Way back in May 2007, TECHknitting had a post on the two types of sewing needles: blunt pointed and sharp pointed. The point (ha!) was that each kind has a different use. Blunt points are best for such tasks as weaving, where you don't want to split the plies of the underlying yarn. Sharp points work well for splitting plies, good for such jobs as skimming in ends. Although each type is good at what it does, the truth is that it can get rather tiresome having to switch back and forth, for example: first threading to a blunt point for weaving in an end, then rethreading to a sharp point to skim in the last nub of the tail. The temptation is to skimp and just muddle through with whatever kind of needle comes to hand first. Recently, Patti from Canada was reviewing this old post. In response, she sent her own little trick to avoid needle switching. Her e-mail reads as follows: > If you need to use both kinds of needles, > it is easiest to thread onto a sharp needle, and > then just push it wrong way around > (eye first instead of point first) > in those places you need the blunt point. > Just be careful not to stab yourself. What a swell idea! No more muddling, no more skimping! Weaving with a sharp needle held wrong way around Close up No need to rethread onto a sharp point when the time comes for skimming in Using a sharp needle backwards: really very clever! (And I will try not to stab myself.) Thanks, Patti. --TK