Edie

I have the SideWinder from JoAnn's and I love it. I added more bobbins to my collection and do up about 15 extra bobbins and always have them on hand - until, of course, I run out and then it is a nice relaxing time, just making up more bobbins. It goes fast, and if you can't be right on top of it, it stops automatically when the bobbin is filled. Very simple, very easy. I have had mine for about five years now and haven't had one smidgeon of trouble and if I did, I wouldn't think twice about getting another one.

Oh, yah, I heard the same thing about not using your bobbin winder on your machine. So I don't. Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't, but for 50% off on a Sidewinder, it is worth it to me. Happy sewing! Edie

Dollyo

I have 2 Vikings that I wind bobbins for. I bought the SideWinder Deluxe for $30 (regular price is $99), just because I read the same thing. I use it for my Viking 1+ which has a shaped bobbin. They have a special post for them. I tried it, it worked fine, but they also wind on the regular post. I have found that I use a thread stand (I use mostly cones) and wrap the thread twice around the upper arm to get a tight enough tension on the bobbin. I also have the tensioner on the bobbin winder tightened right down. I love mine. I screwed up the tension on my old Viking which I used to wind bobbins for my Bailey. It's fixed now, but I'm not going to do that again.

Weezy Rider

The Viking 1+ and the Pfaff 2100 series have vertical bobbins. So does the 1500S.
The sidewinders may not work with the newer Pfaffs and Vikings that have drop-in bobbins although they do seem to work with older Babylock and Brother dropins, like the PC 6500 and the Ellure of the same vintage.

Some say that the name on the Pfaff bobbin needs to be on top. I've never noticed. The generic bobbins for the 2100 series aren't labelled and work just fine. The first Pfaff I had, the 1471, made no difference, neither did the 1475.

oldtnquiltinglady

You ladies are SOOOOO SMART.....This has been a fun read--and I had a LOL moment with Dunster's comment. I don't know how to do the brackets thing to bring it down here for me to show you what she said--you'll have to scroll back up to her posting......I could make all the comments that were made all through this post. Been there, done that, been sewing for 60 years (and have had the LA tension problems big time)......

matraina

I'm afraid I have to agree with Peckish. I've been sewing a long time - well before bobbin winders came out. They do do something to your machine - lets it sew.

BellaBoo

The Sidewinder kept my 10 year old DGD busy all summer long. When she left I had a shoe box full of wound bobbins. We bought every bobbin Walmart had in stock that summer. LOL My guild is still using the bobbins for handsewing.

Geri B

Thank for tip on weight of sidewinder. My older model of Viking has a better bobbin system than the "now" machines have....get to bobbin from side not top, could do a bobbin while still keeping work under needle in progress and use other thread to wind bobbin. I too dislike having to remove thread from paths, do bobbin, then retread.... I try to wind a whole donut of bobbins. Either before start of sewing day begins or at end....I do most of my everyday bobbins in white or off white for piecing.......

Peckish

Off topic.... if you click "reply with quote" button at the bottom of the post you want to quote, you will get the brackets thing.

mjhaess

I never heard of such a thing regarding using your machine winder.. I do have two bobbin winders and I love them..They are very handy to have because they save time. I paid less than 20 dollars for them. Never heard of one for 125.00

Jo Anne B.

There is a SideWinder Deluxe $99 range at Jo ann's. I did purchase that model, the smaller $25 w/coupon version did not work with my Pfaff 2044, I like my Bobbin Winder, I prefer just to sit and make a plethora of bobbins at the beginning of a project. The deluxe will work with the bobbins from my Singer 15-91 too.
i had heard that using the bobbin winder on the machine did put wear and tear on the motor, can't tell you wear i heard it...it did not make a whole lot of sense to me, but in an effort to savior my machine i do use the Winder.
I think my machine may have the ability to fill a bobbin from the spool while sewing or something to that effect... need to study up on that option.