If you have trouble using the smaller needle...thread several sizes and just use each needle as needed. When I did not know what size needle I was using ...no stress...and I could use all sizes. I think the tiny needle has you giving up before you use it. It did for me. Anyway, this worked for me. Hand quilting, you go girl!
Donna

I'm just getting back into quilting and right now I care more about the size of the stitches. In time with practice I hope to get them more even, but right now I figure if they are small I can't see if they are even or not!! The eyes are not as young as they once were!! ;-)

For me it is so much easier to not use a hoop when hand quilting.

I don't like to use a hoop either if my project is small. Are you just holding the layers in your hand or is there some other way you do it? Curious what other's do.

I have found that when hand quilting that the fabric should not be really taut in the hoop. That is what I was doing when I started hand quilting and it was really difficult to make stitches. Since then I have learned that it should be a little loose. When I put the "quilt sandwich" in the hoop I first get it sort of taut and then loosen it a bit after I tighten the screw a little bit by pushing down gently so there is a bit of a sag. This makes it so much eaiser to rock the needle. At the Houston Quilt Show some years ago I witnessed an oriental lady demonstrating how she quilted and was amazed how "saggy" her fabric was. And she was able to make really small stitches. She was marvelous.

I just have one hand underneath to help guide the needle and feel for wrinkles. I keep a finger cot on my left thumb(left handed) and a leather thimble on my middle finger and go for it! The finger cot helps pull the needle through multiple stitches on the needle and the leather thimble pushes the needle also. Works for me anyway...lol.

sounds a lot like I quilt. Haven't done it in a long while, but all this talk of hand quilting is making me want to do it again.

I have always used a size 8 betweens. I bought a package of 10 betweens but I couldn't thread them with the hand quilting thread. I even tried to use a needle threader but it wouldn't go through the eye. can anyone tell me why? and do you have that trouble?

Different brands have different sized eyes. Roxanne #11 betweens have a larger eye than the John James #11 sharps. I just checked my supply.

I use a needle threader that I bought from the Clover website. Joann's also sells it. Doesn't matter what brand of needle I use, I have to use my needle threader!