That's why I asked - my machines fill my bobbins that quickly as well

I bought one, but my viking bobbins would not work on it, so I passed it on to my sister. It is a nice idea.

not all sewing machines are able to wind bobbins, my mother owns a machine that she used to have to come use my winder....i have 2 separate winders besides my viking's capability.
my mom's machine uses a different size bobbin- bought her a side-winder last year for her birthday, now she doesn't have to drive 40 miles or wait for me to get home when she runs out of bobbins

I use my 1941 Singer almost exclusively, though I have newer machines. The ONLY thing wrong with the Singer is that there is a little tiny "nub" that pokes out about 1/32" and holds on the bobbins while they wind....well, the little nub has gotten worn down so much in 70 years that it's a huge headache to make bobbins. I can make a bunch on my Sidewinder quickly!

Same here, nice to have when you need it...

I do not have one - and have not been tempted to purchase one. I routinely use neutral thread and just sit and wind about 10 at a time when I get low.

I love my Sidewinder. I wind up a whole bunch of spools, tape them down with painter's (blue) tape, put them in a labeled prescription bottle and I am all set to go. I generally have enough spools to do a quilt - You can never have too many spools, you know. Edie

I have one and I love it. You don't have to unthread your machine and there is more thread wound on the bobbin.

I have one and I love it. You don't have to unthread your machine and there is more thread wound on the bobbin.

My 301a has a spindle to hold a spool of thread just to wind bobbins. I keep a spool of thread on the spindle and it takes only seconds to wind a bobbin, I also keep a full bobbin on the bobbin winder.

A SideWinder would be another piece of equipment I would have to transport to Guild and UFO's. I see it as an unnecessary piece of equipment.

Can't see paying $30.for that winder when my machine does that for me.I set aside time to wind bobbins and have them always filled so I don't have to unthread when I'm busy sewing....I would like an automatic thread picker upper but I guess I'll use my lint roller........

I have a couple of machines that don't have a bobbin winder built in. So yes they are necessary for some of us
MK

I paid $12.00 for mine a few years ago at JoAnn's with a 50% off coupon - Can't beat that one! My husband bought me an Oreck little hand vac that I keep by my sewing table. I always drop my thread on the floor. (Deliberately!) Actually, it keeps the table from getting messy. When I am done, I just vacuum up the puzels from the floor (puzel is a German word from my grandmother that is anything that falls on the floor and is tiny, like dog ears, thread, stuff like that - pronounced Poozle - sounds just like it looks!!!!) Mind you, I am not messy, it just seems logical that that is where the thread should go. Takes too much time to snip, pick it up, take it off the sewing table or your lap, or your slack legs (how embarrassing to go to a neighbor's house with thread all over your pants)! I heard once that using your bobbin threader can also wear out the machine. What do I know - At least it is one less thing I have to worry about. And I am a crazy fast vacuum upper!!!!!

Edie

I use mine when I remember to or can find it. Its not on a "must have" list.

i like my sidewinder because it is easier than unthreading and retheading the machine

I don't have one and have no plans on getting one.

I have a sidewinder but my little Brother machine doesn't like to work with too full or tight bobbin which the sidewinder does.

I bought one on sale since you need to unwind the thread on my machine to fill one and didn't want to mess with that. Loved it while it worked but it only lasted about a year--now it winds VERY slowly if at all so I don't use it. I just wind several bobbins when I start the spool of thread and work that way.

I bought one several years ago when it was on sale for half price. I love it! Both my machines require unthreading in order to fill bobbins and I hate to do it....I also bought extra bobbins and before starting a project I fill about 12 bobbins so I don't even have to stop for quite some time.

It's just a small step in streamlining the process for me.

I have one and the main reason I bought it was so that I didn't have to unthread my machine while working on a project to wind a new bobbin. I wind 5 or 6 bobbins before and start a project but often that is not enough. Also, I seem to have to have every new gadget that comes out. Widh I had waited to get mine because now they have improved it and they have one that holds those huge spools of thread like the ones used for sergers.

My older Bernina has two posts on the top so all you have to do is put another spool of thread on the machine to wind the bobbin. You don't have to unthread anything. So I have never spent that money for one. They just don't get any better than my machine. But then I love my machine so I am prejudiced.

