This is my first handpieced handquilted project.

I'm having a hard time with the needle. It's very hard to move through the fabric.

I know that people who hand quilt use betweens. I've tried switching needles, but I'm still having a very hard time. The needle doesn't seem to glide through the fabric.

What size needle are you using? I do most of my piecing by hand, and I have found that the finer and shorter the needle the easier it is to stitch and the faster it goes..also the smaller my stitches are. I use a #12 quilters between for all of my quilting and piecing. Even then you get some difference in thickness of needle and "slickness" yep some needles seem to drag a bit going through the fabric.. And I'm always trying new needles. The latest and one of the best I've found are Jeana Kimball's Foxglove Cottage
Betweens/Quilting size 12.

Thank you Tippy.

Where would I find that brand of needle?

Can you post a pic of it? What kind of batting are you suing?

Ninnie

I haven't even gotten to the batting yet. I'm still just piecing the tablerunner.

It's a little frustrating that the needle doesn't slide easily through the fabric.

For piecing, you may find it easier to use a longer needle, I do... I also find it easier to quilt with a longer needle.

Make sure you're using something nice and sharp and thin, too.

I've used applique sharps and milliner's needles.

I have quite a few needles. I'll have to get them all out and look at them again.

Thanks all!!! :)

I got my needles at the local quilt shop.. Roosters in Maryville, tn. Here's a link to her site. http://www.jeanakimballquilter.com/

Is your fabric cotton?

Ninnie - you beat me too it - I was going to ask about the fabric!

I hand piece with an appliqué needle too BTW.

K x

My fabric is cotton.

I'll look to see if I have an applique needle. I have a pack of assorted needles.

So long thin needles are the best to use when hand piecing and hand quilting?

stick it in a bar of soap!! don't some of u ladies remember our babies in real diapers before disposable diapers, the diaper pins got that way and we just stuck them in and out of a bar of soap. gosh, i'm dating myself, aren't I?

I don't remember the soap I always ran mine across my scalp, just don't push hard. And I have done that with my safety pins when pinning a quilt.
Sharon

It sounds like you have some heavy fabric...or starched fabric....I use Thread Heaven ...it's like a wax.....and a #9 Milliners needle...good luck....:-)

I tried an applique needle and it works much better than the one that I was using.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Even though disposable diapers were available when my children were babies, I used cloth diapers and remember running my pins through soap to help them slide through the diaper easier.

I'll have to look for Thread Heaven. I wonder if they have it at Walmart.

I haven't either.

My only guess is that it will pick up a little oil from the scalp.

But if it works great!!!

ur exactly right about it picking up a little oil from the hair or scalp, but i'm so old and dried up now that i don't have any oil anywhere, lol.

If a #12 hand sewing needle is too frustrating to handle or thread, try a #10 or #11.

I've found the gold eye needles seem to glide better.

Also, is your needle new? They do get dull with a lot of use.