I love Organ needles - look for them on Amazon. You can buy a box of 100 of them for around $10-12. I've done that three times now and have never found a bad one! I use them in my two modern Janomes as well as in all of my vintage machines (except for two that take different needle sizes). No problems.

Will your machine quilt with the size 14 needles? As long as you have some, I'd try. I use size 12 for everything except heavy fabrics. Sometimes I even hem jeans with a 12.

I use mostly 12's, too. For machine quilting, I've never used more than a 14 on my Bernina. I've never used Singer needles. I use Schmetz or Organ and have always had good luck with them. I have had a needle fall out, but it was usually because I hadn't tightened the thumb screw tight enough or due to a lot of vibration when doing a lot of sewing.

I should add I don't use universal needles at all anymore.

If the needles are that ill-fitting for your machine, you risk damaging your machine if one falls out, breaks, or gets stuck in the mechanism. It can nick the bobbin case and/or throw your machine's timing out of whack. Might be worth it to order online and pay for same-day shipping (for example, from Amazon).

Singer needles are smaller at the top than other needles. We use Schmetz on the machines we service.

I'm using the last of the 4-pack right now and it's doing a good job. However, I made a run to my LQS today for size 16 Superior needles. (Titanium. The ladies there said they are excellent needles and should last a good long time.)

I normally do use 14's, but I'm working with flannel at the moment. The Organ 14's were balking when I put the pedal to the metal.

Look at your needle bar to see if you bent it, this happened to me with using the walking foot and I had bent my needle bar and had to take the machine in for repair. If that is not the cause some machines will not use universal needles like HP printer only used HP ink.

I do not have anything to contribute other than to say that I sure have learned a lot from this thread. Thank you to all who contributed their knowledge!

This is a most interesting thread. I have a Brother NX 650-Q and have used mostly Schmetz and Organ needles. Both types have fallen out more times than I care to remember. It's usually because I've been driving full out (e.g., sewing strips) rather than when I'm creeping along trying to be sure to match seams or whatever. Disappointing that a machine that is designed to sew fast can't handle the speed.

I have always just plugged the needle back in and kept going. No problems.

If in a pinch again and go to Joann's, buy the Schmetz needles. I have a Janome and use those and have never had a problem with them. I agree with what several have said about Singer needles - not good.