I buy more than one spool of thread for a project. But my backs are always a different color and usually a solid so the thread in the bobbin matches my backs. I like to buy those extra wide fabrics for my backs for larger quilts and they are usually something that reads as a solid. It's really handy to not have to unthread your machine to wind a bobbin.

My Brother sewing/emb machine is like that but the opening for it is too small for machine quilting and I use my older White that has a larger opening and it doesn't have a separate winder.

I wondered why, also. Then someone told me her husband fixed her machine and superglued the bobbin winder. I guess that's why!

I used a bobbin winding machine for my embroidery machine. Yes - the embroidery machine will wind bobbins, but when you do machine embroidery you use a lot of bobbins and it felt like I was always having to wind bobbins. I now just use the prewound bobbins for machine embroidery, and sometimes for piecing, too. They hold a lot more thread than regular bobbins so they are a timesaver.

I have one and I absolutely love it. I HATE unthreading my machine and having to rethread it just to fill a bobbin. I got mine on sale at Hancock's for $14.99 at Christmas time. (Used Christmas money from granddaughter to buy it.)That's one purchase I'm really, really glad I made.

I have one but do not use it, I find that my dsm winds the bobbins better.

I have one & use it alll the time. You do not have to stop sewing to fill a bobbin or fill a bobbin from another machine.

Has anyone ever actually tried this with Singer Futura bobbins? My bobbin winder quit so I've been using my old machine to wind bobbins, but that one is now making odd noises. Some say they work on Singer bobbins, does anyone have the one that has interchangeable spindles. I found one of those, but is about $80. Wondering if I really have to pay that much or lug my machine in to the shop. Wonder what would be cheaper. My machine uses 15J bobbins.

I have one but it flips my spool of thread off. So dont use it,I have 12 bobins and use the cone thread,so wind all 12 at one time,

I own one and love it for the fact, I can't get my machine threaded easily - the autothreader does not work, and my eyesight is another problem - and I even bought the needle threader - but if you can't see the hole in the needle, what good is the needle threader? :))

That said, I can set the bobbin winder to winding extra bobbins, while I sew - I have extra thread to do this with, and no need to stop sewing and will have my extra bobbin ready to go when I'm ready to put it in...

That is only my side of the story - but I do like it.

Amen, to that. To me it's so much easier then stopping the machine to thread a bobbin. I do three before I start sewing and know I have enough, usually. One of the best gadgets I've ever bought.

I thought it was a "must have" item. Bought it, tried it, took it back the same day. My Pfaff 2170 bobbin winder was giving me fits that day ... after all that I found out it was "operator error" on the Pfaff. I now wind and keep several bobbins of quilting thread full. Savings: $25 Gas to get to Hancock's back and forth: $10. :)

neat, i got one for a christmas present, have not tried it yet, will have to dig it out.

I get regular posts from Sew We Quilts and she had a guest blogger that talked about the notions she has bought over the years and the side winder was at the top of her list. She said that it is loud, uses batteries and is pretty much a waste of money. I've thought about it, but really would rather spend my money on fabric or thread.

I have one and haven't used it , it was a gift

Just a couple of clarifications on this discussion:

The older model Sidewinders would not take certain Viking and Bernina bobbins.

The later models do pretty much all of them. This is explained on the box, so if you go to buy one, make sure you're getting a model that'll work with your machine's bobbins.

Later ones also have a 110 adapter, so you can use it with wall current and don't have to use batteries.

I love mine because I, too,, have to unthread my machine to wind a bobbin. If I'm in the middle of quilting and I know the bobbin is getting low, I can fill a new bobbin and have it ready when the other one runs out.

i have a side winder,,i use it to wind bobbins for my quilting machine,,,my husband, who is a retired sewing machine mechanic,,,says if you run the machine fast to wind a bobbin the heat could damage the hook,so i don't run bobbins on my machine unless i am sewing

I got one for Christmas, best thing I received. I love that I don't have to take the time to unthread, wind, rethread, it takes too much time! You will love it! and yest that is all it does!