How do you keep your threads and bobbins organised? Because I have to watch my budget, I like to know what thread is on my bobbins, so that if I use that thread again I can finish what's on the bobbin, but I've never worked out a way of doing it. I tried the little pink thingies that go round the bobbin and into the top of the spool of thread - but then how do you store the spools, because they're now such an awkward size?!
I'd be glad of suggestions.

I have bobbin box organizers. You can get them at Amazon. They are plastic and have foam in them and the bobbins stay right where you put them. My thread is on wooden organizers on the wall. Got them at Joann's with coupons. Love them both.

I have neutrals and often used colors of my piecing thread in my machine accessories boxes, right with the feet, etc, next to each machine. Then I have bobbins on the red plastic things that hold your spool and bobbin together, for less frequently used threads. I have a bobbin donut with the bobbins left from a crappy ol' machine I had for many years. My kids use that thread for hand sewing practice and unimportant stuff. I have a bobbin donut I bought from Connecting Threads filled with 36 different colors of Masterpiece. I've been using that for hand appliqué, with great results. I keep my thread in plastic boxes in a drawer, away from dust and light, so some bobbins go in there, next to the matching spools. Finally, I have some bobbins of my machine quilting thread in a tray. My main machines use bobbins which are easily distinguished from each other and the only bobbins which aren't with the matching spools of thread are the piecing threads and some quilting threads labeled by wt (40, 28, 12). HTH :)

Same here...rubber bobbin holders and thread racks

I never thought about doing this but its a great idea. I currently have the plastic thread boxes and plastic bobbin boxes from JoAnns when they were 50% off

This is me thinking out loud - I wonder if you could fit that rubber shelf lining or felt over the spindles so it covers the bottom of box so the bobbins wouldnt slip around. I may have to give it a try. It would be great to keep them together - sometimes some of my threads are so close in color that I grab the wrong ones lol

Will keep watching for more ideas!! cheryl :-)

I got some 3X4" ziploc baggies. I put the thread and bobbin (if I have one) in the baggie & seal. Then I throw the baggie into a plastic shoe box. One for neutrals, one for pastels & one for brights. The baggie keeps the thread clean, the bobbin with it and keeps both from unspooling. this size bag will fit the essential thread spool size (1200 yds) from CT. I get the baggies at the dollar store.

I use the ziploc bags as well and they are in a clear plastic box.

You can tie the spools and bobbins together with pipe cleaners. They don't fit in typical spool holders but they work in drawer or on the desktop.

I have my threads sorted by color in the small plastic containers. If it's 100% cotton thread or a blend, they're in separate containers. With the 100% cotton thread if I have leftover bobbin thread, I put it and the spool of thread in a "snack" baggie and put the whole thing in the appropriate container. Try some of the suggestions given and see what works best for you.

This is a great idea...........I'm going to try it! Thanks☺

How about a golf tee stuck in the top to keep the bobbin and thread together.

I just watched a video on this yesterday and I thought it was great and it won't cost you a thing. The lady takes the spool of thread and the bobbin that was wound with that thread and puts a straight pin in the top of it and puts the bobbin on the staight pin. You now know exactly what type of thread is on the bobbin and a storage place for it. You can also go to the $ store and get the pony tail holders for little kids (the fat ones with alot of material round them) and put them on your bobbins to keep them from unraveling.

I just read on Fons & Porter newsletter that you can put a straw over the top of the dowel rod that holds your spools and it should hold up to 2 spools of thread -- my thought, and haven't tried it yet is that it should hold a spool and a bobbin with the matching thread. Cut the straw off at whatever height you desire.

Love the straw idea and the pipe cleaner trick. I have used the snack baggie, which seems to work the best for me now. And due to the varied sizes and heights of threads,I'm finding it easier to use the snack baggie and store them in clear plastic shoe boxes on the shelf over my main sewing area whenI want to be sure to keep the same spool and bobbin thread together.
In the past I bought some bobbin minders, little plastic units that fit into the top of a standard spool of thread which leads to my current probelm - these things don't fit as nicely into the tops of large spools.

Exactly how I do it AND I can still keep them both on my thread racks. :thumbup:

Love the drinking straw idea and I don't even have to spend any money. :thumbup:

Because I know I drop things a fair amount I now only use those rubber rings that hold a lot of bobbins. I have marked the rings for which machine the bobbins are for ... and then for the type of thread. This really isn't so hard because I mostly use 2 types of thread with my quilting and such.

If it is a specialty thread ... then ziplock baggies work really great.

ali

I have a thread rack that I purchased at JoAnn's. I extend the small dowel by inserting half of a straw, making it longer. This way I can put 2 spools on each small dowel.

Also for my bobbins that I constantly use, I put them on an old "ribbon maker". It has about 12 spools (spokes). I fill my bobbins and keep them close at hand so I don't have to keep winding bobbins. Natural is my favorite color thread and wind a bunch at a time. As for other assorted bobbins, they're in a bobbin case until I need that particular color. Hope that helps.

