My quilting stitches are never as small or even as I want them to be. The first three involve choices one makes when purchasing fabric, batting, and needles. First is the choice of fabric. In general, you get what you pay for. The thread count is the number of threads per square inch.
Some fabrics have a high thread count but are stiff to touch.
These are usually made from shorter cotton fibers that must be spun into thicker threads. A finer thread results from spinning longer staple cotton fibers. These threads are very strong even though very thin. Fabric with a higher thread count can be woven from such threads and still maintain a soft hand. With a higher thread count, picking up three or four threads of the fabric produces a perfect tiny stitch.