....or has anyone else been getting rubbish needles in the Cross stitcher free kits? This months and last months have been totally flat at the point end as if someone had cut them to size and the month befores was curved and unusable.

Can't comment Janet as I don't usually do the kits with Cross Stitcher, not really to my taste. I do think they use cheaper needles in all the free kits though, I usually substitute with a gold needle.

The last kit that I did had a rubbish needle that broke on about the 3rd stitch.

I have a needle that I use all the time that came from a kit I bought ages ago, I don't even know what size it is but I find that I get on best with that one so don't bother to change anymore.