If you can believe this....a lady I quilt with has only been quilting for about 4 or 5 years, but the way her quilts look it seems she has been quilting all of her life. They are so beautiful and she does some pretty fantastic things and never had lessons. So, one night we are sewing with her at our usual twice monthly get together at the LQS and she seemed to be having some difficulty with her machine and needle. We asked her what was wrong. She said her needle broke and she didn't know how to change it. I asked her when was the last time she changed it and she said she had Never changed it!! LOL! She had had this machine since she started quilting, and the same needle that came in the machine! I asked her to let us know what brand it was; they must be really good to have lasted that long.