What is your favorite batting and size needle that you use for hand quilting?

I am getting into hand quilting. Haven't done that many but enjoy it. I am working on a quilt now using the Thermore thin batting and size 9 needles. It's the easiest to quilt so far. Heard wool batting is good too? Has anyone found a great size needle/brand that they like the best? Thanks for your time!!! Look forward to hearing from someone :lol:

I think the size and brand of hand quilting needles are a matter of personal choice. I like the John James #11 and also Roxanne #11, they work best for me.
Wool batting is wonderful to hand quilt, the washable wool battings made by Hobbs and Tuscany are soft and easy to needle, but they are more expensive than cotton or poly battings.

I like Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon, or Polyester light for batting, although I think my next quilt will use wool. Right now I'm quilting with a Hobbs Polydown batt - it's loftier than my usual batts, and quilting quite nicely.

For needles, I like size 11. I've been switching between Richard Hemmings, Roxanne and John James. Whenever I see a brand I haven't used before, I buy them, just in case they're better than what I'm using now.

I vote for John James #11 also, Easiest for me to quilt with. Batting, polyexter is very easy to quilt thru. I have used warm and natural but think it is a little difficult. Never used wool or silk but a lot of people like it but it is more expensive

I purchased a package of "Tweeners". It has a variety of needles for hand quilting and I was able to find the one I felt most comfortable.

Thank you sooooo much for listing your own personal preferences for batting and needles. I will learn from them!!! I have a box of John James size of #11s that I have used for applique. Will try them for hand quilting. I know some needles that I have used for hand quilting in the past would snap and brake easy...but it was probably because I was using warm and natural for quilting...and warm and natural was hard for me to hand quilt with. But now that I have learned more of the right type batting to use for hand quilting I won't have that problem with the thinner needles. Will keep you updated!!!...and thank you again to all who posted for me!

I was just looking at the Mountain Mist Blue cotton batting on the internet that one of you suggested. It sounds like an easy batting to quilt through...and it said it gives the quilt an antique look since it is a thinner batting. I might try that too if I don't want to use an expensive wool batting for some quilts. oh my, oh my...I am excited to try your suggestions. The internet said I can find the MM blue batting at Kmart? I think it said 16.99 for a queen size batting...

Just one more suggestion for you, Blinky: Hobbs 80/20 and Legacy 80/20 are great battings for hand quilting also and I use them a lot.

Thanks!!! I use the Hobbs 80/20 to have my quilts done by a long arm quilter....didn't think about trying it for hand quilting. Not sure if I have heard of the Legacy batting...will check it out too! Thanks again!

Are these needles sharps or betweens? Sharps are longer and thinner than betweens, so they won't be good for hand quilting.

If you're breaking needles, check and make sure the quilt isn't too tight in your hoop. You need some flex in the sandwich to make the stitch. That said, I had a whole pack of needles that broke. They were defective.

Bohn needles are good also. Wool batting is quilting heaven

i use a size 9 needle and warm & natural batting.

I want a large eye needle and that is hard to find. Although, 'large eye' is somewhat an oxymoron

A batting I highly recommend for hand quilting is Quilter's Dream cotton. I don't remember what they call the thinest one but it quilts like butter. It doesn't have any scrim and is really soft. When I hand quilted I really liked the John James or the Roxanne size 11 needles.

Yes, I heard about the Dream batting...bought a pkg a few years ago and forgot I had it...will have to use it too!!!

I just remembered another consideration - how closely do you want to hand quilt?

Mountain Mist requires a quilting line every 2 inches. Other battings can be quilted at wider intervals. If it's a project that you don't want to quilt heavily, make sure your batting allows that.

A lot of you really like the wool batting! Must be good! I guess you get what you pay for sometimes huh? I have some ...been saving it for a special quilt I make....can't wait to give it a try!

Ok...on the size 11 needles you are using...are they sharps, straw, betweens, etc?

I would like to quilt heavily...but I do a lot of hand applique and if I go around the hand applique there may be areas that are wider than 2 inches. So the Mountain Mist may not be good for a hand applique quilt do you think? I know when I cross hatch it would probably be fine.

Betweens.

For hand quilting I always use betweens. These are the shortest needles and perfect for my quilting technique.

I think you'll be fine - I know I've "cheated" on the 2 inches and gotten away with it, LOL.

If you are new to hand quilting a poly batt might be easier to needle, but there's always the risk of "bearding," where the fibers come through the top. My first poly batt did that, which is why I started using the Blue Ribbon cotton. The Blue Ribbon is a bit harder to needle but not as hard as Warm and Natural, at least in my experience.

I use quilting betweens - they're shorter and a bit sturdier than other needles.

Quilting a quilt now with Hobbs 80/20 useing JJ 9 needles but I spray basted the quilt and when I hit the places with the spray the needle dose not want to go through. I will never spray bast for hand quilting again.