tron80

Yes Ninnie, me too!

redneckwoman

Thats what I use also been useing it for about 30 years now i have to have a laq do my quilts due to RA

nanna-up-north

Welcome to the QB and to quilting, Monale.

It looks like you're getting some good suggestions. I love hand quilting but am slow at it. So, I only hand quilt the ones that I think deserve the extra time. And, I've tried several different threads..... all of them are labeled for hand quilting. I LOVE YLI thread but the color choices at my LQS are limited. And, I've used Coats & Clark thread as well. American, I'm not so fond of. I agree with the suggestion about keeping the length of your thread shorter than you would expect. I learned so much from a group of quilters at one of the LQS that I frequent. They charge for their hand quilting by the yards of thread that is used. So, the thread is cut in 36" lengths. That works for me, too. And they suggested that I use a finger cot.... looks like a rubber finger end .... it helps me pull the needle through the cloth. I was having to use a little pair of pliers because I wasn't able to grip the needle strong enough to pull it through. And, I have 2 thimbles that I use just for hand quilting.... one that fits my thumb for sewing away from me because I use a quilting frame and not a hoop... and one for my middle finger for quilting toward me.

Good luck deciding which thread, needle and thimble you like the best. It's a learning process, for sure. And, do show us how it's going. We love to see other people's quilts.

Monale

Thank you all for your suggestions! The Coats & Clarks I'm using was the one easiest to get, but I will keep my eye open and see if I can get any YIL as a number of you were suggesting that brand.

Anyone hand piecing out there? What thread do you use for that?

Monale

Thanks for all your suggestions! So far I've only finished one quilt (other than a few baby quilts). If you want to see it, it's here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...t-t250387.html

I've just finished a baby quilt today and posted it here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t250605.html

Monale

Thanks for your offer! May take you up on it sometimes! ;-)

117becca

I was in Shipshewana in june and one of the quilt stores had a nice selection of colors of the YLI(the store near the Pretzel store). I buy it online. I like the variegated colors too.

This is where i get mine: http://www.roserushbrooke.com/

Geri B

I occasionally hand quilt and have used the threads recommended above but I run the strand thru beeswax before using...less chance of tangling and keeps from shredding...at least that is what a neighbor of mine, many yrs ago told me. She belonged to a handquilting group that would use regular white cotton sewing thread, melt wax, and dunk the spools into the hot wax, cool, and that is what the group used to handquilt with.......anyone here hear of that, must be an old way of strengthening the thread....makes sense, but sounds messy to me.......

babyquiltlady

I totally agree with Tartan. Guterman is my thread of choice. If I am putting my time into a quilt to last for a lifetime, the thread needs to be a good quality and as is the materials that I use.

mcdugan

I'm lucky enough to be able to take classes from Jinny Beyer. She hand pieces all of her quilts. Her top recommendation for thread is Aurifil 28wt in dark colors and John James 10 or 11 needles. If you join the Quilt Show, there are several episodes that she gives piecing suggestions - well worth watching, in my opinion.
You can also visit her site at: http://www.jinnybeyerstudio.com
Mary