Good Use of Price Stickers
 

Here is a tip that I have been using forever and it works for me, so thought I'd pass it on.
How do you remember what size needle you have in your machine? I keep a supply of round price stickers (purchased from a local office supply store) on hand. When I put a new needle in the machine, I write the size and type of needle (embroidery, jeans, universal, quilting etc) and date on the sticker and put it on my machine. When I go to replace the needle (because I've used it for 12 hours or because I need a different size and type) I take it out and either dispose of it or put the sticker on the blunt end of the neeedle and place the needle in a special pin cushion I keep just for that purpose. You're Welcome.

Wait...you're supposed to change a needle after just 12 hours of use!?

I know I tend to wait too long (often I only remember to change it when it starts to sound "poppy") but I didn't know there was a 12 hour guideline. I TRY to remember change mine between every other quilt, which is probably a lot more than 12 hours of sewing for me. Or I'll (carefully & VERY gently) run my fingertip over the end of the needle if I can't remember when I changed it...if it catches on my fingerprint I figure it's still sharp enough to use.

The needle manufacturers say you're supposed to change it every 8 hours. But that's actual sewing time. I know I don't change mine quite that often but I do change it pretty regular. Since I have several types and sizes of needles I bought a plastic organizer thing that's just the right size to hold the needle packages. I think it's supposed to be for beads. Anyway, I put a button in the space that I take the needle out of. If I use a needle but it's still good I put it back in loose and that way I know it's still good but not brand new. The different color buttons in the box are for different machines.



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Looks like I need to get a lot more diligent about changing my needles!

Wow, Scissor Queen. I love your system of keeping track of needles. And using the button is a great idea!

I am also one that changes about every other quilt. unless one of them
requires a lot more sewing.

Yeah, I change more often than I used to, also, although I was always pretty good about it. To me, needles are the cheapest/most disposable tools we use and they can make the most difference.
I also remove the throat plate and bobbin assembly and clean out the 'dust bunnies' with a pastry brush each time I change the bobbin.

Jan in VA

thanks for the hint

My dealer shamed me into being much more diligent about cleaning out my bobbin assembly. They threatened to take my new machine back if I did as poor a job with it as I did with my first machine!! (They were kidding....mostly.) I don't clean it with every bobbin change though, I clean it probably once in the middle of a quilt and then again when I'm done - maybe once more somewhere in there if I'm using linty thread and/or flannel. I don't think I EVER properly cleaned out my first machine though, so that's a HUGE improvement! I thought occasionally blowing on the bobbin case was enough, LOL. And I shudder to think how old & dull the needle in that machine got. I plead youth & ignorance!

Although, my first machine does still work perfectly! It's a simple Kenmore/Janome from the mid 90's and built like a tank. I expect it'll outlive me, especially now that it's a backup. And that's with me sewing all kinds of crazy craft projects on it, some so thick I had to crank the wheel manually to punch through everything. What a great & forgiving machine...I'll never get rid of it!

This thread made me go change my needle in my main machine a moment ago, too. LOL

Well, of course they're gonna tell you to change the needle often; their business is selling you needles!!! :D

I change my needle, when it needs changing.

My machine tells me when it is time for a new needle. It makes a special "popping" noise when it goes throuhgh the fabric and I know it's time for a change. That's probably about every 10-12 hours of steady sewing.

Just allways remember to re-thread needle before starting to sew. Ask me how I know.LOL

I agree. If I remember correctly, the guy at Superior Threads (Bob?) says you only have to change the needle when the "kerthunking" gets on your nerves :D. That's what I do, I change it if it's bent or too loud and I haven't had a problem in all the years I've been sewing. I do however regularly clean and oil my machines.

My guide lessons said to change the needle every 8 hours, but I bet at least some of you are like me in that we were raised to change the needle when it broke!! LOL! (I'm probably dating myself with that comment)

Linda

I change bent ones, as well. :thumbup:

Yikes, I guess I need to change my needle more often too. I usually just change it when it breaks or bends. lol

I was thinking back to learning to sew on my grandma's machine and she never said anything about changing needles...then again, I remember breaking QUITE a few of them as I learned so maybe that's why it never came up!!

What an absolutely brilliant idea. Thank you.

