Sometimes, I find fun needlework tools & accessories at locally owned quilt and fabric shops.
We don’t have as many of them in Kansas as you’d think – or at least, in this part of Kansas – but we do have a few notable shops that I love to go visit, either to browse their fabrics or to gawk at their notions wall.
I often find new-to-me notions in quilting shops – tools that I never knew existed, let alone that I needed.
Sometimes, I don’t need them, but I might pick one or two out just to try, to see if it’s something you need. I always have you on my mind, you see! And I like to look for things that might solve stitching problems for you.
Since needle threading is often a challenge for those of us whose eyes are not as they once were, I’m going to show you a really cute little needle threader that I came across serendipitously a while ago, that solves a couple problems: threading relatively fine needles and cutting threads when you don’t have scissors on hand.
This little tool – which is much smaller than it may look – is a hummingbird needle threader by Dritz.
Isn’t it cute?
You can see in the photo above that it’s not much more than 1 – 1.5″ in total size.
The white arrows point out its multi-purpose-ness. It is a needle threader with a cover (the long, flat, tiny hook where the hummingbird’s beak belongs) and also a thread cutter. The cover of the needle threader is on a hinge of sorts so that it moves down over the hook when not in use, and it can fold back over the top of the head when the hook is in use.
It has a small hole in the tip of the wing, so you can attach it to a lanyard or maybe even a decorative fob.
The piece is plastic. I couldn’t help thinking how fantastic it would be, to see something similar made from decorative polymer clay, or wood, or something like that.
The hook is quite teeny-tiny – suitable for one strand of floss or for regular sewing thread.
It fits easily into a #28 tapestry needle.
The way it works is simple: you insert the hook into the eye of the needle, loop the thread onto the hook, and pull the hook through the eye of the needle.
For the thread cutter, you slip the thread around the bird’s neck and slide the thread along the sharp little blade in the crook of the neck.
Since the tool is very small, it fits comfortably into my grab-and-go project bag. It’s very unobtrusive, but it’s easy to find when I need it.
This is the packaging it came in, in case you’re browsing a notions wall yourself and want to find one.
I’ve used the threader off and on for a few weeks, and it’s holding up ok so far. I like it!
If this seems like a threader you’d be interested in, check the notions wall at your local fabric stores, quilt stores, needlework shops, or at chain hobby and craft stores, too. Since it’s Dritz, it’ll probably be easy enough to find.
If you don’t have a place nearby where you can acquire one, they’re also available on Amazon. I’ve added it to my Amazon Recommendations page here, under Tools & Accessories.
The link to my Amazon Recommendations page is an affiliate link, which means that any purchases made through that link may result in a small commission for Needle ‘n Thread.
Wow, it is soo cuuute!
Would you recommend this for plane travel over small embroidey scissors, or are the small scissors allowed in a carry on?
Headed to the Stratford retreat in 2 weeks!
Ha! What will they think of next? This is really cute. Thanks for sharing, Mary.
I’ve had my little green bird for a couple of years. I really love it. Mine doesn’t have the cutter, so I’ll have to get another one.
Adorable. . . Don’t get me started. I’m already a embroidery scissors junky and a collector of pretty needle packets. And charming needle minders are another area for us junkies. So now too cute needle threaders. Oh my!
Don’t know how close you are to Olathe, but there is a Quilt shop there I really like. It is called Quilters Haven.
Worth a jog into Olathe if you are traveling on I-35.
I have relatives up there, but live in Tx. No affiliation w the shop. I just like it.
I’m going to look for that Hummingbird Needle Threader at my local craft/fabric store!
I too have found a useful tool or two at fabric/quilting stores/departments. One of them is a centering ruler, with the zero point in the center of the ruler and inch marks going to right and left. I thought it would be very handy for designing borders and things. It’s called Deja Views Zero Hero, Zero Centering Ruler. It also has some other useful features.
It would be so interesting to see everything you carry in your grab-and-go project bag.
I bought this needle threader also – in my case at quilt show. I generally don’t use a threader as the wire ones fall apart too quickly and the hook ones are too larger for the eyes of the needles I generally use – both for sewing and for embroidery. I had great hopes from the size of the hook piece, but while it some embroidery needles many of those I use plus the sewing needles use still have too small an eye for it.
So how useful it is depends on the size needle being used.
Husband corrected me – did not buy it at a quilt show. I bought it in Lancaster, PA area at a shop that sells quilts and some other fabric craft items.
I smiled when I saw the little hummingbird. I picked up one several months ago, but haven’t tried it yet. It’s nice to discover tools that are useful and readily available. The hummingbird might just become the needle threader equivalent of the tomato pincushion.
For Australian customers we have an almost identical product called Le Needle Bird Needle Threader with Cutter. It is cute and practical – excellent for threading fine needles and the cutter is so handy. We have it for sale at Allthreads Embroidery, Brisbane.
I had a cute useful tool before Mary?!?! I got one at the local quilt shop, and they do work well. I’ve used it on #11 quilting needles and had to pull the thread through carefully, but that may have been the thick-ish thread I was using. I have not tried it with even smaller eye needles.
I have to confess that I keep forgetting it has a thread cutter, so don’t know how well it would work to trim threads close to fabric if needed. It’s a very handy tool, but anyone flying may not want to toss the TSA approved scissors from the travel bag.
I found one of these little cuties on the internet–connectingthreads.com–about 3 months ago and I love it! It’s cute and functional. Perfect.
It is very cute. I do a lot of hand quilting and sadly the wire is just a little to big for my quilting between. Use it for embroidery.
Saw the comments about where to get the little bird. Got mine at a JoAnns which as we all know is definitely not a specialty store.
Thank you ,so much nicer than the old way of doing this stitch,going to try this soon on a crazy patchwork cover.
Dear Mary
What a lovely bird shaped small usable needle threader and cutter all in one in such a lovely accessory to have and easy to use and easy to carry around to different venues and I can buy it in the Amazon UK which is great. Thank you reviewing this lovely accessory and for sharing it with us and your thoughts and photos of how to use it.
Regards Anita Simmance
Hi I just started to do embroidery work. I have been watching you on YouTube. My question is I am left handed, get confused at times on directions.& Am finding maybe it easier to start on the right going to the left.Do you have specific directions for left handed people? At times frustrating, like which way to do the stem stitch. Thank you.
I have had one of these little hummers in my kit for years…never noticed it had a thread cutter on it! It was passed on to me by a needle worker who had no use for such a tiny threader. I’ve used it on #10/11 quilting sharps, millners needles and even beading needles.
Thanks for showing me something “old” is new!