Automatic needle threader: What device will help my mom thread her sewing needles?

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What device will help my mom thread her sewing needles?

Question

My mom was a seamstress and though she’s now retired, she still loves sewing in her spare time. However, as she gets older and as her vision gets worse, she is finding it more and more difficult to thread her sewing needles. Do you know of any devices that help with threading sewing needles?

Our answer

It is important for older adults to be able to continue to do the activities they love. For a simple solution, your mother may be interested in knowing about the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)'s magnifier selection, which offers a wide range of vision aids that may help with threading a needle. The CNIB website also offers a wide selection of task lamps, which are lamps that provide magnification for reading and other every day, detail-oriented activities.

There are also a number of automatic needle threaders on the market that seek to address the problem your mother is facing. Below are direct links to a few examples of automatic needle threaders: 

  • Automatic Needle Threader by INFILA (at RehabMart.com) is a simple threading tool that can be used for single or double threading. This product is available through a U.S. retailer and costs about $25 (USD), plus a shipping fee. Blue Elite Needle Threader, by Drive Medical
  • Blue Elite Needle Threader by Drive Medical (at homehealthcareshoppe.com) is an automatic needle threader that is specifically designed for people with limited mobility abilities. This product costs about $6 to $9 (CDN), plus a shipping fee.
  • Automatic Needle Threader by Bohin (at Amazon Canada) offers a magnetic needle picker and allows you to thread all needles from size 1 to size 11. This product costs about $20 (CDN), plus a shipping fee. 

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