Well, duh....
 

Well, I've been sewing for about 45 years now - quilting for about 7. With all those years experience, you'd think I would remember to clean out my machine and replace the needle once in a while. I was having difficulty while doing some applique this afternoon, and then it hit me..... get rid of the lint and replace the needle... DUH!!

I think that happens to everyone who isn't absolutely compulsive....at one time or another.

Color me compulsive, I guess. I am very faithful to clean my machines, and change needles. I have learned most problems people have are thread, needles, or lint build up.

I Agree with you. It truly is amazaing what difficulties a little lint and dull needle will cause.

I have the same problem, only with rotary blades. I will keep cutting with a dull blade, complaining mentally, until it hits me...."Time for a new blade." Sure makes a big difference!!

Dina

Count me in. I finally cleaned my "go to" machine - forgetting that the previous year I made a chenille and flannel quilt! The poor little thing never even quivered but imagine how much better it must have felt with all that garbage removed! I don't usually change a needle til it breaks.

Same here!! :D

Well it is hard to stop and do maintenance when you are having fun.

I'll second (or third?) that emotion. I'm not so much on "servicing" my Featherweight but I clean the lint out every time I sew (with a small, soft make-up brush) & I change needles with each new project. They're cheap & it makes all the difference in the world -- IMHO.

I guess I am compulsive too. When I purchased my Bernina my dealer emphasized the importance of cleaning and oiling every 3 bobbin fulls. So I only load 3 bobbins at a time. When I have used up my 3rd bobbin I stop and clean out the lint and give her a few drops of oil in the bobbin race. Needles I am not so good at. I change them for thread types or when I hit a pin and break them. The only other time I remember to change out a dull needle is if I am working with batiks. A dull needle makes a very distinct "popping" noise on batiks. So I will change out when I hear that noise.

Funny how we can be so reluctant to spend money on needles and blades!

I see I'm not the only one that waits til the needle breaks before changing it! But, I do run this little cloth thru it every couple of quilts to keep the needle clean. I think I got it from Clotilde.

I change my needles often. I stocked up in bulk from Allstitch so I always have a nice stock of them. And, yes, when the stitches start to go wonky or the tension "seems" off and affects the stitch quality it is always the needle for me. Worth the time to change it. oh, and yes, clean out the lint. That does cause the thread to bunch up,etc.

We pay big $$ for these machines..better to take care of them!
sandy

I too have neglected my machine. thanks for reminder! I have been sewing on fleece, so need to clean & oil & probably change needles.

I clean out the lint often, but only change the needle if it bends or breaks.

I like the "3 bobbins full" reminder. Thanks!:thumbup:

Just remember LINT is a four letter word......and can cause more problems than it is worth.......on DM and LA machines...

I am very bad about that! And with changing the rotatary cutter blade. You would think I didn't have new ones 6 ft. away !

I second that!

I do a lot of garment sewing too. But quilting uses a lot more sewing so the fuzz builds up faster and the needles go dull faster. I too, have been guilty of keeping a needle going until it's going "pop, pop, pop", then clueing in.

I clean my machine more often since I started quilting (3yrs ago), but I forget about the blades for my rotary cutter. When I do change the blades , cutting is a breeze.....smiling.