The thread about rotary cutters got me thinking. How often do I change my needle compared to how often do I change my rotary blade? If the needle needs to be changed every so many hours, maybe I could tie my blades to that.

I usually change when I hear the needle 'pop' while going through the fabric.

I change my needles about like you do! <grin>

Not as often as I need to...

I change my needles with every project or quilt. I have found that lots of times there is dust built up in the bobbin area that causes a 'thud' kind of sound but it's not always the needle that's making it. So I usually clean the bobbin area and then if I can still hear the 'thud' sound, I change the needle. I can, usually, piece a king sized quilt before I need a new needle. I only change my rotary cutting blade when it starts skipping places as I'm cutting.

Every other quilt on piecing and frame machine

Clean & Change after every project......
machine stay Happy that way :) :) :)

I switched to all titanium coated machine needles. They stay sharp much longer then regular needles. It's been months since I changed because of the needle being dull.

I don't change mine unless I break it or heard the thud. Bad habit.

I'm sooo baaad. I only change it when it breaks.

when I purchased my Bernina, I was told to change the needle after 7 to 8 hours of stitching. But when I was using the embroidery arm, was told to change it after 60,000 stitches, and if the thread jams, first thing was to change the needle.

I changed to the titanium needle recently and am much happier with how long they last. Before I would change when a needle broke, changed to a different type, had a problem with the stitch or did a through cleaning which all means about once a month or so depending on what I was working on.

Unfortunately I don't usually think about changing them until they break!

I've been trying to change them more often so I don't have any problems. I like the way a new needle sews.

Tintanium needles #12 from Superior Threads are the only needles I use - according to Bob's website they last 8x longer than other needles
Mine's been in for more than a year and still doing fine.
http://www.superiorthreads.com

I must say I have not been good about change unless bent,
break, different sounds, etc. I do have machine cleaned
once a year.

Yes, or when I break it!

I change my needle at the beginning of each new project. Find that I get better stitch quality and control....Needles are relatively inexpensive...and the quality of your sewing will improve.

I'm a terrible soul.... I rarely change my needle.. until I hit a pin and break it... I know I know... it's bad on the machine.. but I"m on a tight budget..

I was given some " used" needles by another board member that changed her needle freq... I sharpen them and sew right along with them.. This saves me so much money.....

If any of u needle changers wish to donate used needles , I'd love to salvage them.... I sew for Veterans ( American Veterans Project - bluteddies Veterans) I freq sew heavy duck or upolstery fabrics and the needles really help keep costs down.
PM me if anyone wishes to donate used needles ( dull not broken or bend ones.. I can do that on my own... LOL)

thanks

how do you know when a needle needs to be changed (other than the obvious.. it broke)

I can hear it - the machine sounds cloppier (is that a word?).
And that tells me I should have changed it hours ago. :roll:

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

It's already too late when you hear the pop but that does it for me too!

Speaking of needles.....when piecing a quilt top, what size needle do you use?

Religiously with every break ....

Titanium needles last way longer than the regular ones. I change when I remember, which sometimes is a LONG time.

every new project for me

On my longarm, I change the needle with each quilt. On my Janome, I change it when I start having problems or hear the popping sound.

guess I am to fussy as I change with each new project and also size according to thread used some require a larger needle eye but I do lots od different things

Something to consider. I was told by my Pfaff service techie not to use titanium needles, because they will do more harm to your machine and bobbin assembly/hook etc. because they don't break. Haven't used one since.

I'm still hoping to make some sort of connection between changing needle and changing blade.

Whenever I need to, which isn't anywhere close to 8 hours of sewing. I might change to a slightly bigger needle when doing actual machine quilting, but after I'm done, I put the same smaller needle back in and put the one I just used, back in my pin cushion. Personally, I think the needle makers say 8 hours, so you'll buy more needles.