If you are quilting by hand there are threads available specifically for this purpose. They tend to be quite rigid and you may be put off by this initially as I was. After discussing different threads with my local quilt shop owner (and the different prices) I decided to trust her and give the ‘wirey’ thread a try. And you know what? She was right. The hand quilting thread is stronger and more durable. When I use this thread I can use a reasonably long piece (about the length from my elbow to wrist) and I don’t have to worry about the thread snapping or breaking. Now days I am much more inclined to: a. trust my local quilt shop owner and b. pair the thread to the specific task at hand – it really can make a difference.

You also need to consider the practicality of using a particular thread. If this is your first applique project ever, do you really need to invest in a rainbow of silk threads right off the bat? Perhaps a less expensive applique thread in a few core colours will suffice until you decide if applique is for you or not. Also, while sparkly threads are beautiful to look at, I’ve had a hard time actually using them. The sparkly always seems to be splitting away from the thread. I’ve bought several spools of this thread with grand plans to use it throughout an entire quilt but after working with it briefly I quickly realized that it wasn’t practical (or sanity saving) to continue. Instead I went with a less exotic thread for the bulk of the work and saved the sparkly thread for small accent pieces.