I forgot to say that I use a #10 betweens.

I use either John James quilting needles - the smallest one is my personal preference - Sharps or Betweens. Your needle should be so sharp that it cuts through the fabric like a knife through butter. It sounds to me like you need to change your needle. Sometimes it takes a few different attempts before you find the needle that feels right. Once I have found a needle that I like I use it until it is so bent that I have to throw it away! Maybe Alex will show us her thumb method one of these weeks! Good luck with the hand quilting. Rita.

I use size 12 Betweens needles. John James brand is good...so is EZ brand from JoAnn Fabrics.

When I learned to hand quilt, my teacher made us use size 12 Betweens and practice, practice, practice our hand quilting skills. I'm so glad that she did, because after a week of practice, my stitches were small and even. She showed us how to use one of those metals thimbles with the brass ridge on top, and do the rocking motion. I practiced by making a white-on-white pillow top.

If I use muslin for the backing, my stitches on the front look good, and my stitches are small and even. When I've used a cotton print, or solid, for the backing, my stitches look bad.....and I had LOTS of trouble getting the needle through the quilt sandwich. I abandoned an Amish wall hanging because I'd basted a cotton solid on the back instead of muslin. It was agony trying to hand-quilt it! Also, smooth, not lumpy, polyester batting is easier to hand-quilt through.

So, you might want to try using muslin for the backing, size 12 Between needles, and good quality, thin, 100% polyester batting (like Hobbs or Mountain Mist) and see how these affect your hand quilting.

The ones I use are Richard Hemmings and Sons.

i love the John James needles - i have various types and sizes - depending on what i'm doing, what fabric i'm using (batiks can be rather difficult), and what mood i'm in - yes this does make a huge difference in my case.
try the John James Gold'n Glide Quilting Needles
i purchased mine from equilter.com http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=227&sid=31U9Hz2j0HSN103-26111507566.09
good luck in finding the perfect needle for you

i am looking for advice on the best hand quilting needles. I have several new ones but they all have to be really pulled to get through the fabric. I found one I have that slides through the fabric but I have no idea what brand it is. does anyone have any ideas?