Best thread for hand piecing?
 

I am getting ready to hand piece small drunkard path squares. What is the best thread and needle to use. I have never hand pieced.
Thanks for any advice you may give to me.

Margaret

Thank you Tartan. You also answered my question about 1 or 2 threads. I don't want to go to all of the work and have it fall apart.

Hand piecing is usually done with a single thread. I have used regular 50/3 ply thread with no problems. I would not use quilting thread because it is too stiff — great for hand quilting, but not so much for hand piecing. I would also not use polyester thread for piecing because it is too slippery — again, great for machine quilting but not so great for hand piecing. A cotton-covered polyester thread is fine for hand piecing because the cotton does away with the slipperiness of an all-poly thread.

edit: I learned hand piecing by watching an old Jinny Breyer video years ago. She is very fast!

Jinny Beyer recommends using a 40 wt. for hand piecing. I use King Tut from Superior Threads. Presencia is a very strong thread, and the 50 wt. seems thicker than other 50 wt. threads (if using Presencia for machine piecing, I use 60 wt.), so I would also consider using Presencia 50 wt. for hand piecing.

Jinny Beyer's website sells 28 wt Aurifil thread that she prefers for hand piecing and lists her preferred colors.

I have been hand piecing since the early '80s when I started quilting. I use a 60 or 50wt thread for my piecing. Usually Aurifil or Superior threads.

joe'smom and sgreen511, this is the first time I have heard of using a 40wt or even a 28wt for piecing. I have always thought of them as thread for hand quilting .......... to heavy for piecing.

Here is a link to Craftsy; scroll down to see what they recommend for piecing thread.
https://www.craftsy.com/quilting/art...lting-threads/

I believe the reason for using a single thread is because using two threads means the threads are rubbing against each other, actually making the seam less strong. Whether this is myth or experience, I don't know. A single thread is enough anyway, provided the quilting is reasonably close together. Quilting reduces stress on the piecing threads (and the fabrics in the quilt). The instances where I have seen close-ups of pieced seams that have come apart all appear to be cases where the piecing stitches were large. Piecing stitches should ideally be about 1/8" apart, and under 1/4". Smaller stitches are stronger.

I love Aurifil thread but I think, for me, 28 wt would be too thick -- harder to thread through the eye of a needle, and harder to pull through fabric. I love Aurifil 50/2 for machine piecing, but I wouldn't use it for hand piecing because it is only 2 ply. I really think a 3 ply thread is preferable for strength.

Edit: I see that Aurifil 50/2 is recommended by others for hand piecing. Scroll down to hand piecing here:
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/choo...ilting-2821961

This hand piecer also prefers Aurifil 50/2:
https://redthreadstudio.com/blogs/gu...ecing-tutorial

I have done hand piecing with the cotton covered polyester "general purpose" coats and clark dual duty thread and that worked well for me.

I do/did backstitch about every 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch while sewing the seams. i also used 1/4 inch seam allowance.

I used a single thread in the seam.

In my opinion, "quilting thread" is too thick/heavy for piecing seams of lightweight ("regular") quilting cotton fabrics.

I agree with bearisgray. Quilting thread is too thick for piecing. And I also take a backstitch every few inches.