Hands pushing through fabric underneath a sewing machine's needle

5 Reasons To Change Out Your Needles on Your Sewing and Embroidery Machines

Sewing and embroidery machines are essential for any quilter, sewer, or crafter. They make our lives easier by allowing us to create beautiful pieces without much effort. However, like any other machine, sewing and embroidery machines require maintenance to stay in good condition and produce high-quality results. One of the most overlooked maintenance tasks is changing out the needle. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of changing out your needles on your sewing and embroidery machines and the benefits that come with it.

  1. Better Quality Stitching: The needle is the primary tool that determines the quality of your stitching. Over time, needles can become dull, bent, or damaged, which can result in inferior stitching. By changing out your needle regularly, you can ensure that your stitches are crisp, even, and professional-looking.
  2. Prevent Damage to Your Fabric: Using a dull or damaged needle can cause fabric damage by leaving holes, snags and causing it to fray. A dull or damaged needle can also cause shredding when sewing through difficult materials such as layers of denim or leather. Changing your needle frequently will help prevent unnecessary damage to your fabric and save you money on additional fabric costs.
  3. Avoid Skipped Stitches: When a needle becomes dull or bent, it can skip stitches, which leads to uneven stitching. Skipping stitches can also cause the machine to jam or break. By changing your needle frequently, you can avoid skipped stitches, resulting in precise and accurate stitching.
  4. Avoid Thread Breakage: Thread breakage can be caused by using a worn or dull needle or a needle that is too small or big for your fabric. This can lead to frustration and wasted time. By changing your needle often and ensuring you’re using the correct size needle for your project and fabric, you will avoid thread breakage and disruptions in your sewing and embroidery process.
  5. Avoid Breaking Your Needle and Potentially Damaging Your Machine: A broken needle can cause damage to your sewing and embroidery machines, which can be quite costly to repair. Additionally, a broken needle can cause injury to yourself or others. Taking the precautionary measure of changing out your needle frequently will help prevent these types of accidents from happening.

In summary, changing out your needles on your sewing and embroidery machines is essential to maintain high-quality stitching, prevent damage to your fabric, avoid skipped stitches and thread breakage, and prevent accidents and costly repairs. It’s recommended to change the needle every time you start a new sewing project when you have sewed for consecutive 8 hours, or after using about 5 bobbins of thread It’s important to make a habit of changing your needle frequently, depending on how often you use your machine. At Kiki’s Quilt Shack, we carry a variety of needle brands such as Schmetz, Klasse, and Superior, to help you maintain your sewing and embroidery machines. So, the next time you hear a popping sound or notice inferior stitching, don’t forget to change out your needle right away and feel the difference in your crafting projects.

 

Check out the video below if you want to hear Kiki talk about the importance of changing your needles!