Some machines, you can see the bobbin from the top. Others, you can't see them until they are empty and you are still quilting your happy little heart out. Since I will never ever afford the Bernina 830 or other brands at that level, I am curious, do any of you have a machine that will signal you in some form that your bobbin is close to empty????? And if it could be gotten as an add on, even after the pruchase of your machine, would you want it?

I try to monitor my bobbins, but every now and then when your really doing well and things look fine you get this butterfly feeling in your stomach, at least I do when I glance at the fabric moving backwards and I am not seeing the stitching, but yet my thread is still in the needle.. I have sewn close to a half of binding before I realized that the bobbin was empty.. or right in the middle of a special little cutsy design, for example I am using the little turtle stitch in the center of one of my borders on a little boys quilt and trying to go back and re-begin ends up giving me at least one or more multilated turtle shells. Just curious..

My older model bernina beeps at me when the bobbin is running low. I really love that feature.

I would really love that feature. I try to start with a full bobbin if I am sewing on my border with a fancy stitch so that doesn't happen.

My only signal from my Singer is when I pull open the little steel door and take a look. ;)

My Brother SE270D stops and tells you low bobbin :thumbup:

Drat, I would have thought if Bernina had that feature on their older machines, they would have carried them over. I have the 630. Personally I think it would be an outstanding feature on any machine, especially for those who cannot see into the bobbin without opening the barn door. Keep any suggestions coming.. I think it's a great thought.

Blue

there are some very nice machines out there that you can get used that have the drop in bobbin with a plastic window over it. I got mine for 100, it was a janome sewist 521. my friend she has an ancient singer futura from the early 90's maybe even late 80's that has the drop in bobbin with plastic cover. I was shocked to see that because I thought that the drop in was a relatively new feature.
I don't think that I would like to have a machine talk to me or beep at me. I might start to talk back to it. well I already talk to my machine but at least it doesn't really talk to me. hehe

I have a front loading bobbin in a Pfaff 7570. The machine has a low bobbin light indicator when it is low. Which is a great feature. My Pfaff 1475 did this also (the 1475 was bought in the early 1990's so I know the idicator was on the Pfaff computerized machines as early as that).

I, too have a Pfaff 7570 with a front loading bobbin. It has a low bobbin light indicator when it's low, and it's saved me many times. I'm not sure what Pfaff machines on the market today have it.

I have a Pfaff 2056 and I get a warning message and it stops. I can open the door so the sensor doesn't work and often finish up a row before I totally run out.

I have a Bernina 730 and it has a warning beep and stops sewing to warn you bobbin is low. I love it!

Well, I have a Janome and it has a plastic cover over a drop-in bobbin but when you're sewing it's covered by the fabric! I get so engrossed that I forget to check in-between steps to check the level of thread left. I had to smile when I read the post because I ran out tonight while sewing trim on a toddler dress. Not a big deal but I was quite a ways before I noticed it. Then I'm mad at myself for not checking!

Careful what you wish for. Low bobbin indicator was a MUST on my machines. The old Pfaff has a little light that blinks when the bobbin is low. Since I am a big girl, I know what that means. It means that if I don't pay attention, I will run out of bobbin thread and look like a fool when I continue to sew. Once I get to within a foot of the bobbin thread, the light would blink again and I would know that the end is near. ....until a little bit of lint messed up the sensor and....no more indicator. I was left to deal with the feel and the look of "uh-oh - I'm out of bobbin"

The next Pfaff had a different kind of low bobbin indicator:
It showed me in big letters on the display "Low Bobbin" AND it stopped the foreward motion of the sewing process dead in its tracks. I could start sewing again, and sometimes, I could sew 5 more stitches, sometimes 3. Since there was at least 6 foot of thread on the bobbin, I had a lot of starts and stops. Ready to scream - LOUDLY!

My new machine has a drop-in bobbin and I hope I will pay attention.

I have a clear window with a drop-in. I alway's have extra bobbins already wound to popo in. I can see the amount of thread on it when Iturn fabric, etc. I am never able to get that engrossed in my projects.

On the Pfaff 7570, once the low thread indicator lights up, it does stop sewing. You can trick it by opening the bobbin door and keep sewing. This disables the sensor. The tricky part is to remember that the bobbin thread is low and not sew too much further. Otherwise, you sew along without thread.

My Singer Quantum has a tiny red light that blinks when the bobbin is low. I know how long I can sew before it is empty.

yes my Phaff computerized sewing machine beeps when the bobbin is almost empty

I have a Brother SE 350 and it beeps at me and words pop up on the screen telling me the bobbin is almost empty. I have to push close (also on the window) to continue on and lock my stitches down so I can change them. I find this feature invaluable and absolutely love it.

My Viking #1 Plus had that feature and that machine was bought in 1997. I loved it. I see no reason why sewing machine makers cannot put that on as a standard feature! This is the one thing that I really would love to have on my Juki and Sapphire!