I use the rubber round bobbin holders for the neutral thread that I use for most piecing. I have bobbin boxes for the more common thread (sorted by fiber content) that I use for fmq, but some specialty threads have the spool and bobbin in a floss zipper bag and are on a ring.

Most of my thread is in a collection of stacking boxes that ;ock together (from Joanns). I use larger boxes for the big spools.

I have 2 thread boxes that go into the desk drawers for current projects. All of my extra thread & different threads are stored in a big gray cabinet on the right hand side of my avatar. My piecing/quilting thread is stored in a thread box in my quilting cabinet.


debra

I also have 4 wood thread holder on the wall and keep the bobbins in small plastic bobbin holders. And my serger thread is in sets of 4 by color in 2 drawers in one of those "plastic dressers". I divided the inside of the drawer in squares with cardboard (on the idea like they make divided ornament boxes) and it all stays neat.

Some great ideas here - thankyou. I see more organisation in my life...!

I have a couple of bobbin box organizers, here's one on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Bobbin-Box-Org...8226789&sr=8-1
But you can get them anywhere, Nacy's Notions sells them here's one from her http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/bobbin+box.do . Nancy also offers the same ones as Amazon.com as a 2 pack deal. Mine are more clear hard plastic like the 2nd link that Nancy offers. They're cheap and easy to see your bobbins.
Blessings,
MaryAnna

My hubby made me a hanging cabinet with a glass door so that I can tell in a minute just what I have. I always put the bobbin right on top of the corresponding spool but have changed that idea.

Since I use all the same type of thread, I have a small box with the bobbins and just have to match the colors.

The bobbins didn't like sitting on top of the spools and if the cabinet jerked when opened, I was picking up bobbins from all over the place.

Have a separate box for the machine quilting bobbins......seems to work for me.

I use the toe separaters that they use when you get a pedicure. They hold 4 bobbins and I love them!!!

That is what I do. It works great. I also match the color of the pony tail holder to the thread on the bobbin or get as close as possible.

That's a great idea.

I do a lot of machine embroider and have lots of thread
for that as well as quilting thread. I buy the plastic boxes
in the toy dept that are meant for hot wheels cars. Even the longer embroidery thread fits in them. I use bobbin boxes for bobbins but they would fit in the slot with the thread. These boxes are opaque and sturdy and each will hold 48 spools. Get them at Walmart for about $7.00. cheaper than going to the fabric store!

if you have the wooden spool rack that hangs on the wall you can extend the peg length by slipping a section of a drinking straw over it ant that way both spool and bobbin fit

I purchased a plastic container that was in the fishing tackle dept at Walmart to hold my thread. If you don't use the dividers you can fit a lot of thread. It stays "clean".

I have the boxes that are meant to be used for "match box toy cars". My spool of thread with matching bobbin (a small pony tail elastic is around the bobbin)) is placed in each compartment. Spools of thread that have not yet been used, I keep sorted by colors --red/pink/purple, blues/greens/, white/black/grey, yellows/browns--in plastic shoe boxes--marked on end of each box so I can easily get out a new spool of thread.

Here are some more ideas:
I've heard of someone using a Q-tip inserted into the thread spool and the bobbin on top.
You can make custom-made dividers/boxes from plastic canvas. Just cut to size and stitch the sides together with yarn or string.

I too have bobbin box organizers , that I keep by my sewing machine. I will use the bobbin that has little thread left on it for my strip or crazy quilting.

I have some bobbins just in the drawer or boxes with the hair thingies around them but when I want to keep the bobbin with the spool of thread I take a skinny piece of scrap and tie the two together,I still put a hair thingie around the bobbin and put in a drawer.

I use 3" x 5" zip bags that I got at a packaging store in town. But I've also seen similar bags in the candy dept. at grocery stores or craft stores. The ones I have were $1.75 for 100 and I put the spool of thread and the bobbin in one bag. Also I have some large cones that I put a pipe cleaner through hole in the top (and come through the cone) and add the bobbin and twist closed.

Paperprincess, I really like your idea here. Thanks for sharing.

When it comes to storing spools of thread it just drives me buggy when they get tangled. Here is what I do; I wrap a piece of cheap heavier weight plastic around the spool and secure it in place with a piece of tape. Since space is a premium in my house I just keep them all in a large tin. Any heavy plastic will do like window plastic, or some packaging plastic. Might sound a little anal but it works.

for the colors i use a long like pipe cleaner put through both thread and bobbin twist and put into a draw. for white , black, cream left overs i use for piecing i wind as many that will fit into a pill bottle put the lid on and put them in the draw or while i am piecing by my machine . I use only a few pins at a time and don't need the whole box so i also put my pins a a pill bottle that i'm bot
using.also for the bobbin not to unwind I will just cut off
small bit of tape and
tape the end down.

I use a plastic tackle box. They have compartments and I can store the spool of thread along with the matching bobbins.

I was so lucky to find a thread caddy made in Norway that is big enough to hold all my thread and bobbins. It is about three feet high and opens up into several layers. It's just too cute. Found it an antique and collectable store and bought it with my birthday money.