Paper piecing - change needle more often?
 

I'm starting my first quilt that is primarily paper piecing. In the past, I've changed my needle about once every queen sized quilt that I piece. Do I need to change the needle more often when paper piecing? I'm sewing through copy paper with the stitch length decreased. Thanks!

I haven't noticed my needle getting dull faster when I paper piece.

If you start having problems, bad stitching, or signs your needle has become dull then, change it. I have done many many paper pieced quilts, sometimes 2-3 without changing needles - I make big ( queen & king sized) quilts. I change my needles when the need arises

Generally speaking ... yes, I find I have to change my needle more often when I paper piece.

Lately I've been using Organ titanium needles and they DO last a lot longer, even when paper piecing.

This is my experience as well. Since I'm one of those bad people that sew over pins, I break them frequently enough (but not that often) that breakage replacement is usually frequently enough for me.

NJ Quilter, buy some 0.4 thick glass head pins by Clover with blue and yellow transparent heads. You will rarely hit them, and when it does happen, they are so thin they'll bend and not break your needle. Make sure you see .4 on the package because their .5 pins look identical but aren't as thin. These pins also cause less fabric distortion. They're awesome!

The widely held recommendation is that you change your needle after every 8 hours of sewing. I'm afraid I'm not that organised :D

I do think paper piecing dulls your needle faster, but I can usually tell when a needle is blunt by the 'thunk' noise it makes and like others, change when I feel it needs it.

I am one of those weirdos that change my needle often when paper piecing. I don't know if it needs it but it makes me feel better =0)

I agree. But I only change it when the needle displays that it needs to be replaced.

I only change my needles when absolutely necessary, like when I break a needle. I do quite a bit of paper piecing.