I change mine every large quilt project. If I'm doing miniature quilts, maybe every 5-6. For the AAQI quilts, every 10 or so (cos those are small)

I change my needle every time I start a new project but if the quilt is queen or king I will change the needle.

Alot. but mainly because I have done something stupid and broke it... I do try to pay attention if one hasnt broke.. if the stiches seem wonky I change the needle

The life of a needle is about 8 hours of use. So I change mine accordingly. If you wait until the needle maked that popping sound in the fabric you are to late and could cause damage to the fabric.
Glenn

When I took the class that came with my machine, I was told that a good measure was every 3 bobbin changes.

I adhere to the strict rules of the quilt police and change my needle every.....wait, what quilting police? Hehehe....i just change mine when I notice a diffetence in my machine stitching...n

Whenever I start to have problems. Was quilting a taffeta vest and it was skipping large stiches then the thread was fraying. changed the bobbin, rethreaded, still same problem. change to a needle with a large eye voila no more problems. Usually change needle after quilting King or, Queen.

I too just got some titanium needles and will see how they work. Before I would change my needles when the thread started to break or machine started to make a funny sound. On my new Bernina I change the needle all the time just in case because the machine cost so much. I want to get some of the titanium needles for my quilting machine if they make then. The ones I bought for my Brother do not fit my HQ.

I guess I'm odd because I have a "method" for this.

I have a little plastic case that I keep my bobbins and needles in. I clean my machine after 5 bobbins and change my needle after 10 bobbins.

So, I only wind 5 bobbins at a time. Once they are gone I clean the machine, wind up 5 more, put my needles into the slot closest to the new wound bobbins, and begin stitching again. Once those bobbins are gone I clean my machine and remember it is time to change the needle because the needles are in the slot beside my bobbins. After this I then put the needles in the far left slot so I know that I did it.

Sad how anal I am, but too many other things going on in a regular day and it is the only way I can remember to do these things.

Suzanne

when it Breaks.. shame on me?
MK