How To: Thread a needle by hand

The first step in any sewing project is threading a needle. Here's how to do it—no headaches involved. Check out this Howcast video tutorial on how to thread a needle by hand.

You Will Need

* A needle
* Some thread
* Scissors
* Water or saliva
* Beeswax

Step 1. Choose your thread
Step 2. Choose your needle
Step 3. Cut the thread
Step 4. Hold the needle and thread
Step 5. Pass thread through eye
Step 6. Leave a tail
Step 7. Wrap thread around index finger
Step 8. Twist threads together
Step 9. Knot the end

Tip: Try to keep the length of thread shorter than two feet. Anything longer will be difficult to manage and may become tangled.

Fact: The earliest-known iron sewing needles were found at the Celtic fort at Manching, Germany, and date to the third century B.C.