for all kinds of embroidery. This mixed size pack is really useful as the needles will accommodate all kinds of thread. All sizes pierce fabric without too many layers easily and they have my favoured 'gold eye' - which brings me to the crucial topic of needle threading. I have a few tips to share on this, all of which avoids poking a frayed thread end at a needle eye!
So here's my first tip on easy needle threading - ALWAYS start with cutting a blunt end on the thread. Some folk like to cut at a 45 degree angle, but I find that a straight cut usually works best with this method. It starts with putting the cut thread end between a thumb and forefinger and pushing the eye of the needle down onto the small amount of exposed thread. This method can feel very fiddly when learning, but once mastered, it has truly saved me hours of threading time.
Next is a more recent needle find. SASHIKO NEEDLES came onto my radar when I began hand stitching recycled Kimono fabric and needed to pierce a more densely woven fabric. A longer version is also available to enable making several stitches at a time. Stronger than embroidery needles, they also have a slightly larger 'gold eye' which is great for thicker threads.
Staying with sharp needles, there are larger CHENILLE NEEDLES, which I have used a liitle less. They have a large long eye which is perfect for threading yarn type threads. With their sharp point, they are most useful in chenille, crewel and gold work. I avoid using for techniques such as tapestry weaving and darning though, as the sharp point easily splits yarn.
At this point I'll cover my method for threading larger needles. Particularly with wool thread, which rarely cuts a solid blunt end and and is best folded. To do this, I fold the yarn over the needle just past the eye and add a bit of tension. Then I move my fingers up to the fold and pinch and slide the folded yarn over the eye and off the needle. At this point I treat the fold as before, pinching between my thumb and forefinger and pressing the needle eye down onto the visible thread fold.
Some people like to use a little beeswax with either or both of the threading methods as described. Personally I'm wary of using as it is very easy to coat the thread with too much wax and the excess then transfers to the cloth being stitched.
So on to needles that I've used plenty of late - TAPESTRY NEEDLES. These look very much like Chenille Needles, except the end of the needle is blunt and is therefore perfect for using with threads in techniques like tapestry weaving, cross stitch and knitting and crochet - and any other craft where splitting the yarn or thread is to be avoided at all costs.
While my use of BEADING NEEDLES is more occasional, they come in extremely handy when I'm looking to add a bit of surface beading to my projects. This is the needle that is most likely to bend or even snap and I use just to get beads with small eyes on to a length of thread and then I often switch to a more robust needle for the actual stitching - a fiddle sometimes, but a time saver in the long run.
Last but my no means least are MILLINER NEEDLES - also known as Straw Needles. With a fairly small eye, they are traditionally used in hat making for their very sharp point - which I can say from my one hat making experience was vital. Their length also makes them very useful for any embroidery stitch, such as a Frenck Knot, where the thread is wrapped around the needle during the creation process.
And one final tip for using a needle, particularly if like me you keep any length of nail. While mine are pretty short these days, a metal thimble is still beyond working for me and I have used a leather thimble with my hand stitching for many years. Having recently tackled projects with thicker layers and requiring a bit more welly, I've more recently found this Clover COIN THIMBLE with a metal piece on one side of the thimble to be useful for giving a needle a hard push.
For anyone who has reached reading to this point, I commend you on your staying power through a pretty dry subject! I hope in recompense that I've been able to offer you some point of interest, if only that you will give a little consideration the next time you reach for a hand needle. An upside of writing this post is that I decided that a new needle case was long overdue - with hand stitching of course! My creation with Sashiko stitched bark fabric with silk thread, and silk and wool inners will add to my pleasure of hand needle selection I am sure - and I hope others too.
Each needle type comes in various sizes and their mixed size packs are handy for working out size preferences. The basic rules in choosing is that the needle eye should be large enough for the thread to pass through without distressing it - and the needle shaft needs to make a large enough hole in the fabric for the thread to smoothly pass through without resistance, or leaving a gap around the stitched thread - quite a tall order!
While many say not to use spit to get rebelling yarn ends to hold together for the purposes of threading, I have to say that just a touch very often works for me and also is excellent for removing blood from beastly needles pricks!
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