Hi Rebecca,
I did try a denim needle. Actually I tried several different needles. I tried a 90/14 Microtex sharp needle, Jeans/ Denim 100/16, quilting needle 90/14 & had the best luck with the 80/12. I'm thinking that maybe the needle was not as big of an issue as the sticky fusible web that the needles were sewing through. I will be trying the handy wipe idea & see if that helps. Not sure when I'll be starting my other 2 appliqued quilt projects as I'd like to finish up about 3 other quilts in the works. I should have asked my question before I struggled all the way through the quilt & I may have saved myself some grief!