Thread a Needle and Tie a Knot

Threading a needle and securing the thread with a knot is the first step to any sewing project you are completing by hand. The process is the same whether you're threading a tiny or large needle. Learn how to thread a needle and tie a knot using two different methods.

Steps

  1. Choose the appropriate needle for your thread. Needles come in many different sizes, and its important to choose one with an eye, or an opening, big enough for the thread you are using.
    • Consider buying a pack of needles in many different sizes, so you can try a few until you find one that's the right size.
    • If you need help figuring out what needle to use, ask a salesperson at the fabric or sewing store where you bought your supplies.
  2. Cut the length of thread you need. A piece of thread longer than 36 inches (91 cm) could get tangled as you sew, but a short piece of thread could run out quickly, and you'll be required to thread the needle again before you know it. Determine the length that's right for your project.
    • If you're not sure how long to cut the thread, err on the side of a shorter length; you can always rethread the needle with more thread later, but a tangled piece of thread can be a pain to straighten out.
    • Cutting the thread at a 45-degree angle using a sharp pair of scissors will create a point that's easier to thread through the needle.

Threading the Needle and Tie a Knot Using Your Fingers

  1. Insert the thread through the eye of the needle. Hold the needle between your thumb and forefinger with the eye pointing up. Hold the tip of the thread between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. Insert the thread through the needle's eye.
    • If you have trouble seeing the needle's eye, turn on a bright lamp to provide better visibility.
    • Wetting the tip of the thread with your tongue, then flattening it with your lips, creates a stiffer tip that is easier to insert into the eye.
  2. Pull the thread through the needle. Pull several inches of the thread through the eye of the needle so that you have a generous tail hanging down. This helps to keep the needle from becoming unthreaded as you work on tying the knot.
  3. Hold the other end between your thumb and forefinger. Make sure the thread doesn't slip through the needle as you grasp the other end.
  4. Wrap the thread around your finger. Use your thumb to hold the loose thread end in place against your forefinger. Use your free hand to wrap the thread once around the forefinger, so that you have one complete loop of thread around your finger.
  5. Rub the thread loop. Use your thumb to start rubbing the thread loop against your forefinger. Continue rubbing and rolling it toward the tip of your finger, then carefully slip it off, keeping the loop intact.
    • The thread loop should now be wrapped around itself like a vine, with the end poking out from the loop.
    • If the loop comes undone, try again. Practice makes perfect with this method.
  6. Pull the loop into a knot. Use your fingers to grasp the thread end sticking up from the loop. Hold the other side of the thread, which should still be threaded through the needle, between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. Pull on the thread from either side with both hands so that the loop shrinks and becomes a knot.
    • If the loop doesn't knot, that means the thread wasn't properly woven together at step 4. Repeat the process and focus on creating a woven loop.
    • For a larger knot, repeat the process, making sure the knot falls into the woven thread loop. When you shrink the loop into a knot it should fall directly over the first knot.
    • For a more durable strand of thread, use the double strand method. Instead of leaving a tail after you thread the needle, pull the thread through and hold the thread tips together. Follow the same directions for tying a knot with one strand, keeping the two strands together throughout the process.

Threading the Needle and Tie a Knot Using a Threader and Needle

  1. Insert the needle threader through the eye of the needle. The pointed, bendable metal piece should squeeze through the eye and spring back into shape on the other side, providing a larger hole through which to insert the thread.
  2. Place the thread through the threader. Hold the tip of the thread to the threader and put it through the hole. Grasp the end of the thread and pull it through the threader so that you have a few inches of tail hanging through the threader.
  3. Pull the threader out of the eye of the needle. Slowly back the threader out of the eye. As it exits the eye it will pull the thread through, too. Take the threader off of the end of the thread. Your needle should now be threaded.
  4. Wind the thread around the needle. Hold the the longer end of the thread perpendicular to the needle. Wind the thread around the needle twice. For a thicker knot, wind it around three times.
  5. Pull the thread loops toward the eye. Carefully pull the wound thread loops down the needle to the eye, then continue pulling the loops down the entire length of the thread.
  6. Tie the knot. When you've reached the end of the thread with the thread loop, tighten it into a knot.



Tips

  • Not everyone chooses to tie a knot in their thread. An alternative method is to repeat the first stitch several times through the same holes (that is, to "tack" it).
  • Other people prefer to use a loop instead. This is done by tying a simple knot (the first knot used while tying your shoes...), sewing a single stitch but not pulling it through fully, and passing the needle through the loop between knot and fabric.

Warnings

  • Keep needles in a case or pincushion to avoid losing them in the carpet or between your seat cushions.

Things You'll Need

  • Needle
  • Thread
  • Sharp scissors
  • Threader (optional)

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Sources and Citations

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