I'm another that saves my "left on bobbin" thread for piecing. My LA does not have a sensor, so it's usually only the very last bobbin I need to deal with. Since these are large bobbins, I rewind it to those for my main piecing machine and then use them when the color will work, though I never worry about a good match, mostly using dark on dark quilts and lights on light quilts.

I like to have about 20 or so bobbins for my main piecing machine, so I'll still have some empty if none of what is already wound will work. I've been doing a lot of scrappy sewing lately and have managed to use up all of the odds and ends. I also normally wind several spools of a neutral color when I need to wind one (ran out). I won't do that for colors I don't know if I'll use often, but if I need to wind a bobbin of white or beige, I'm gong to wind three as I know I'll use them all up.

I use my bobbins to the end and then put in a fresh one. I clip the threads as close as possible. I pick up the last 3 stitches so it is not noticeable from where it ran out. Then just continue. I try to have at least on bobbin threaded and ready to go.

I just put my partial quilting machine bobbins on the thread spool of my sewing machine and use them as I would use a spool of thread.

[QUOTE=Macybaby;8521142]I'm another that saves my "left on bobbin" thread for piecing. My LA does not have a sensor, so it's usually only the very last bobbin I need to deal with. Since these are large bobbins, I rewind it to those for my main piecing machine and then use them when the color will work, though I never worry about a good match, mostly using dark on dark quilts and lights on light quilts.

When I have a bit of thread left on my long arm bobbin, I will leave it in the machine, and then when I load the next quilt, I use it to bast the batting to the backing, and finally the flimsy to the batting and backing. It usually is easy to see for removal and a lot of times I will just toss the rest left on the bobbin. If it runs out while doing the basting thing, I just put in the new bobbin for the backing. I do have extra long arm bobbins and will usually wind 3-5 depending on the size of the quilt and will save what is left of the most common colors I use. I haven't got into using the prewounds. I have only an "L" size bobbin on my long arm.

I do this as well. When I'm starting a new quilt, I usually wind up 50 bobbins. They last me through a quilt, unless I'm making a queen or king size. Then I will wind more. I use the same color through out the entire quilt, from seams to quilting the sandwich together.

I use just three basic colors of thread. The colors I use are: Antique ecru, a deep midnight blue, and black.

I mostly use the Antique ecru as most of my quilts are bright/light colors. If the quilt is more medium dark with a lot of blues and darker hues in it, I will use the blue. I use the black when the quilt has a lot of black, grays, and browns.

Saves having to have umpteen colors of threads in stock, or trying to match color to color. I think it gives my quilts a more of an antique look. It surprises me that these colors seem to take on the hue of the fabric. I kid you not.

when I first started using my long arm, I read one of the pros favorite colors was "baby poop green" So I got some...now that is not the actual name. Use your imagination to pick out this color from the thread you are using. anyway, I bought about eight "dusty colors" of thread. dusty rose, dusty blue, dusty dust, and of course a white, cream, dark dusty brown, and a couple of shades of grey. Yep, all these "dusty" colors blend in with just about any quilt top I do. Of course later I bought some bright colors for fun. Now I find that the greyer threads blend in well with "cool" color quilts and the creams blend in well with the "warm" color quilts.