When Do You Change Your Sewing Machine Needle?
 

I have a Janome sewing machine. I was looking at needles on their website and they recommend changing the needle after it has done 6 hours of sewing.

I’ve never given much thought to how many hours I sew a week but at the moment I’m practicing free motion quilting and try to do some every day. That’s on top of what ever I’m working on.

Going by their suggestion I would be changing the needle at least once or twice week.

Do you think this in necessarily and do you keep ‘used’ needles?

I change mine when the sound of the needle going through the fabric changes. Don’t keep them just bin them. Needles are cheap damaged sewing machine expensive repair is the way I look at it.

I have a Janome also. I use their brand of needle, the red tip. I don't change my needle often and I have no problems. I've just finished piecing and fmq 3 maybe 4 quilts, queen-king size, plus repairing a quilt with the same needle.

My needles last a whole lot longer than that. I just changed mine because I realized it was dull. I could see it was not easily piercing the fabric while I was piecing, and made a slight popping sound. If you are free motion quilting with a dull needle, you'll know to change it because you will start to get bearding of the batting on the underside of the quilt sandwich.

Popping sound means time to replace in my world. Changing after X hires of use is a selling ploy in my mind....

I change mine when it gets dull. As stated above, you can hear it as well as see it as the needle pierces the fabric. If you are careful not to sew over pins needles will last a long time. I have purchases some of the new titanium needles. They are wonderful for longevity. I also have some of the titanium rotary cutter blades and like them also.

Every six hours? Oh come on!
I change mine when it gets dull. I can tell pretty much by the way the stitches look but more by the sound.

I agree. Popping sound means time to change.
I also keep mine in a small plastic container that I have written "sharps" on, after I'm done with them. Cutter blades fit in too.

Watson

Just when it gets dull or breaks.

I generally change out with each quilt, which is a lot of hours