Thread Me....Please!

I had to learn to do some embroidery stitches so 

I could play along with the other Stitch Me Up hoppers.

After some not-so-good attempts, I think

I finally have the hang of doing some of the simple stitches.

BUT....

I hate threading that needle with embroidery thread!

It misses the hole.

It hits the hole, but splits the thread.

It, it, it.....MAKES ME CRAZY!

I've tried a few different needle threaders:

The little wire loopy ones...

great for regular sewing thread, but they break with thick thread/floss.

The little push-it-down and it threads...

most take specific needles and I like my

John James Size 9 needles which don't seem

to work in those gadgets. Of course, it could just be me.

HELP!

What or how do you thread your needles

with embroidery floss/thread/whatever that is thick?

P.S.  Don't forget this starts tomorrow!

What About No Replies?

HELLO....did you hear from me?

I've had several no-reply bloggers that no matter how I tried, 

I couldn't figure out who they were (and I worked hard to track them down.)

Question: What's a no-reply blogger?

Answer: Someone who leaves a comment on a blog, but there is no email address to respond to.

It's all about how they set-up their profile and whether they want people to see their email address.

How do you know if you're a no-reply blogger? 

You don't get a reply back from the bloggers where you leave messages or enter giveaways.

No reply...ever...never...because we can't, which means you can't win or get a reply/answer.

The fix: My sidebar has one way to fix it or you can leave your

email address at the end of your comment. It's that easy. Sort of.

But?: 

Open ID or Google+ comments sometimes don't let me see the email address. 

I hear that Yahoo addresses are a whole different story and they can't 

leave a comment unless they create a Google account.

And...

I'm asking this to help someone I have no answer for:

If you have a Yahoo email address, how do you comment

on Google blogs? Do you have to create a Google account or blog?

UPDATE: Website that might help a few of you:

http://mrslambsclass.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-im-no-reply-blogger-google-fix.html

ANOTHER UPDATE:

Based upon the info I've received, it looks like Google+ has played

a little havoc with making us no-reply bloggers without us even knowing it.

I've switched back to just showing my blogger profile for now.

Thanks everybody for sharing what you know about

this no-reply thing. Dang it! They just need to make it easy for us!

Applique, Embroidery, Etc. Questions

I'm new to this applique and embroidery thing, so....

How do you prevent or minimize frayed edges 

(especially on little pieces) on fabric when you applique?

What machine stitch is the best for keeping those applique 

pieces on a quilt that will be washed frequently?

Are wider/narrower stitches better than smaller/larger ones?

Do you use embroidery thread in your machine when you

go around the edges of applique?

What's the best way to remove the ironed-on adhesive paper

without totally destroying the piece?

When stitching around the edges, is there a clear-colored

thread that is strong enough to last on a quilt?

When you embroidery, what size/type needle works best for you?

What embroidery thread do you find tangles the least amount?

(Mine gets tangled/knotted sometimes...okay, A LOT!)

Embroidery thread comes in so many strands...what's

the easiest or best amount to use when doing 

simple embroidery stitches like words or outlines?

Is it good to use a waxy substance to make the

thread slide through the fabric easier?

Is there an easy way to store all those threads without

ending up with a tangled mess?

For either applique or embroidery, do

you have a favorite website with tutorials?

Am I the only one who doesn't know 

the answers to the above? 

(Do my questions even make sense?)

Update: I'll post the answers I've received 
with the questions in the next day or two.

P.S. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you.

Google+ and Open ID don't allow me to see your

email address. If you don't hear from me, it's because

you don't have a way to get a response from me.