My most frequent reason for changing needles is changing types of thread. I love the idea of the blue painters' tape. That's the other reason...I can't remember what the loose needles are...time to get more organized

I think I need a new tomato pin cushion. Great tip!

I think I need a new tomato pin cushion. Great tip!

Great use of old needles Susan!

I have a longarm and change my needles frequently, if not every quilt, at least every other one. Also I change needles if the quilt is heavy on batiks to a smaller needle.
The needles are heavier than pins so I use the "used" needles as pins in my design wall. Then when I finish a quilt and want photos I can hang up the quilt with the heavier pins. I can also block some of the quilts using these heavier pins and a steamer on my wall.
My design wall is a piece of sound board covered with batting.

Susan

Me, too...what a great idea !

A thumbtack! :shock: Brilliant Louise! I'll be doing that now!

I use Margo's idea storing needles in a tomato pin cushion with needle sizes written in each segment. Instead of using painter's tape on my machine to indicate which size is in the machine, I just put a thumb tack in the corresponding segment of the tomato pin cushion.

I'm not sure, but I think it's a metals recycling center. That's what it sounded like when she mentioned it. The other thing I've never checked on so I don't include is whether they can handle pins with plastic or glass heads.

Nancy

rehak wrote:
No kidding! I wonder what they do with them? Is it a regular recycling place, or do they handlle just the sharp stuff?

We have a place that recycles old rotary cutter blades and needles. I keep them in an Altoids tin that is marked "SHARP" in big letters, then take them to a guild meeting where one of the ladies collects them for recycling.

Nancy

heartnsoulquilts wrote:
So do I. But instead of throwing it in the garbage, I take it to the drugstore when it's full, along with the syringes I use to give my cat her insulin.

I wonder if you can send needles (not the syringes, just the machine needles) for recycling?

So do I. But instead of throwing it in the garbage, I take it to the drugstore when it's full, along with the syringes I use to give my cat her insulin.

I wonder if you can send needles (not the syringes, just the machine needles) for recycling?

In order to tell if a needle is used or new, I place the used (but still usable) needles upside down back in the package. Easy peasy! Any needle with the point up in the package has been used before but not ready for the trash.

And for trash - I take an old medicine bottle with a child proof cap and label it USED SHARPS. I put all needles, pins, hand needles, etc in there until it is full then trash it.