What is your favorite needle for piecing?
 

A favorite brand, type and size? Many thanks! :thumbup:

Superior Titanium coated topstitch needles made by Organ. I use the 80/60 size for piecing. I use thin thread in the bobbin and for piecing.

Microtex 80/12 for most uses.

Organ size 11 sharps are what I use for 95% of my sewing and embroidery.

Cari

titanium needles or schmetz microtex

This is also my favorite, but isn't it interesting how everyone has good luck with different needles, thread, etc.?

Titanium needles -- also jeans needles and microtex. but titanium in a 12 is my go to.

Schmetz Microtex size 70 (with Aurifil 50/2 thread)

For hand or machine?
hand piecing I ( generally) use John James Sharps
for machine I use Schmetz Sharps, in the size appropriate for the thread I'm using.

I use Roxanne #10 sharps for hand piecing.

Titanium #12 top stitch needles. Since finding these I've used nothing else on my quilts.

I use what ever is available. Ha, Ha!

It would also be interesting to see which machines you are using as well. I have a Janome 7700, which I use Smetz 80/12 for piecing.

Why the titanium needles? What is great about them?

I meant Schmetz, sorry.

I use whatever is in my machine. Mostly I am good to go. If there is a problem I switch around til I find something that works. I don't think there is one answer - kind of like starch/no starch, prewash/don't prewash. Interesting though to hear about everyone's choices.

The ones with the eyes big enough to see them!! Especially for hand quilting. My new machine has a needle threader, which I thought would be a useless accessory sure to break quick. Boy, do I LOVE it. No more squinting, bending over, muttering, trying again. Would be nice if my machine liked Schmetz needles, but alas it doesn't.

I like Schmetz Microtex #70 for my piecing. The needle is super sharp, but also small enough, that it doesn't make a hole too big, displacing threads in the fabric weave. I tend to think most quarter inch seam issues are related to too large a needle or a thread that's too large.

Yoo hoo, waving my hand -Teachers, I have a question: what's the scoop on the titanium needles? How are they better than non-titanium?

I use organ 75/11 sharps for just about everything.

I watched a very informative video on needles and now use Superior Titanium needles almost exclusively. I use 70/10 or 80/12 for piecing and Aurifil 50 wt or Precencia 60 wt thread. It's what works for me :thumbup:

Schmetz microtex or Organ sharp size 80/12. These needles work in all of my machines, both antique and modern.
Sharon in Texas

80/12 with 50 weight thread and what's on sale. I shoot for topstitch type if I can get it at a decent price.

I keep it simple with Schmetz 80/12 universals for everything except jeans, for jeans I use a jeans/denim needle. You can get several brands of needles bulk on Amazon

I typed in Superior Threads/Needles and got the scoop. They show you the picture of a regular needle and a titanium coated one. I thought someone would put in a link, but not yet.