Originally Posted by Pepita

I have been appliqueing with silk thread and straw needles or I have forgotten the nane of the other needle--These have really tiny eyes. Elie S.(sorry I can't spell her name) reccomends putting the thread in your left hand (if your right handed) and bring the needle over the needle.

For me this works. Silk thread is so fine, slippery, won't stand up straight like cotton will! I hold the silk thread in my left hand between my thumb and pointer finger. I hold down the thread usually with my fingernail (thumb) and allow only about a 1/4 inch or less of thread to be exposed. I bring the needle to the thread, and try to get it over the thread. Once it is through, I push the needle against my finger (to keep it from coming out) and then grab the little bit of thread and pull it through.

I have quilted with betweens, which are much larger eyed needles. I've been surprised that Suzanne Marshall uses the cotton over poly thread (like Coats and Clarks for hand quilting. I think Hobby Lobby has this tread.) she uses it for the applique as well as for hand quilting. She said she takes her quilt with her on car trips etc. and tried the all cotton type. She found that there were broken stitches all over the place with her all cotton. She thought she had more strain on the cloth, lugging it around and she needed the poly core.