I learned in my first Home Ec. class to put the thread through any hole from inside the bobbin to the top, hold on tight and wind; the tail end breaks off flush with the edge of the bobbin. That's the way I've done every bobbin I've ever wound, and that's a bunch! I do it when the bobbin's already mounted on the winder, so is way quicker for me than trying to start it by winding a bit.