I probably don't change my needle as often as I should, but do try to change it with the beginning of each new quilt or the equivalent, i.e. about 15 blocks. I use Schmetz needles that I almost always buy when JoAnnes has its Notions Wall at 60% off. Mostly I use topstitching needles size 80 as they have a nice BIG eye that I can see to thread!!! LOL

When I start a new project usually

They have a pin cushion from nancy's notions for separating needles if that helps

My problem has always been remembering what's in the machine. So I got a craft box at JoAnn's that has compartments just the right size to hold needle packages. I put one size in each compartment and I put a button in the compartment of the size needle that's in the machine.

I'm extremely lucky to live near so many LQS's. I actually buy most of my needles in boxes of 100. I usually use a coupon to get them. So since they don't cost much I change mine fairly often.

I have a marked pincushion for my needles. I used a Sharpie and marked the various sizes I use and divided the whole pincushion so I can find my still good needles and know what size they are. I put in a flower head pin in the section fo the pincushion to let me know what I have in my machine. Since, I too often change between different projects and they may each be using different needles.

It works. It is cost effective. It is fun.

ali

ali

You have been in my sewing room and seen me sewing

Really you should be changing needles every 4 to 6 hours of sewing. Look at it this way.. it is the only disposable part of your machine, yet we depend on the needle to help us get the perfect stitch. Also, you should take the bobbin out and clean the whole underneath every 8 hours and put a drop of oil in the proper place in the bobbin area, if your machine requires that.

I've been using discountembroiderysupply.com for years. Have you used their LAM needles? Just curious if they are as good as their regular needles.

Me tooo

I haven't tried those. I almost always get the Organ titanium.

I change my sewing needles at the first sign of a skipped stitch. My embroidery needles are changed every other purchased bobbin.

My longarm needles I change every 4 queen size quilts (about 8 hours, which is the standard).

Marge

I change my longarm needles with every quilt, but I am a little lax on doing it with my sewing machine. I sew every day and change the needle on my sewing machine about once every couple of weeks....I know, I'm bad :)

I use Schmetz or Inspira microtex 80/12 for piecing quilts, 90/14 for flannel quilts.
For machine quilting: 90/14 top stitch
I change them after every project, sometimes more often.

I like to change the needle when they cause a knocking sound.

Too funny. lol

Thanks for all the good advice. I will watch for joann's to have their 60% off and stock up on them.

I change the needle about every eight hours of sewing, but much more frequently when quilting.

I do try to change mine fairly often. I just inherited my DSIL,s 1985 Pfaff. She has never used. Her hubby did once in a while, and when he passed away she gave it to me. In a beautiful cabinet. We had it services and I was trying it out - sounded really bad for a just serviced machine. So I decided to change the needle. purred like a kitten. She said she didn't think the needle have ever been changed since 1985!! Maybe some kind of record! The needle will definately been changed more than once every 28 years!

What model is your Pfaff? I have two: a 1222E and a 2040

Purplefiend: My Pfaff is a 1222. The only thing missing is the hard cover, as it came in a beautiful cabinet. Of course, the hard cover could be in the attic or somewhere at DSIL. But I can live without it. Hope to give this sewing machine to my Granddaughter later (she is 6 now) and wants to learn to sew.

I bought the needle saver.. Punch the needle thru the pad aprox thirty times (without the thread if course!) and it sharpens it like new again.. Bought it from nancys notions for $9.99 ! Works great for me. I only change the needle when I break it..

Thank you for your response. I'm the 2nd owner of my 1222E, had to get the correct foot pedal for it, it was sewing all by itself at top speed...dd said it was possessed. lol poor girl scared her to death. My Pfaff shares my Horn quilter's cabinet with 4 other machines; just gotta switch out the plexiglass insert.

Purplefiend: I really like the older Pfaff's. My daughter has my other one that I traded her for her older one. Right now it happens to be at my house because I borrowed it last year when my 5 year old Pfaff broke down 4 times in 3 weeks! Just went down and looked at it and it is a 1222E also. I believe it is about a 1990 model. So we probably have the same machine. It is unfortunate the new Pfaffs are not as good as the older ones. I traded my 5 year Pfaff in for a Brothers OC1000. Works great. I also have a Janome (12 lbs) Great little machine. Also made by Brother. I now also have a 1946 Singer FW I won as the grand prize in a quilt shop hop. The one thing I miss on my Brothers is the upper feed dogs. What other machines do you have

bjdemir,
My other Pfaff is a 2040(about 10 yrs old), I mostly like it except
for if I barely touch the stitch changing wheel it changes the stitch for me; really hate that.
My dealer says my 1222E is from about 1980, it was well cared for and works very well now.
Sharon W.

I change mine also when one breaks, or I'm having problems with skipped stitches or thread breaking. Of course the needle company tell us to change them every 8 hours of sewing. They know we quilters will be changing them every other day. LOL

I was just guessing on my daughters 1222E as it was used when we bought it. Still one the great machines.

I'm the second owner. I bought it about 3 years ago, I wanted a machine with a bigger throat space for machine quilting.

By not changing your needle at least every 8-10 hrs of sewing or serging, you run the risk of shredding thread, burs, tears on your fabric, a very noisy machine and poor quality of your stitches, just to name a few things. Needles are the cheapest thing to use in sewing yet the most overlooked. You can fix a multitude of problems with sewing by simply changing the needle and using the proper one for the proper fabric. I have taught machine usage for 11 years and work for a dealer. For me, it isn't worth ruining a garment over something that cost less than a dollar.
Roma

First off to keep things in perspective . . . I work for the company that is the exclusive importer of SCHMETZ Household Needles into the North American Marketplace. Most of our sales are to distributors but we do also have a small retail web site. I get asked this question a lot by consumers. The SCHMETZ company line is to change your needle every 8 hours on average or whenever starting a new project. That being said, nothing beats the request I received a few years ago from a customer who was looking to purchase the exact SCHMETZ needle that was in her sewing machine. She was extremely proud that she had been using the same needle for 15 years and it finally broke. I didn't have the heart to ask her what her stitches looked like.