My great grandma's 'spit on the needle to thread it' trick actually worked today

I was trying to thread a size 12 needle for a hem job, and after 5 minutes of failing I remembered her saying the moisture helps the thread grip. It went through on the first try after I dabbed it - is there any actual science behind that?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix1471mo ago

My grandma taught me the same trick when I was a kid learning to sew. I use it all the time with those tiny needles you can barely see the eye on. The moisture makes the thread fibers stick together a bit instead of getting all frayed and floppy. It's like giving the thread a little spine so it slides right through the eye. I've also found that licking my fingers and rolling the thread tip between them does the same thing, works like a charm every time.

sandrat241mo ago

Old school tricks like that always turn out to be the most useful, right @felix147. It's funny how the simplest hacks from our grandparents are usually the ones that stick with us forever.

eric_murray2614d ago

Size 12 needles are brutal. I've wondered if it's the moisture adding a little static charge too @sandrat24? Seems like that could help pull the thread straight towards the eye instead of just giving it structure.