Make Your Own Needle Threader

by Creativeman

65K4321

Intro: Make Your Own Needle Threader

A small but significant problem had while sewing is threading the needle.  Especially as you get up in years, and the eyes are not what they "should" be, when you are tired late at night but have a project that absolutely has to get done, it just gets hard to thread the needle. Here is a simple solution, helps to save the sanity and lessen that frustration!

STEP 1: Gather Materials

Of course there are the commercial threaders, not very expensive, but if you are like me, we misplace them, can't find it when needed, etc.  I wanted to be able to continue with out running to a store, so came up with the solution shown here. All I needed was a small piece of "tin" cut from a pepsi can, and a short length of multi-strand copper wire.  I used wire cutters, wire stripper, small pliers, etc.

STEP 2: Strip Wire to Provide Several Strands of Individual Wire

I needed a very small gauge wire for this project, and the smallest I had was 30gauge nichrome...it would go through some of the larger needles, but not the smallest.  So I came up with the idea of using the strands of wire found in regular electrical cord.  This is copper, of course, and is rather fragile in individual strands, but the threading process does not put much stress on the wire at all.

STEP 3: Cut a Shape Out of the Pepsi Can As the Holder

Self explanatory, see pictures. The metal of the can is easily cut to shape with regular scissors.  This shaped piece has two parallel lines cut in it to hold the wire in place.

STEP 4: Form Wire by Bending in Half, Then Pulling With the Needle Itself

The pictures show this process. You want the wire when bent in two to be able to go through the eye of the needle. And note that the little tin holder is not used here.  So I just keep some strands of wire in my sewing box, and if I need them, they are easy to find.

STEP 5: Place Thread Through "Eye" Formed by Doubled Wire

After you have pushed the wire through the eye of the needle, you have a much larger target to hit with the thread.  This can be done in one try, and the thread doesn't have to be wet or cut again, or handled in any way. Much simpler than trying to "hit the eye of the needle!"

20 Comments

umbellate 3 years ago

I don't know if I'm just really dumb, but this was much harder than I thought it would be. What size needle are we talking? What kind of thread are you using? What is "30gauge nichrome"? The lines are parallel to what? And what do you use to cut the lines in the tin? How do you secure the wire ends through/to the parallel lines? In the pics in step 4, I can't tell which is the wire and which is the thread. Also in step 4, "note that the little tin holder is not used here." Why wouldn't an image be shown that does include the tin holder? What's going on in the first pic of step 4? Is it the wire being bent in half? What's going on in picture 2 of step 4? Is it an unthreaded needle and a needle threaded with a very short piece of thread? I downloaded step 4's image and literally zoomed in like 75%, and I still have no idea what's going on. And I'm not going to bother with step 5.

I worked on this project for two hours. I kept messing up stuff: cutting out too small a piece of the can; cutting parallel lines that were way too big (so they just kept ripping through to the edge); breaking the wire because apparently the thread I was using was too thick (I was using DMC floss, which is very common and is six small threads twisted into one); I had to split the DMC floss into two separate 'strands' because the six-stranded floss was too thick to be pulled through the eye of the needle (which has a fairly large eye); among other mistakes.

I don't want to be overly critical or mean or anything, but following these instructions for this project made me feel wicked stupid.

Rolf 6 years ago

My wife's insulin needles are 32 gauge and fits through a #14 sewing machine needle with no problem. Made a little hook on the end with some jewelers needle nose pliers, works like a charm! Think I will make a "handle" out of epoxy plumbers putty.

,

lolabell 7 years ago

l find that if l put some glue on both sides of the shop bought needle threaders, where the wire is crimped onto the metal holder, that they last a lot longer, the wire does not pull out but will eventually break but it does extend the life of the threader.

metsakins 8 years ago

Great hack. I've been trying to make a needle threader for a long time, but couldn't find wire thin enough. I'm just going to repair all the threaders I ripped the wire off of! thanks

MarieC30 8 years ago

yes, it took me quite a while to get it to work in a small needle, then i did it by making sure the loop was very fine and pointy and in good lighting. ?

MarieC30 8 years ago

yes i'll let you know if I get this to work, good, because those commercial ones are a bit of a rip off, three for $5.00 and wear out in one sitting.

Creativeman 8 years ago

yes Marie, it y works, but as the comments suggest you don't really need to attach the wires to the piece of "tin". just use as it comes...saves that step!

Bravelute 8 years ago

Well, it's late and my brain will not focus on the stranded wire idea. I know I have a mess of bell wire I'm trying to repurpose, but I'm sure that's still too thick after stripping it. I'd really like to put a "fan" of the wires sticking out of the insulation in an emergency sewing kit I'm making to sell at our church craft fair. If I knew where to get this wire, I think you will have solved the threader problem for the kit. Thanks!!

kenuckles 9 years ago

Great & simple idea ! I simplified further by stopping at step one. I left the insulation on, (about 2 inches) and stripped about an inch of wire. I bend out one strand of wire and put the loop in it. If it breaks, I simply bend out another strand. This way I always have a lot of spares at my fingertips. Thanks for the idea.

aminded45 12 years ago

My mother will have a new needle threader as soon as I get home tonight. Great idea! Thanks.

Creativeman 12 years ago

Thanks for the comment. She will appreciate it, I'm sure!

joen 12 years ago

I know you can't see it from where you are but I have an "I can't believe I'm that dumb!" look on my face. I dabble in electronics and just electric stuff repair and I have that stranded wire all over the place. And sometimes I need to sew things with tired eyes and I have thought of getting a needle threader. And all this time that stranded wire was staring me in the face! This is such a simple and just stinking obvious solution to the problem of tired eyes V needle threading! I can't believe I missed it.

Five stars for you!

Creativeman 12 years ago

That's about the best endorsement ever! Thanks!

rimar2000 12 years ago

Always I said you are clever!

sunshiine 12 years ago

Nice hack! I'll bet these are much better than the bought ones. : )

jessyratfink 12 years ago

Very nice! Sometimes I need one of these, especially when using embroidery floss or when it's late at night. :D

Creativeman 12 years ago

thanks, jessy...my eyes get tired and I see 4 holes!