Wednesday 23 April 2014

How long does a needle last?

On your sewing machine that is?  Do you measure needle life in garments?  For example, this needle worked away on two dresses, a shirt, etc, etc, it must need a change?  Or do you think it's been six months, time for a new needle?  Or do you wait till something goes haywire on the machine and troubleshoot?  Obviously if the needle gets bent, you change it.  This is the kind of question I feel I can ask in this space.  So sewing nerdy - but of so little interest to non-sewers.

I am just wondering.  I bought new needles a few months ago.  I bought stretch needles and standard needles.  But how long do I expect them to last?
A small attempt at organising my sewing tools

And, while I  am posting on this sewing nerd-ish topic, do you favour any one brand of needles for sewing machines?

Finally what do you do when you throw away your old needles?  I tend to wrap the point in tape.
But could I be recycling them?

3 comments:

  1. Good question. I never thought about recycling them. I read somewhere (or maybe my mom told me??) to change needles with every project. I think I change them after two projects. Unless of course I break it or I sense a problem earlier.

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  2. I think I read a post by Sewing Cake about that topic a while ago. She even posted blown-up pictures of how scratched and dull a needle looks after a couple of projects... I think I read somewhere to change a needle after about 8h of straight sewing. I tend to change them every few projects, and use a new one if a project is "important" for me or uses especially nice fabric...

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  3. I was always told you should change the needle after every project, as a rule of thumb. Not that I listen, I can't remember the last time I changed mine ... which generally means it's about time by my rule of thumb ;)

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