Titanium Coated Top Stitch Needles
 

Do you use them? Are they really good? I was looking at a link posted on the board and it seems to make sense.

I use them all the time--love 'em! They last longer than other needles and are great for FMQ. I get mine from Superior Threads, don't know if you can buy them other places. My LQS doesn't carry them.

a friend gifted me with one... i can't see a difference. but i'm not a prolific quilter. my lqs does not carry top stitch at all :(

Same here. I feel they do a better job for a longer period of time. Could all just be in my head, but trusting your "equipment" goes a long way.

I've only used the Titanium quilting needles - they seem to last forever. However they do break as easily as ordinary ones when you forget to change your presser feet. :o

Several months ago I tried the titanium coated topstitch needles from Organ on my shortarm and they did not work for some reason...I checked the usual things such as tension and so on but the thread kept breaking. I tried different threads with the same result, so I went back to the Singer needle I had been using and things were back to normal. Now that I have my Bailey, I will be trying the titanium coated needles from Superior on my next project (in progress). I'm hoping for good results, smile.

Forgot to say - mine were Klasse Quilting needles, not Superior Topstitch.

Titanium needles
 

I think that they are great. The company that makes the Superior needles makes Organ needles. They are the same needle in different packages. Organ needles are available from discountembroiderysupply.com in bulk.

The topstitch needles have big eyes, about twice the size of regular needles. Go to the Superior Thread Website and
read about them.

I only use the titanium needles. I get them from connecting threads.

Only use titanium topstitch needles. No more 'thumping' :)...

Thumping? What's that and should I be listening for it?

I went to a long arm quilt show in Sept. and 3 of the instructor in the classes I took advised against using titanium needles in any machine. There were seceral reasons but the only one I remember is that they break easiler than the other needles as a result can mess up your timing. I don't know if it is true or not but I stopped using them just in case.

I use them for both quilting and embroidering. I do think they last longer.

I thought it wouldn't matter, but tried them anyway -- what a difference -- with my Sapphire which likes to "eat the first stitch" -- not even an appetite any longer! Haven't used them enough to say how long they will last, but am extremely pleased not having to be so careful about loosing the fabric under the stitch plate. Glad to hear the Klasse needles have a good top-stitch as they are less expensive then the Superior ones....

As someone stated, you can buy the Organ brand titanium topstitch needles at discountembroidery.com or at Allbrands.com or at the Yahoo Needle Coop Group (look under Yahoo groups) and probably other places for less than half the price of the Superior needles. About $60 for 100 needles for Organ - this is the case where it pays to go in with a sister sewer or two and buy the needles in bulk. I love my Organ needles but buy the Superior Brand for their smaller (size 70) needles which I don't use as often but I do buy the size 12, 14 in larger quantities since I am almost using these needles exclusively for all my sewing (embroidery, quilting, patchwork, metallic threads). I love Superior Threads, but it is hard to justify spending over twice as much for needles. Someone in an earlier post stated that Organ made the Superior needles, I haven't been able to verify this anywhere else but found that Schmetz does not have a titanium coated topstitch needle in my online search.

Any doubts about Organ making Superior needles can be resolved by taking a look at the back of a package of needles from superior - clearly states "manufactured for superior threads by organ needle co ltd japan"

I use nothing but the Superior/Organ titanium topstitch needles. They're just simply the best I've ever found.

I have no idea why anyone would need to buy them "in bulk" because they last so long...

minstrel ~ Thumping comes from using your needle 'too long'. It is a small noticeable difference, from a 'new' needle and a 'used' needle. If we have used our needles longer then the suggested 8-10 hours. It does get 'dull' and the friction of the thread going through the eye wears on the hole, thus the cause a 'thumping'.

I've read in different places that you should check to be sure that those Organ needles will work in your machine. Also, don't use the embroidery needles for regular stitching in your machine because they are too long. I've also read that all of that wasn't true. So, go figure.

I love the titantium needles machine embroidery needles because I have a lot fewer stitching problems with them. I especially love them for machine embroidery as they last forever. For simple sewing like piecing, less expensive needles seem to work fine for me.

Pretty much all I use now. I have them from Superior Threads and from Organ.

BEWARE I was told by a trained Bernina sewing machine repair person. She told me that she has gotten machines in her repair shop that needed massive work due to titanium needles. Sometimes when they hit a pin when FMQ the needle does not break but does throw the whole machine out of whack. Me, I prefer to just replace a needle then bring my machine in for massive repair.

I now use only Titanium Topstitch needles. I purchased them from Superior Threads. I love them. The eye is larger and for my old tired eyes that is great. I usually remove all my pins before I sew. Yesterday I was sewing two pieces of fleece together and left some pins in (just to see if it would go over them) carefully I sewed over the pins with no problems. I am still going to remove the pins from now on, just wanted to try it. I did use a longer stitch. I am sold on these needles. I do have to say that I use a Simplicity machine not a fancy new one. Don't know if that makes a difference or not. BrendaK

Do use them…..They ARE better…..and work wonderfully for machine embroidery…..

Why blame the titanium needle for the problem when the issue is caused by trying to sew over pins left in the quilt???

I use the titanium needles in my Babylock.....they last forever! In fact, I put a new one in this week and wrote down the date so I can keep track of how long I do actually use it. I don't really understand how one of these needles breaking could cause more damage to a machine than any other....they are only titanium coated, not made of some super-hard material.