Needles and Thread for Free Motion Quilting
One of the most common topics my students want to know more about is needles and thread, especially for free motion quilting, so let’s take a deeper look at those here. FMQ is different than piecing— we’re moving our fabric in all directions, there are more layers, and the needle is often clipping along at quite a pace for all that moving around. So, just what needles and threads should we use for such a task?
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Next to your sewing machine, needles and thread are two of the most vital tools for a successful free motion quilting experience. But we hardly ever talk about them! Let’s cover some basics today:
Needles
Needles are like wheels— you don’t think a lot about them till one starts squeaking— but let’s take a look at some basic information anyway:
How are Needles Sized?
Needles are intuitive-- the bigger the number, the thicker the needle.
What Needle do You use?
My go-to needle is a size 11 or 12 for piecing and a size 14 Universal for quilting. I like that bit of extra needle strength for FMQ— I’d rather a slightly larger hole as I stitch than having to dig a broken needle point out of my batting. If I'm quilting something with bulky seams (aka a Bonnie Hunter quilt), I might even go up to a size 16, and if I'm making a tshirt quilt, I use a size 16 ballpoint needle
How often do you change your needle?
With every project and between piecing and quilting if it's a big or densely pieced quilt. Change your needle more often with paper piecing (paper dulls the needle more). If I'm bouncing around between projects with no clear "beginning" or "end" point, I'll change my needle every week or two, usually when I clean my bobbin casing. Needles are SO MUCH CHEAPER than a damaged machine (or eyeball) caused by a broken tip, so be proactive with your needle changing
Where can I learn more about needles?
Schmetz Needles has an incredible set of resources available on their website here.
Thread
I remember when I first started quilting, and I grabbed Coats & Clark because that’s what I remember my mom having for the very brief time that there was a sewing machine around when I was young. Oh how little I knew… All that to say, thread is super important, and it’s worth taking the time to learn about and invest in the good stuff.
How are threads sized?
Needles are intuitive, but thread is opposite-- the bigger the number the thinner the thread. This is because the “weight” of the thread refers to the literal weight of a certain number of yards (for example, how many yards it takes to weigh a kilo). Now, this weight-measurement system is not very standardized, so a 28 weight in one brand may be a little thicker or thinner than 28 in another if they don’t use the same scale (English vs Metric, etc). So, to recap: a 28 wt thread is a lot thicker than a 50 wt thread because it takes fewer yards of a thicker thread to weigh a kilo/ pound.
What kind of thread is your favorite?
I LOVE Aurifil thread. Their 50 wt is my go-to piecing and quilting thread (2600 is THE most perfect gray for absolutely everything), and I'll use 40 wt when I want my stitches to stand out a bit. I have used 28 and 12 weight, but much less frequently. I’m more likely to reach for those thicker threads if I want to add hand stitched details to a quilt. My girl Kate Toney though, used 12 wt wool in her embroidery machine, and I went NUTS because it was so gorgeous:
Do you ever use other kinds of thread?
When I used to make make tshirt quilts, I used ye old faithful Coats & Clark All Purpose because ain't nothing gonna break those stitches, and tshirt quilts get washed a LOT and the stretch of the knit fabrics requires strong stitches. This thread is a poly blend, so it has some stretch that withstands more movement, wear, and tear.
Cotton Vs Poly?
My love of Aurifil probably already gave this away, but I'm a cotton girl. Here's why: 1) natural material 2) I love to quilt densely, and quilting fabric is also made of cotton, so the quilting thread just melts into the fabric and doesn't leave you with that "quilted to cardboard" feeling. Quilts stay soft, even when they have a lot of stitching. At one time, there were concerns that poly thread would actually cut the cotton fabric over time and affect the integrity of your project. I don't believe this is still an issue because of improved manufacturing, so Cotton vs Poly is mostly a matter of personal preference, though I always, always recommend cotton for all things quilty.
Note Bene: Because I work with cotton thread (and fabric and batting), and natural fibers create more lint, I clean out my machine AT LEAST once a week, but as often as daily if I'm doing a lot of piecing or quilting or every bobbin if I'm doing a tshirt quilt or working with flannel or minky. ALWAYS brush lint OUT of your machine, never blow it in.
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