Does your machine have a threader? If so, make sure when using it that the needle is not hitting the plate. My threader (on my Viking Sapphire) was bending my needle just enough to have the needle hit the plate. In one evening I broke over a dozen needles. It would be ok for about 8-15 stitches and then break. Here the maintenance person at the dealers shop had put in a new threader (without my asking for it as it was working just fine when I took the machine in to them) and he put it in sideways or something. I had another one put in and needles quit breaking.