Step 3

Help Video: How to Prep Your Needle

Now we’ll prep the needle! Cut a piece of thread the length from your shoulder to wrist (about 24”). Take your needle threader and insert it into the eye of the needle (the smaller of the two needles in your kit).

needle threader

While holding it there, slip the thread through the needle threader and pull the threader back out.

threading a needle

Pull the thread until it has a short tail on one side and a long tail on the other.

hand sewing thread

Next, we’ll make a knot in our thread.

Hold the long thread tail and the eye of the needle between your index finger and thumb, with the tip of the needle pointing in the same direction as your finger and the thread tail going the opposite way.

how to knot thread

With your other hand, wind the thread around the needle 4-5 times. Make sure you keep the wound thread tight, but loose enough so you can slide it down the needle.

how to knot thread for hand sewing

Keeping a hold on the eye of the needle, pull the wound thread and top of the thread tail down the needle so you can hold the wound thread between your index finger and thumb. While holding the wound thread, carefully pull the needle through and the thread will follow.

needle prep

tying a knot in thread

When you are almost at the end of the thread, let go of the wound part and pull on the tail of the thread. Pull until your knot is tight.

Now you’re ready to sew!

Have any questions?