Question about needle changing
 

So I was watching a video the other day and the host said that some people swear by changing their needles every 4 hours of quilting. How often do you prefer to change yours when quilting all 3 layers? What about when you are doing blocks? Is there a sign that I should watch for?

Thank you so much!

<3 Mandi <3

I'm wondering about this too.

I'm bad about not changing them until they bend or break.

I think they're supposed to make a little popping sound or bigger holes or something.

Mine is popping but maybe there's some glue on it. I should probably clean it and see if the noise goes away...

I buy Organ titanium needles and they seem to last forever! I have pieced about 6 quilts and quilted at least 4 quilts on the needle I am using now. Not sure how many hours that is, but at least 50. I am starting to notice the popping sound when the needle hits the fabric and was just thinking earlier today I should probably change the needle on my Juki and the blades on my rotary cutter.

i almost never change my needle... seems hard to believe. i don't hear any popping sound and it behaves well. i must say, though, that i change the one on my long arm on the frame more often, though. it starts acting up from time to time and i change the needle to see if that solves the problem.

I don't machine quilt but do piece by machine. And I'm another in the camp of 'change when it breaks'. I never hear a popping sound either - but maybe it's just my hearing?? But it does behave well so this process seems to work for me.

I use these too! Great needles. They save money because they last so long.

A local sewing machine guy said as a rule of thumb the needle should be changed after every 8 hours of use.

I guess I am the oddball here I was taught to change the needle every time I start a new project so that is what I do. I clean out my machine, oil and change the needle, oh and make sure bobbins are full.

I am bad too. I had a friend who did this and oil her machine every time she changed a bobbin. I usually can tell when my needle is dull and then I change it.

I try to change mine every 8 hours of sewing time (piecing, quilting, binding, mending, doesn't matter), more often if I'm doing a lot of paper piecing or sewing through a lot of fusible anything (web, stabilizer, etc) because of the added adhesive. Dull needles on mine do 'thunk' as they hit the fabric. They have to punch rather than pierce their way through.

When I piece on my Janome, I only change the needle when I hear a popping sound or it breaks. However, on my Gammill longarm, I change the needle with every quilt.

I go by sound.

These are my favorite! However, I also clean and oil my machine, change the needle and fill the bobbin after every major project. I don't want to wait for something bad to happen, I just want to sew.

I'm another one who goes by sound. It's rare for me to use the same needle for eight hours without changing to Microtex, Metallic etc so rely on the change in sound. I've also started paper piecing quite a bit so my needles do seem to wear down quicker. Haven't decided on whether my Titanium ones have lasted longer or not.

Same here. Different machines... Bernina/Innova And I do not change the needle on the Innova if the first quilt was a small, like crib, lap or Wall hanging. then I will either leave it in for a bedsize quilt or do several smalls before changing. I will also change mid quilt if the innova also starts making the popping sound. It is a pretty easy sound to hear and quite distinctive. Edited to add, I will also change needles for thread types as I change threads. But in these cases if the first needle is still good, I will put it back in the case to switch back to when I go back to the kind of thread that uses that needle size.

I only change my needles when:

1-they break

2-change when I switch to thicker/thinner fabrics from what I've been working with

3-when I'm getting ready to FMQ, I switch to a 14 quilting needle, usually I use a 12 when just sewing. When I'm done with FM, I put the same needle back in that I was using before I changed to the 14.

The needle on my Featherweight is changed every Saturday when I service the machine. I change the needle on my Bernina with each new project. Needless to say, I use lots of needles.

I am with you. I am bad about changing needles. Really good at cleaning and oiling.

Well it seems that these needles get a good review so I might try them. Right now mine isn't making any strange noise so I think I will just wait and change it before I start FMQ my 3 tops. I only have about 4 or 5 hours on this needle and it's the one that came with the machine.

Thank you everyone for all your help!

<3 Mandi <3

If you hear the popping sound as you sew, it is already a little late to change the needle. Titanium needles last a bit longer than average needles. I generally change them when I am oiling or cleaning (depending on the type of machine). That is about eight to twelve hours of sewing.

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.

I don't change the needle for every smaller project but for me, new quilt = new needle. Ready for FMQ on my DSM= new needle and different size. Kind of like hoping the stars are all aligned and crossing my fingers, hoping for the best:) I clean bobbin area each time I change the bobbin.

On my DMS I change at least every project, thread type change or when I hear that "thunking". On the long arm it is at least every quilt, although I'll use the same needle if I'm doing back to back crib quilts, etc. I figure changing the needle is somewhat like changing the oil on my car--a good preventative. Question--where do you buy Organ needles? I can't find them locally or JAF, Hancock's etc and sure do prefer them. Otherwise use Schmetz.

I buy them on eBay, I think the titanium ones I bought came in packages of 10.

I change mine often, but I do change my needle according to what I am working on. If just piecing I just a 70/10, a 75/11 or an 80/12 sharp, if sewing something thick I use a 90/14 or 100/16, and when quilting or doing something with a lot of decorative stitching I use a topstitch needle. So I have a roll of the blue painters tape in a drawer of the sewing cabt and mark on it what size needle is in the machine and the date I put it in and it's stuck to my sewing machine. I know my sewing machine dealer says I should change the needle every 8 hours of sewing, but I don't. My machine will also make a noise and then I know it's time to change. My quilting buddy is great for not even knowing what size needle is in her machine. Several times when i was up at her place sewing her machine would be making that noise and I had to tell her to change her needle. She does the same thing with the blades in her rotary cutter - she has terrible cuts in the mat because of dull blades and having to press too hard. She's the first one to tell you that she is so cheap, she squeaks when she walks. She's just too funny sometimes.

What does all the bold type mean? I know that 11,12,14,16 is the gauge of needle but what about the numbers before them?

Also how important is it to have a machine that offers the needle down stop position? The machine I am currently using does not have this option but I am looking into getting my own machine and want to make sure that it will last me a long time.

Thanks so much
<3 Mandi <3

European needle sizing (metric) goes from 60 to 120.
American needle sizing goes from 8 to 19.

http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmac...Sizes.--94.htm

This is what I do also, once you get in the habit it is not big deal to remember :)

Judy in Phx, AZ

This is when I change my needle also...when I hear a thunk when going over a multiple intersection. Other wise I clean everything out when I run out of bobbin except for the needle that is only when I start to hear the thunk. I am trying to teach myself to change needle after every quilt now as I purchased 100 organ needles last month (well worth the price for so many)
Jeri

I was told when I first started quilting to change my needle every 8 hours of use and the guideline was every 3 bobbin fill-ups which was easy to understand. Now I use Aurifil 50 cotton thread which is so much finer so I change my needle every other bobbin fill-up or when I am starting quilting a new quilt. It may sound excessive but when I saw a group member ruin her new £350 machine with a cheap needle and saw the image of a dull needle, see below pic, a cost of a new needle pales into insignificance when compared to possibly ruining my lovely machines!

I broke my first needle last week...
So this week I ordered and bought about a dozen boxes of different gauges of needles. I store them in old pill bottles that are labeled with the size on the side and top. Its nice to be able to see how many needles I have of each size just at a glance. When they are laying down in a container it is much harder for me.