I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch when I was in my 20's, and never had a problem threading the needles. I could just wrap the thread around the needle and then push it through the eye (it was usually a double or even triple ply of embroidery floss.) Now I'm 30 years older, and trying to thread that tiny thread into that tiny needle eye is so difficult. I use my reading glasses to poke the thread through the eye (sometimes I wet the needled eye end with my mouth!) and the thread has a better chance of going through. The doubled over thread trick never works on these tiny needles! I am thinking a needle threading device might be a good idea when I am hand stitching the binding.