Hand quilting - what kind of thread?
 

I am a new member of this forum and a self-taught quilter (what would I do without the internet! :p). I was browsing through the forum and it seems that most people are using a sewing machine to piece and quilt their quilts. But I'm sure there are some hand quilters out there, too... What kind of thread do you use? For the quilting, I found Coats Dual Duty Plus Hand Quilting thread and it seems quite nice to me (without having anything else to compare it with...). What do you use to piece? It's probably a waste to use the hand quilting thread for piecing... Can I just use any cheap thread or should it better be good quality?

YLI 100% GLAZED cotton thread - hands down!!! The importance is to get glazed cotton when hand quilting. It prevents knots.

I am currently hand quilting a quilt for a friend who bought the thread for me and it is always getting knotted up...I HATE IT!!!

I will say that i bought some Thread Heaven that i drag my thread thru which adds a waxy coating on it and that is helping, but it's just an extra step that I don't have when using the YLI.

I do have to order the YLI online because my local quilting stores don't carry it, but I dont care. I found a place that is very quick in turn around and i usually have thread in short time. YLI is also relatively cheap. a 400 yd spool is $4 and a 1000yd spool is $8

well I have tried them all. hand quilting is the only quilting i do. And for me Coats@Clarks cotton hand quilting thread works just as good as any of them. And u save money to spend on more material :):):)

Definitely use thread labeled quilting thread. Handquilting also requires using a single thread. Make your knots very small so that you can pop them into the fabric and hide them. The little bit of piecing I do is usually by machine. I use just regular sewing thread for that.

I use a variety of threads for my hand quilting. For the most part, for me, the right color for the project has been more important. That said, I usually use Gutermann as it does come in quite the variety of colors. Most importantly, yes, you want to use thread that is specifically labeled for hand quilting. I also recommend Thread Heaven conditioner.

The knotting issue that 117becca mentions can sometimes be eased by not only the Thread Heaven, but also the direction you thread your needle. If you place the thread coming off the spool through the eye of the needle, frequently it cuts down on the knotting problem. Also, keeping your thread length no more than about 18 inches helps.

I have also used Coats & Clark but find it has a tendency to shred easier/more than others. Americana Thread from JoAnns is quite heavy; does a good job; has a few colors. I've migrated to using Roxanne #10 or #11 between needles to quilt and the Americana does not fit through the eyes of those needles so I rarely use it any longer.

I second the YLI thread. I used Coats and Clark for years, but the YLI didn't knot up or have thick and thin spots. However, it's possible that Coats has improved their product.

Janet

[h=1]COATS & CLARK Dual Duty Plus Hand Quilting Multicolor Thread
[/h]This is the one I use and I'm very pleased.

I do a lot of hand quilting and have won awards for it. I use the same thing you are using. Mine says hand quilting n the top of the spool. If you tie your knot in the end that comes off the spool first, you will not have the knotting issue that others talk about. Believe me, it does make a difference. If you ever have any questions or need help, just PM me.

this is how i do my knot for hand quilting and it works everytime. also easier to pop it into the batting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g04jPV8tM2E