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Despite the fact that I do not ever recall my mother changing a sewing machine needle, modern threads and machines require that we change them frequently. The general rule of thumb is not to exceed 8 hours of sewing with a needle. In general, I change needles after each project and before then if I hit a pin, or if I hear a slight popping sound when the needle goes into the fabric.

If your thread is breaking frequently, it may be that your needle is at fault. If you slide your fingers along the sides of the tip of the needle you may feel a little burr there. That can be responsible for your thread breaking or for causing that popping sound when the needle enters the fabric.  Even new needles can sometimes be defective.

The sewing machine needle is designed for a specific purpose.  I personally use denim needles size 12 or 14 for piecing and quilting and topstitch needles size 14 or 16 for metallic or other specialty threads.

Parts of a Needle:
 

Shank - the top part of the needle. It is usually flat on the back to fit into your machine. Eye of the needle - the part the thread goes through. The shape of the eye is determined by size, type and brand. Shaft of the needle - this is the main part of the needle, the thickness determines the size designation Front groove - this is the groove above the eye and should be smooth and deep enough to cradle the thread as it is passed through the fabric to the bobbin hook to form the stitch Point of the needle - varies with brand and type The scarf is the indentation at the back of the needle. If the scarf is short it requires your machine to be more finely tuned to work properly.