FANTASTIC idea! I'm gon'a use this!
Thank YOU! :thumbup:

my 8 HOURS of sewing might be equal to someone else's 12 HOURS of sewing. it makes more sense to consider length of stiching instead of hours. i also change it when the popping and pinging start (if i am listening for it, which i am not!).

Wouldn't it be nice to have little needle odometers on our machines? :)

Lots of good ideas here.
Guess the bottom line is do whatever works for us. :o

I think I change my needle way too often. I bought 100 needles recently plus I have a bunch more of Titanium ones. I change my needles frequently. I just feel good about sewing when I have a new needle in. Everything seems to work so much better. Even if I've only sewn for 3 hours, I'll change the needle. I know this sounds like a waste, but it's my waste and it makes me feel like I doing a better job. The seams look better and it's so much more pleasant.

Love it :) I change my needle when I am about to FMQ and always clean out the bobbin area and give it one drop of oil in the bobbin hole thingy! Other times it's when I hear that blunt needle noise.

When I do a different kind of project, I change to the appropriate needle. When I'm troubleshooting a problem, I usually change the needle out. That's about it.

I change mine when it "thunks".

I don't think I have ever heard the "thunk". I change needles when I have to change presser feet. I mean I'm sewing along with my quilters foot, and decide, "Oh, this would be a good place for a zig-zag." I push the button for zig-zag, and it's more like a "Bang". There went another needle! LOL I'm getting better though. I have been breaking fewer needles than when I got my new machine about 3 years ago.

I get so confused when I am sewing. Understand the size of needle and the type of fabric, but I start sewing and I completely forget it all!! I do put the right needle in when and "if" it needs changing while I am sewing, i.e. I'm sewing a cotton hense I put in the proper needle. But afterward, if I go to sew something else, I completely forget to change the needle to a different size. Really have got to become more diligent and I love the price tag tip. I think I could manage that. Thanks.

Great minds think alike! :thumbup: Instead of using a button, I use the tiny elastic ponytail ties and put them around the needle case. It's been a lifesaver...no longer trying to remember what I had in the machine.

What about needles for handsewing? How do you determine when they're dull and need replacing? Does anyone have good ideas to track them when they sit in pincushions and 'look the same'?
I've done binding on quilts with needles way past their time but suffer through it.

To tell whether or not it's dull, I just run my fingertip across it. As for which one to use - if it works well and feels right, I just use it and don't worry about whether or not it's the "correct" needle.

Love the plastic divided case and the buttons....great ideas. Thank you all.

If you have a vintage machine, do not put the stickers on the machine. It will damage the paint. If you have a plastic faced machine, go ahead!

Yep. That's how it goes for me too (but I'm not getting better)

I tend to dilly-dally when I'm sewing, so keeping track of hours would be senseless for me. They do sound different when they're getting dull. That's when I chuck them. I got some of the Superior Threads titanium coated topstitch 80/12 and 90/14 for piecing and quilting and they're lasting a really long time. Thanks for the tips.

I think my new Pfaff has an odometer on it, at least time sewing. I should mark down what it says when I but in a needle.

The needle manufacturers say you're supposed to change it every 8 hours. But that's actual sewing time. I know I don't change mine quite that often but I do change it pretty regular. Since I have several types and sizes of needles I bought a plastic organizer thing that's just the right size to hold the needle packages. I think it's supposed to be for beads. Anyway, I put a button in the space that I take the needle out of. If I use a needle but it's still good I put it back in loose and that way I know it's still good but not brand new. The different color buttons in the box are for different machines.

My goodness. You sure are organized. Wish I could say the same for myself.

I must admit that sometimes I go a longer time between changes, but my machine just seems to sing (and chirp happily) if I have a sharp needle in the machine AND if I do the cleaning regularly. I also meant to add 12 hours of steady stitching. (no, I don't set a timer or anything. LOL) Good discussion, ladies.

Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

I forgot to add, I use those price stickers for keeping track of block parts and sizes. Once I do my test block and start cutting pieces I put them in zipper baggies. Instead of writing on the baggie which can smear I use the price stickers. Plus when I start the next quilt I can just put a new sticker over the old one and keep using the same baggies. It really helps when some of the pieces are really close in size and hard to tell apart unless you measure every time.