How to Do the Threading the Needle Illusion

The Threading the Needle illusion is a magic trick done with a piece of rope. Rope tricks are a standard type of magic trick, so you can find a good piece of rope for performing this illusion at any magic shop. When performing this illusion, you appear to make a fairly large piece of rope fit through a rather small hole, or "needle," that you hold in the other hand.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Drape your rope over your left thumb so that one end is shorter than the other. The short end should be about 5 to 6 inches long and fall inside the thumb on the palm of your hand.

2. Wrap the longer piece of rope around your thumb until your thumb is almost covered. Make neat rows of rope rather than just bunching the rope up on top of itself.

3. Make a loop with the rope when you reach the end of your thumb. Grasp the loop between your thumb and first finger or first two fingers. Make sure the loop is very small--smaller than the rope would be able to fit through.

4. Pick up the short end of the rope with your other hand. This is the "thread" and the loop is the "needle." Explain to your audience how difficult it is to thread a needle sometimes, but insist that you have learned a special trick (or magic word) that will help you thread the needle.

5. Count to three and act like you are going to thread the needle. On three, instead of actually aiming the thread through the loop, allow it to pass under your thumb and pull it up through the loop (between your thumb and finger). Do the motion quickly so that it appears as if you have actually threaded the rope through the loop.