Interesting to hear about other 7570's. I got one of the first one's made. I know there were a few upgrades to software on the "newer" ones that weren't on mine. My bobbin light flashes and lets me know the bobbin is low and the screen will tell me. I press the OK button. I then have 15 feet of thread left and it will sew with the bobbin indicator light lit up. I like my indicator a lot. I know what that flashing light means even if the screen didn't ask me.

i usually just use a bobbin on top and bottom..when i am quilting..they run out at the same time.

I had heard only the 9mm Berninas - the ones with a rotary hook - have bobbin sensors. For me, unless they're very accurate they are more hassle than they're worth.

I've got an older (not antique) Singer that doesn't have any bells or whistles, but I've spent so much time sewing on it that I can tell by the sound and the "feel" when the bobbin is running low. Sometimes I don't pay close enough attention though, or try to sew "just a little bit more". Oops! :mrgreen:

My inherited-from-my-Granny Pfaff 7570 and her slightly older Pfaff (can't remember the model # offhand) are still sitting off to the side, waiting for me to learn more about them as soon as I have time. She passed away a couple of months ago, and we're still going through her estate. But I remember her saying how much she liked the low bobbin indicator. :)

I have a Singer XL1000 about 8 yrs old. It has the low bobbin indicator message and beep, and a drop in bobbin with plastic cover. You can set when you want it to alert you, and both sewing and embroidery modes have their own alert settings so you can set them differently. The setting is for how many stitches do you want remaining on the bobbin when you are notified that you're running low on thread.

It gives you an alert beep and message 3 times before your down to your last 5 (or 6?) stitches worth of thread. The last alert, at 5 stitches, gives you just enough thread to tie off and that's it. If you set it to alert you when you have thread for 5 stitches left, then you only get the one alert. Otherwise, it spaces them out. (Ex: You can choose 20 stitches remaining, then you get 3 alerts - 1st at 20, 2nd at 10, and the last one at 5 stitches. Hope this makes sense.)

I really like that I can set it for how far out I want to be signaled. It's a very nice feature. Warning though...the beep can startle you sometimes!

Mine beeps at me......love it

This little hint came from a dear friend who has been sewing for years. First start with a full bobbin for any lengthy stitching. Then the secret is to mark your thread while winding the bobbin. As the bobbin gets near to full, stop it and mark your thread with a permanent marker or disappearing pen for about 18".

My Brother does this and it can be very annoying and a waste of thread.

My first machine a Singer 40 yrs ago had a drop in bobbin with a clear cover, have one in my Elna, I watch it, and STILL run out of thread. duh

Hi,

Great question.My babylock lets you know, however my idea of empty the the machines is pretty far appart. So I either stop with a good bit of thread on the bobbin or listen to a beep every few seconds.

If the bobbins are prefilled it is no big deal but if I am filling them I hate to pull off the leftover thread.

My Babylock beeps when the bobbin is "close" to empty. But I have found I can still stitch for about another 36 inches or so before it actually empties.

My Pfaff 2170 has a bobbin low light indicator. But I have a little machine that I take on trips that doesn't. So when I'm using that and get to a section where I would be distressed if the bobins ran out, I check it,and if I'm not sure it will last, I fill a new one.

Yes, I have the 440, and it doesn't have this feature either. How dumb. I still love my machine though.

Both my Janomes notify me when bobbin is getting low, but my favorite thing is my Janome MC11000se has a separate built-in bobbin winder on top of the machine. That means I don't have to un-thread anything to rewind a bobbin. It's great! Great little invention.
I did own an individual bobbin winder (one of the hot sale items a few years ago) but that didn't work as well as I wanted... kept skipping across table when in use and in the end the thread wasn't evenly wound. So once I got my MC11000se I gave the bobbin winder to a friend who desperately wanted one along with all my warnings about it dancing across the table. Her husband built a special clamp to hold it down and she's happy with it.

My Pfaff signals when I'm starting to almost run out of thread, but what I'd REALLY like is a signal when I HAVE run out of thread. lol

My Babylock lets me know the bobbin's low--but I've learned to keep on switching for a while. I bought a Sidewinder (bobbin winder) on sale (half-price) not long ago. I really like it. At least I don't have to unthread my sewing machine now--and I can be filling a new bobbin while I'm still sewing.

my Janome beeps when near to empty but I keep on and usually run out of thread

My 1973 Bernina trusts me to figure out all by myself when the bobbin has run out, like when no more stitches are being made and the top thread goes all wonky -- low tech, baby!

My very inexpensive Brother has a drop in, so that you can see how much is left. Can't say I have NEVER kept sewing without bobbin thread, but I usually glance at it when I pick up whatever I'm sewing.

I hate that I have to special buy my bobbins... I have to either get them on line or at a lqs or the local sewing machine repair shop...

My Brother has a clear cover over the bobbin so it's easy to see if it's low but no beep. That sure would be nice.

I hate to say this but since I have that feature on my Babylock Esante, I could never have a machine without it again.... it's such a saver.