Originally Posted by JNCT14
I am actually taking vacation next week and we are going 'camping' for 4 days (yeah right - a 29 ft trailer does not mean real camping - RVing perhaps?) and I want to bring some handwork with me (I don't want to lug the machine for just 4 days....) - I want to start a Celtic Illusions quilt and since you can do a corner square technique for these, I thought this would be perfect for hand sewing the blocks when I get tired of reading or actually have to talk to someone (hahaha). The question is what type of stitch works best for hand piecing? Is a running stitch strong enough or should I use a backstitch? Also - what kind of thread - quilt thread or regular?
I sometimes hand piece with Aurifil (cotton) or, more likely, with Bottom Line (very very thin poly). You don't need quilting thread to hand piece.
Any good thread 50wt or 60wt would be fine.
I usually begin and end with a knot; some friends begin and end with several back stitches. I just feel safer with small knots.
I do a running stitch and if it's a long piece, a few backstitches too.