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Remember how hard it is to thread a needle at times?

Don’t “Wet” the thread  !

    I know, it may take a moment longer, but, “wetting” the thread causes it to swell  
(especially ‘all cotton’ thread) and makes the thread ravel and harder to get through that small eye of the needle! 

You are better off if you wet the “eye of the needle” 

(The dry thread will be drawn towards the eye easily)

or take an extra few seconds and use a needle threader.

Needle threader’s really are not that costly and will save you a few precious moments of anxiety.

Difference between a couple of hand sewing needles:

The “Larger” the number of the needle the smaller and thinner the needle.

(example: a  #10 sharp will go through the fabric layers so much easier then a # 7 because of being very thin and a fine sharp point).

A "SHARP" has a sharper tip and is used to piece your project.

Comes in sizes # 1 to # 10 with  # 10 being your finest and thinnest for those very delicate fabrics and small fine stitches. Sharps are not recommended for your knits though as they being very sharp may pierce or cut the yarn of the knit fabric and cause breaking or fraying and puckering to the stitches.

Sharps have round eyes for ease in threading

·        For delicate fabrics such as silks and lace a size # 9 or #10 needle would be a good start

·        For lightweights such as taffeta, tricot and velvet a size # 7- # 9 would be a good start

·        For Medium weights such as quilting cottons, muslin, linen, poplin, flannel using

a # 7  would be a good start

A "BETWEEN" has a less sharp tip and is used for quilting.

Betweens come in varying sizes as well, with size # 7 being the preferred one for hand quilting.

These needles are smaller and shorter then sharps which enable you to make a finer stitch length.

You want to go through the weave of the fabric when hand quilting, and not pierce through the individual threads or fibers.