Paper piecing - change needle more often?
#1
Paper piecing - change needle more often?
I'm starting my first quilt that is primarily paper piecing. In the past, I've changed my needle about once every queen sized quilt that I piece. Do I need to change the needle more often when paper piecing? I'm sewing through copy paper with the stitch length decreased. Thanks!
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
If you start having problems, bad stitching, or signs your needle has become dull then, change it. I have done many many paper pieced quilts, sometimes 2-3 without changing needles - I make big ( queen & king sized) quilts. I change my needles when the need arises
#4
Generally speaking ... yes, I find I have to change my needle more often when I paper piece.
Lately I've been using Organ titanium needles and they DO last a lot longer, even when paper piecing.
Lately I've been using Organ titanium needles and they DO last a lot longer, even when paper piecing.
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
This is my experience as well. Since I'm one of those bad people that sew over pins, I break them frequently enough (but not that often) that breakage replacement is usually frequently enough for me.
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,783
NJ Quilter, buy some 0.4 thick glass head pins by Clover with blue and yellow transparent heads. You will rarely hit them, and when it does happen, they are so thin they'll bend and not break your needle. Make sure you see .4 on the package because their .5 pins look identical but aren't as thin. These pins also cause less fabric distortion. They're awesome!
#7
The widely held recommendation is that you change your needle after every 8 hours of sewing. I'm afraid I'm not that organised
I do think paper piecing dulls your needle faster, but I can usually tell when a needle is blunt by the 'thunk' noise it makes and like others, change when I feel it needs it.
I do think paper piecing dulls your needle faster, but I can usually tell when a needle is blunt by the 'thunk' noise it makes and like others, change when I feel it needs it.
#9
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
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05-08-2011 01:56 AM