I've seen some really fun hand quilting done with perle cotton thread, and I'd love to use it on a tablecloth I'm making. But I don't know anything about this thread. Is there more than one brand and/or size, and if so, what do you prefer?

I would like to know too

there are a number of brands, types, weights...i love using perle cotton -- usually for wool applique- and for crazy quilt embellishing-
i love the newer verigated balls of perle cotton our lqs is carrying- i've used DMC perle cottons for years- many many colors---
weights are something like #3(very thick) #5, #9- i don't know if there is a thinner one than #9- in my collection i have all #5 & #9
you need a larger eye needle- other than that- its like using embroidery thread you do not have to separate.

I used crochet thread for the baby quilt that I maked. It work great. you canget crochet thread in many differnt sizes the size is numberd 10,20,30 the bigger the number to small the thread I think i used a #10, thet are many brands Aunt Lydia's, J&P, cost&clark,. it also come in many colors. I find my at wal-mart, hobby lobby, JoAnns, Micheals. It is with the yran's. Hope that this is of some help to you.

Back in the late 80's I hand quilted a queen quilt with pearl cotton. 1/4 inch inside each block. I remember my hands hurt and I pulled through the polly batting with plyers. Sure I couldn't pull that off now! Think I might look up some of those projects.
Wonder if that quilt is still in use?

I use perle cotton a lot on my crazy quilts....