When Do You Change Your Sewing Machine Needle?
#21
At the end of every project I clean and oil my machine and replace the needle. With every bobbin change I also clean out any lint. If it's a big project, I'll oil it again somewhere in the middle and may change the needle. I'm a little picky I think, but my dealer is almost two hours away and a friend who has the same machine didn't do any routine maintenance and paid through the nose to get it back in shape. I also use a magnifying glass to see the needle tip and you can really see if the tip has rounded.
#22
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 18
Years ago a repair man told me a sharp needle is the secret to a long life of a sewing machine. He's words proved correct - I've had my machine for 58 years - I use it almost every day. I change my needle and clean bobbin area first - before I begin to sew. On my embroidery machine, I change the needle every 3-4 hours of dense stitches even if the pattern isn't finished. Needles are super cheap compared to repair bills.
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Dakotas
Posts: 3,030
The companies who make needles would like us to change that often because they would sell more needles, right? Growing up, Mom sewed until the needle broke. I change needle once or twice a month and I sew every day.
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Grass Lake, MI and Bradenton, FL
Posts: 785
I think I probably used the same needle for a year on one of my older machines! But that's a little extreme. I think "every 6 hours" is a marketing ploy, just like toothpaste commercials show a person using a strip of toothpaste that's as big as the toothbrush. Ha! I'm on to you, toothpaste company!
#29
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 255
I always change my needle when starting a new project, or at least sewing on it for few days. The needle will let you know when it needs replacement also, for me it starts to skip stitches, or I can hear it hitting the fabric making pucker sound, or you have to keep re-threading.
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