Originally Posted by
mike'sgirl
I read an article about thread and needle size and she ( don't remember who now) said she likes to use a "quilting" needle, instead of a sharp, which I guess a lot of people use.
Quilting needles are designed to work especially well with curved designs. They are tapered, making them less likely to pull at the quilt top fabric as it is moved through a curve. They also have a rounded tip, which I like for repro fabrics (or back when I did commissioned work, for vintage fabric) as it will glide easily between the wider weave and isn't sharp enough to catch on/fray the fabric.