I use Organ needles and you're right, they do seem to last forever.

I change mine alot. I get longer out of the titanium ones, but still I like the idea of a "fresh needle."

Love the Organ Top Stitch Needles as well. I bought them by the 100 from Allbrands.

I'm like you Maria, this works for me and I'm not worried about my machine.

I only do piecing on my DMS. I wind a dozen bobbins at a time. When I do that, I also clean my machine, and change my needle. It's just a habit I'm in, and keeps everything running smoothly. Needles aren't really all that expensive, and well worth having a good sharp one in place. It helps stop skipped stitches as well, so in the long run that saves time, which is worth more to me that saving a few pennies on needles. (I save old empty pill bottles to put the used ones in so I can dispose of them safely.)

I change my needle when it breaks. If I start having a lot of thread breakage, I will change then also. Otherwise, I just sew on.

I have always read in different quilting books to change it every time you start a new project. It is also a good time then to clean the bobbin area, oil machine & get everything ready you are working on. I don't follow that to a tee but it is sort of my timeline

I heard similar advice: every 8-12 hours, and listen for the popping/snapping sound as the needle hits the fabric. It's so easy to forget to change the needle though. I should put a little post it note on the machine.

Hmmmn, good thread! I always learn so much here! These are things I really needed to know...Organ needles (which I am using) listen for popping sound, good to know and size 14 for FMQ, that might be why I just broke a thread, I think I have a previously used size 12 in there now. Gonna go change it and finish the last section of the outer border. Yay, I'm this close to binding. Thanks girls!

I am guilty of not changing my needles often enough, although when the stitches go wonky or don't look nice any more, I'll change the needle. I was told by the man who sold me my Janome that I should change the needle after every project, and/or after 8 hours of sewing. First, I can only do small pieces of time sewing because of shoulder issues, so I'd lose track of the hours, but when the machine goes wonky, I will change the needle and then I'll wonder why I didn't do it sooner.