mpeters1200

I think that is what my mother would call this. I recently bought a vintage singer and she came with vintage bobbins, of which, they came with crappy thread on them.

So I needed to take the thread off so I could put good thread on it. As I unwound the bobbin, there were 13 different colors of thread on this same bobbin. Seems as soon as I finally got one off, there was another one.

Was it a common practice to put thread on an already threaded bobbin?

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Vicki W

I have seen bobbins where my mother and grandmother did the same. Also spools of thread where pieces of other colors were added.

fred singer

well you have a very good machine now

Tink's Mom

It is never a good practice to do this...multi threads on a spool will mess with the bobbin tension .

fayzer

I just untangled a mess of different colored threads on the bobbin of my new Morse.

ann31039

my mom and grandma both were guilty. i have done it too, years ago. now bobbins are plentiful and cheap and we dont have to do it anymore.

debcavan

Yes, you did not waste any thread

QM

It's not a good idea, but my very frugal mother did it. BTW, I don't even try to unwind them, I take an exacto knife to the whole mess.

I was taught to be very frugal with thread. My mother was of the Depression generation, raised by a mother who was the sole support of the family, (with a disabled husband). "Extra" thread was put aside for hand sewing. I buy most of my thread on large cones. Adjusting for inflation, my thread is much cheaper than theirs.

Remember, torn shirts became rags, or rugs. even very small scraps of fabric became quilts. don't judge these people harshly.

Maia B

Each of my 3 FWs came with bobbins like this. I don't know if they ever meant to use that thread in the machine, or if it was just handy to wrap thread around a bobbin. Maybe they intended to use it for hand sewing, basting, or as the top thread.

SherriB

I have found that on all of the old machines I have bought. I would guess that most of the machines belonged to women who grew up in or close to the depression. Waste not, want not, was told to my Mom over and over as a child.