Railroadersbrat

Good morning ladies, I hope everyone is having a fantabulous day!

I'm gearing up to tie my nine-patch quilt, I'm looking at probably the first full weekend of December to do it, found my batting and backing and will order those December 1st, also ordering some finger grips and got the crochet thread out of my tatting and filet crocheting stash, I have a nearly brand new large spool of size 10 white crochet thread I'm going to use for this. The only thing left is to nail down the needles I'll need and I'm hoping for some advice.

Since I've never tied a quilt with crochet thread, I'm a little nervous and wondering if anyone has a specific size or type that they use. I've got my eye on some smaller leather needles that should fit the crochet thread, but wondering if anyone else has some thoughts?

jhoward

Eleanor Burns used curved needles. I believe they are upholstery needles.

SusieQOH

I've used longer needles for tying. Don't worry it's not hard.

Tartan

I use the narrowest needle that I can still get my string through the eye. I don’t want a thick needle that will make a hole in the quilt but a needle that will push the threads of the fabric apart but not break them. I use my Qsnap frame to put the quilt sandwich in so I have access to both sides. I go across the quilt with a loooong piece of thread, taking a stitch through about every 4 inches. When I am all the way across, I snip the thread between the 4 inch stitches and tie the 2 inch threads together.

Iceblossom

Back in the day of tying quilts, I think I would just pluck a Crewel needle out of the big paper assortment of many needles. Personally, I like a long needle but I'm pretty bad at handwork. One of my hand applique friends would always cluck at the "huge" needles I used for hand sewing on my binding. She used these tiny little things I couldn't even see back when my vision was considered normal!

Basically I'm saying the same thing as Tartan, but I look at it as finding the right eye for the thread, and figure the diameter will just have to go along for the ride of the thread. I also use a long thread technique, you don't want to have to thread the needle for every tie, but I give myself a bit more thread to work with, just a gentle tug to pull up some extra between the ties, but I tie and cut about every 3 ties instead of going across the frame -- mostly because I don't have a frame.

NJ Quilter

Generally, the curved upholstery needles have quite a sharp point so I wouldn't think it would damage your fabrics and it would be easy to thread your crochet thread through the eye. If you have some scraps you could certainly try to ease your mind.

tranum

I “tie on the needle” like my Mom & Grandma. It goes like this:
Thread needle with long piece of crochet thread. Take a stitch in the block, & go through again.
Take the thread tail & hold up with your free hand, bring the needle around the upper side, making a thread loop & bring needle through the loop. Pull up to tighten.
Repeat (keep tail up with free hand) but this time bring needle around lower (opposite) side, making a thread loop & bring needle through the loop. Pull up to tighten. Cut thread so there are 2 tails. Square knot is done.