I just got back from my mom's and she showed me the "sidewinder" in one of her magazines. We are wondering if anyone has one of these. It is small and compact, about the size of an envelope and about3 inches wide. You put your thread on it and it winds up the bobbin for you so you don't have to remove your quilt or project when you run out of bobbin thread. All you have to do is change the bobbin. My mom called her quilt store and they had just received "one" of them, they are going to try it out before they purchase any more to see if it is any good. Here is a link I found where you can look at it.

http://www.tangledthread.com/sidewinder-bobbin-winder-from-wrights/

It cost about $30, anyone know anything about these?

I'm hoping I get one for Christmas this year!!!!

i haven't been able to figure it out . . . gotta take the thread out of the machine to put it on the Sidewinder to wind the bobbin and gotta take the quilt out of the machine to put the newly wound bobbin in (on my machine, anyway).

not sure what i'm missing? i hope i'm missing something, because i like gadgets!

I got one at hobby lobby with a 40% off coupon and for some reason when the did it I manage to get it for $12.00. However, the regular price is usually 29.99 so you figure that one out. As for using it I like it you can before you start your project wind your bobbin in very short amount or time or keep a second spool handy to wind from while your working. I know with most of the newer machines you have to move the quilt to put another bobbin in anyway though. My older machine I don't have too but the new one I do. That's progress :?: :lol:

I have had the sidewinder for about a month now. It it like other things, not used that often, but is then when you need it.

I got one just cause I like new things. I keep a spool on the sidewinder and one on my machine. I now keep a couple bobbins ahead. I think it works great, it just doesn's wind as much thread on a bobbin as I would with my machine. :D

Thanks for the input BV and welcome to the board. I ended up getting one for Christmas but I haven't tried it yet. I too, like all my "gadgets", gotta have em!

Mee too but have been watching and waiting to see what everyone had to say about it before I bought one. Hancocks here in town had them but they sold out too fast or I didn't move fast enough. Whichever. I would like to try it. I do a lot of bobbins ahead, but have to unthread the machine to do it, not all that big a deal just not that handy.

Thanks for all the input.

rita

Hi Guys:
Just this morning I go something with a heading "Bobbin Winders" that speaks and asks/answers questions about the Sidewinder. You might want to go to that thread and see what was said??? I have a Sidewinder and LOVE IT!

Feathers

Thanks Feathers, I have tried my Sidewinder since my last post and I love it too!

Ok that is good enough for me, I am going to get one as soon as I get a half off coupon and can find one. They go so fast here, this is the second shipment and I am sure they are gone also. But I will get one..

Thanks for the input, appreciate it.

Rita

Foxigranni:
I found my Sidewinder on the very bottom shelf, clear in the BACK of the shelt under the needles section on the WALL of notions at Joann's. I was told I was lucky to "find" it by the store clerk???? Whatever that means.

Feathers

Whatever that means is that someone, a store clerk perhaps, put it in an obscure place where they could retrieve it when they got off work.

A long funny story about great Thanksgiving weekend sales at a local huge electronic store that almost gives components away on certain sales days (I built my computer for about $200 not including monitor (which was a free castoff from the people across the street)). By the time I got to the store, all these great deals were of course gone... Until I started looking at the upper shelves (I am 6'1") looking behind other boxes, looking in larger shipping boxes...

Employees had put one or two away here or there. There were amazed checkout people when at 5:00PM I checked out with 4 or 5 items that were sold out at 8:00AM that morning.

tim in san jose

That is disgusting. And people wonder about the sales that are offered.

I also have had this happen to me.

I certainly hope you all find the sidwinder one of the things that you will use periodically. I use mine quite often. Sure save from unthreading the machine and starting all over.

And, I really believe that it might be getting more thread on the bobbin than when I wind it on my machine.

It's not that bad Grannypjb...

They sold pallets of these things. I look at it as more of a game...

I am not willing to get up at 4:30 in the morning to stand in line to get them.

Cattle rushes is what they most resemble.

As far as the sidewinder, I don't go through bobbins at 6 or 12 a day like some of you. *L*

The machine does just fine. It gives me a break from focusing on the 1/4 inch seams.

tim

I bought the Sidewinder with a 40% off coupon at Joann's. I love gadgets and loved the concept of this new little machine.

Here's what I discovered:
When the top is open it puts the center of gravity off and you have to hold the base with one hand to keep it from tipping backwards, or prop it against something during use.

You need to unthread your machine to use the thread if you run out of a bobbin during your project.

The pin that holds the spool of thread is thin. When the machine is turned on the thread starts spinning so fast and wobbly, it rides up the pin. I had to keep a finger on the spinning spool to stabilize it while winding. For those of you keeping count, I'm now using both hands while winding a bobbin.

Overall I found it light, cheap and a little noisy. For $20 I'll stick to my old habit of winding bobbins on my machine. I returned the Sidewinder for a refund.


Just my 2 cents, Dianne