I never use invisible thread either -- it is a real pain to work with. I also use only topstitch needles for everything now & I have less thread breakage. I find that a 90/14 topstitch needle is what is in my machine almost all the time, for piecing and for quilting. Maybe I should be using an 80/12 more often, but I just go with whatever thread and needle combination my machines seem to like for the project I'm working on.
Oh, and is a topstitch needle totally necessary? In my opinion, no. I only started using them recently when having thread breakage issues and the longer hole solved this problem. I really haven't noticed any difference in actual stitching on fabric so I can't speak to that. I just like being able to use any thread I want without breakage issues and the topstitch needles have solved that problem for me like no other solution or adjustment to machine, etc.
Last edited by RavenLunaStitch; 07-20-2013 at 12:33 PM.