Low bobbin: What do you do?
 

Whether you have a sensor on your DSM or are just eyeballing your bobbin, what do you do when the bobbin looks low? I just put in a bobbin in a new color that was obviously running low before doing some FMQ. I thought about throwing the remaining thread out so I could start fresh. But I couldn’t bring myself to do so. And, of course, I ran out and needed a new bobbin partway through. What do you do?

I have a lot of bobbins - so if I am starting a new project, I wind a fresh bobbin.

I will try to use up small amounts of thread on bobbins on things that thread color does not really matterl

I hate to waste/throw away bobbin thread. The only time I do that is if the thread has become tangled or I broke a plastic bobbin.

I change bobbins as needed but use up the ( low) bobbins for small projects or piecing when the thread isn’t going to matter. I also use upbobbin thread for hand sewing I may need to do.

depends on what I am doing. If I am piecing, I usually just look for the next bobbin that does not have much thread on it and plug it in. I do try and keep the same brand...but I usually mostly piece with Aurifil or mettler so fine. If I an working on something were the bobbin thread is going to show, then I make sure I use a matching bobbin.

As I start a new project I'm usually chain piecing a lot of short seams so I'll put in a partially full bobbin to do these. My machine sets reminders until the bobbin is down to 8% which is actually still quite a bit of sewing left to go. I like to keep track of how many seams I'll get from that last 8%. Kind of a game really. I keep my thread stored with its corresponding bobbin attached. Bobbins are filled for the project, but the partial bobbin attached to the thread spool is the first to go in the machine. Another thing you can do is load the bobbin up top for the top thread where you can see it, and use it up that way.

You all made me realize I should just get some more bobbins!

I bought a nifty gadget called the Bobbiinator. My friend laughed at me and said it wasn't needed. I use it all the time for partially filled bobbins. I'm glad I bought it. It works like a spool of thread on the machine.

I do as others have mentioned and use up bobbins with small amounts on them for piecing.

As for the Bobbinator I saw one when at a retreat. I couldn’t see the point as I just put the bobbin where the spool would go when I want to use up thread from a bobbin in the needle. The Bobbinator owner was thrilled with it, tho so I didn’t say anything.

chacon à son goût

When the bobbin low indicator comes on, I will turn it off, and then continue to sew. However I will check frequently to make sure the bobbin is still feeding thread. I hate having bobbins that are not very full in my bobbin case, so I just run them out all the way.

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Bobbin chicken! Yeah - play this all the time. Sometimes I win - remove bobbin with anything less than 12 inches. Sometimes I lose - run out in the middle of a seam.

My machine does not have an indicator - it's all on me.

I take the thread off and wad it into a tighter knot and put it in a baggie. In the Spring, I put the wads outside and the birds use it for their nests. They like cotton batting cut into small strips, too.

I purchased a Bobbinator a dew months back and it was the worse piece of junk I'd ever purchased for sewing...I sent it back. Since my designated sewing machine and my quilting machine use two different types of bobbons I take the left over thread from the quilting machine, place a narrow dowel rod into the hole hold in my fingers and wind the thread back onto my DSM bobbins and use for piecing.

If I change out my bobbin before it's completely empty, I put it aside to use when I'm basting my quilt sandwich on my frame. It doesn't matter then if it runs out while I'm basting the edges. On my regular sewing machine I'll use it when piecing my blocks or as I'm doing right now, I'm working on a bunch of wedding ring quilt blocks (embroidery design). There's a lot of applique steps to this design so using up all the leftover bobbins as it's never going to show on the backside as I'll be adding batting and backing later. I also hate wasting thread. If it's my quilting thread, I also will use it when I'm hand stitching the binding onto the backside, again not wasting it.............that is if it's in the correct color I need.

I read somewhere that we need to cut the thread into short lengths when doing this as apparently someone found a baby bird entangled in a longer piece of thread...makes sense this could happen while the baby birds are moving around in the nest. Since I read that I wrap all discarded thread around my fingers and then cut both ends.at least...sometimes more. Also when I remove bottles and stuff from plastic packaging, I make sure I cut each "loop" in them as critters have gotten their heads and limps caught in them and if they are babies, it strangles the circulation as they grow. Just read about a bear that had a plastic jar over his head for a month before they were able to get it off. Different issue...but yeap, I make sure I put as many jars in the recycle instead of the trash.

I purchased a Bobbinator a dew months back and it was the worse piece of junk I'd ever purchased for sewing

LOL. I really like and use my Bobbinator. It is quality made so not junk but I understand many don't see the point of it. It does exactly what it is made to do. To me is it like having a fancy well made bookmark that is not needed as it does the same job as a piece of scrap paper.

My Bernina has an extra large proprietary/nonstandard bobbin and a bobbin sensor. It's nice having the sensor but I still play bobbin chicken :p It's funny how I can be sewing all week on a bobbin, but then when the sensor says 16% I have about15 minutes instead of several hours left.

I hate running out of bobbin thread, always have, and typically pre-fill multiple bobbins with my guess on how many will I need. Many years ago I pretty much stopped matching threads to fabrics, I mostly do scrappy techniques and mostly use a light slate blue/grey and light beige threads for piecing as they tend to work well with most fabrics. During piecing it can be annoying but typically minor to switch bobbins or even colors.

When I'm quilting and the stitching is visible, it can be close to tragic! So I look before I start especially if I know I have a couple hours of work ahead of me, I put in fresh bobbin.

I'm usually able to use up my remaining bobbin thread doing the hand stitching part of the binding. For what's left I will put the bobbin on a pencil and just roll off small amounts. With a quarter bobbin of a weird color and needing a bobbin, I'll take my fine embroidery scissors and cut Xs through the thread and slash it off in clumps.

My bobbins are a mess. I have different colors on top of other colors. Thanks for reminding me I can use on the top also. That will be my new years resolution to clean up my bobbins and keep them that way.

I use up low thread on spools as well as low thread on bobbins when I sew scrap quilts.

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.