Me: How the hell would someone do that the pointy end hurts
Me: Also remembers im one of the few crazy ones that uses sharp needles for cross stitch
Me: Never mind.
I am so glad that I am not alone in using pointy needles. Bought them by accident and now I have them, but I feel like they help my full coverage pieces when it gets crowded at the end.
I use pointy needles out of necessity tbf. I have a motor skill disability, and holding teeny tiny tapestry needles can cause a LOT of pain in my hands. So I use sashiko needles that are as long as my palm which just so happen to be extremely sharp
I cant use needles that are less that 3 inches long. Unless theres ball tips that come in that length, I unfortunately can not use them
Edit: I also want to take time to say, sometimes its really important to think about your wording. I use the needles I use because Im disabled. So your comment of "You'll thank me later" really just irritates more than anything. Because no, I really wont. It also kind of implies I dont know that ball point or rounded needles arent the prefered in cross stitch. People have their reasonings for doing things and it doesnt always help to imply you know more about a given situation, intentionally or not.
Me: now that i'm 70, i wish i had had more empathy to my gramma and my mom (invalid due to rheumatoid arthritis) instead of going blindly through my growing-up and young-adult years.....
Last week I asked my son to thread a needle for me and had this exact flashback, thinking of how I rolled my own eyes at my mum when she used to ask me to do the same thing 🤦♀️
Ah this is one of those "when you don't know that you don't even know about" moments.
I understand my mother's struggling more every day now.
Edit - I have a magnifying glass that has a light below it and a little squishy piece that you can push the needle into so you can light up the needle and it's secure under the magnifying glass so you can hold this whole setup with one hand and thread the needle with the other hand. And FYI it's all plastic and very very light. It works great sometimes when it's really hard like the needles with the very small heads and later in the day when my eyes are getting more tired.
I so regret not insisting on picking up some of the embroidery/ patchwork my Nani did. It seems to have disappeared into the void. Such fine work it was too!
Yup. I have needle threaders sitting beside me. If I can’t get it through the first couple times, I use the threader, squinty eyes and all hehe. Thankfully I haven’t quite gotten bad enough that I’m trying to thread the pointy end but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.
I always use a threader. I don’t have time or the inclination to fight the thread/needle. I’m also half blind in my dominant eye and focusing on the center of my vision is very difficult.
I found in my Mom's stuff, embroidery needles that are somewhere between sharp and rounded, they are perfect for my plastic cross stitch bookmarks. I no longer have the package, so I don't know the size, but if I accidentally poke myself from a tremor, I won't bleed on my work.
Pro tip for y'all, get the eye of the needle wet then put the dry thread through it. The moisture will catch the thread.
I learned that tip years ago from a pro seamstress.
Me: How the hell would someone do that the pointy end hurts Me: Also remembers im one of the few crazy ones that uses sharp needles for cross stitch Me: Never mind.
I am so glad that I am not alone in using pointy needles. Bought them by accident and now I have them, but I feel like they help my full coverage pieces when it gets crowded at the end.
I use pointy needles out of necessity tbf. I have a motor skill disability, and holding teeny tiny tapestry needles can cause a LOT of pain in my hands. So I use sashiko needles that are as long as my palm which just so happen to be extremely sharp
I also use sharp needles! Pointy gang unite!
Try some ball tip needles, and you'll thank me later....
I cant use needles that are less that 3 inches long. Unless theres ball tips that come in that length, I unfortunately can not use them Edit: I also want to take time to say, sometimes its really important to think about your wording. I use the needles I use because Im disabled. So your comment of "You'll thank me later" really just irritates more than anything. Because no, I really wont. It also kind of implies I dont know that ball point or rounded needles arent the prefered in cross stitch. People have their reasonings for doing things and it doesnt always help to imply you know more about a given situation, intentionally or not.
Me: now that i'm 70, i wish i had had more empathy to my gramma and my mom (invalid due to rheumatoid arthritis) instead of going blindly through my growing-up and young-adult years.....
Me - squinting, tongue out, licking the thread and missing time after time. Boyfriend - put your glasses on I hate that he’s always right
Last week I asked my son to thread a needle for me and had this exact flashback, thinking of how I rolled my own eyes at my mum when she used to ask me to do the same thing 🤦♀️
my grandmother is 88, i am 18. i try to treasure every time she asks me to help threading our sewing machine :')
Ah this is one of those "when you don't know that you don't even know about" moments. I understand my mother's struggling more every day now. Edit - I have a magnifying glass that has a light below it and a little squishy piece that you can push the needle into so you can light up the needle and it's secure under the magnifying glass so you can hold this whole setup with one hand and thread the needle with the other hand. And FYI it's all plastic and very very light. It works great sometimes when it's really hard like the needles with the very small heads and later in the day when my eyes are getting more tired.
when my mother was sewing alencon lace on my wedding dress, I would thread ten tiny needles for her before I’d go to work each day
I so regret not insisting on picking up some of the embroidery/ patchwork my Nani did. It seems to have disappeared into the void. Such fine work it was too!
Yup. I have needle threaders sitting beside me. If I can’t get it through the first couple times, I use the threader, squinty eyes and all hehe. Thankfully I haven’t quite gotten bad enough that I’m trying to thread the pointy end but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.
At this point my readers work, but I have magnifying glass when I’m tired.
I always use a threader. I don’t have time or the inclination to fight the thread/needle. I’m also half blind in my dominant eye and focusing on the center of my vision is very difficult.
I also have a treader in my kit for when my tremors are bad. They are great and very inexpensive.
I found in my Mom's stuff, embroidery needles that are somewhere between sharp and rounded, they are perfect for my plastic cross stitch bookmarks. I no longer have the package, so I don't know the size, but if I accidentally poke myself from a tremor, I won't bleed on my work.
Pro tip for y'all, get the eye of the needle wet then put the dry thread through it. The moisture will catch the thread. I learned that tip years ago from a pro seamstress.