How often do you change your needle when piecing?
 

When I first started quilting I read to change your needle every time you change your bobbin for piecing. Then recently I read a "professional" quilter say that she does it after every 3 bobbin changes. So what to you all do? Changing every 3 would certainly save a lot on needles for me!
Thank you for your thoughts!

i usually change it before starting a new top.

I do this, too. I usually clean my machine, fill a new bobbin and change the needle before starting on a new project. It seems to save a lot of time and problems later.

I change the needle when
I go to a totally different fabric - such as denim to tricot.,
or I bend or break a needle,
or it starts ro sound funny.

Probably not as oftern as I should...once a month. As long as the sewing is going swimmingly along and there are no problems I'll continue to use one and change it the 1st of the month.

When the machine starts making that 'thunk' sound, and I can feel the slight tug on the fabric.

Which is probably not often enough, if I'm letting it get to that point.

I change the needle when I clean the bobbin area, which is after 5-6 bobbins, or if it starts thunking before then. I should probably change it more often, needles aren't expensive.

No hard and fast rules.

Like others have said ... when I get that funny thunky sound ...
... it's usually a sign that I already should have changed the needle!

I only wind 2 bobbins at a time. Once the last one is emptied I clean my machine, change the needle and wind 2 more. Lather rinse repeat .

Probably not as often as I should, but changing at every bobbin change or even two---that does become expensive. Schmetz 5 packs are selling for over $8 here.