Big Stitch Quilting: Tools

Tools and methods I use for big stitch quilting!

Needle:

John James needle is bendy. Needle feels thin between fingers. It goes through quilt sandwich easily yet it breaks easily from the bottom of eye of an needle.

DMC needle is firm. Needle feels thick between fingers. It requires extra force to pull a needle through quilt sandwich yet it does not break as easy as John James brand.

Size 24 Chenille Sharps have big eye of a needle to thread no.8 Perle Cotton with ease. When I apply big stitch quilting with no.12 pearl cotton thread I also use size 24 Chenille Sharps. You may use size 26 needles with size 12 thread but I find it's easier to sew through quilt sandwiches with size 24 Chenille Sharps with its firmness.

Thread:

I mostly use Size 8 pearl cotton for a single layer batting quilt sandwich. Size 12 pearl cotton is also an option but stitch doesn't show on a quilt as much as size 8 thread as size 12 thread is skinnier.

Warm and Natural 100% cotton batting is my go to choice. Wool batting naturally hold oil and helps you to have smooth traveling of needles. Poly batting works just fine with big stitch quilting. Double batting using the type of batting of your choice also works with big stitch quilting. Just remember you can stitch few at a time.  

There are variety of brands for pearl cotton out there. DMC, Wonderfil, Valdani, etc. Choose the brand that offers the closest colors you need!

Big Eye Threader:

When working with pearl cotton, you want to have a threader in your sewing box. And those threader should look like the one pictured above or else they break really easily. I know from my experience extra few backs you pay for big needle threader pays off within hours from a moment you open up the package. Traditional diamond shaped wire threader is what you want to avoid. The force it require to thread big eye need with thick thread does not work well with it.

Thimble:

When doing big stitch quilting, you don't use metal thimbles. You need silicon thimbles that protects your finger and functions as needle puller. Big needle has big eye of an needle. Those eyes are sharp. It scrapes your skin. Get a silicon thimble that fits on your thumb and index finger of your dominant sewing hand. I don't use thimbles on my other hand.