I don't like universal needles either. I use quilting needles for piecing. They're made to go thru several layers of fabric and I almost always use the 75/11 size because I use a finer thread. For quilting I use the topstitch needles in either the 80/12 or 90/14 depending on what size thread I'm using. I have a couple of threads that I go up to a 100/16 for. You match the size of the needle to the size of your thread and the type of needle to the type of fabric you're sewing.