I bought one from JoAnn Fabric. They had a 50% coupon off on it. Sure beats unthreading my machine I usually wind about a dozen bobbins at a time. I sew with white thread on the charity quilts.

I don't have one because I can't use it for my Viking bobbins. I just wind a couple of bobbins when I do a project. bought a bunch of bobbins. Also on my Viking I can wind bobbin without unthreading my machine. I would rather spend my money on fabric!!

I received one as a gift and I felt it was not necessary--until one day I tried it as I was sewing with a deadline and found it to be very helpful. Saves me a lot of time since I have to unthread, etc to wind a bobbin. Now I use it all the time. I actually will sit and wind bobbins on it while watching movies just to keep my hands busy!

I do have a side winder, won it as a door prize at a quilt retreat. It is handy to wind bobbins without pulling the spool of thread out of the needle to wind a bobbin. I use Bottom Line in the bobbin, so that sits beside the machine and when bobbin runs out, just turn on the winder and I don't disturb the sewing thread on top.

I do have a side winder, won it as a door prize at a quilt retreat. It is handy to wind bobbins without pulling the spool of thread out of the needle to wind a bobbin. I use Bottom Line in the bobbin, so that sits beside the machine and when bobbin runs out, just turn on the winder and I don't disturb the sewing thread on top.

I have a Viking and got the pink Sidewinder as it will take the Viking bobins. (Not sure about the Bernina) I love mine - don't have to mess around with un-threading and re-threading the machine therefore the needle can stay in the down position with my piecing underneath it (I usually run out halfway through a seam.) It also saves wear and tear on my machine and travels to classes (when I take one) with me. LOL

It's not a need, but it sure is a luxury if stopping in the middle of a seam to unthread your machine and refill the bobbin is an annoyance. Also, I have heard that this function on a sewing machine can wear out in time; the sidewinder saves using it so much on the machine.

Yeah, I never understood the need for this gizmo - and I usally love my notions! A friend who has everything sold hers at our guild's "garage sale" night.

When I wind bobbins, I do several at a time. It's a long time before I need them again. When I'm getting to the last couple of them, at the next convenient time (NOT when I'm in the middle of a long seam, lol), I do several more.

I have the sidewinder and just love it to pieces! And yes, I have a Bernina and use the sidewinder to wind the bobbins all the time. If it doesn't wind it to my liking I just hold the button down and wind it until I'm satisfied with the amount of thread on it.

:)

My quilting friends and I all have one. They love theirs but I really don't care for mine. Unless I have two spools of the same thread I still have to unthread my sewing machine..

At first I did not like the Sidewinder. It wound too loosely....but then I realized I was not leaving the thread AGAINST the bobbin (where it should be) I was making it go behind the little lever....anyhow I got it straight. Now I can wind 15 bobbins in about 10 min.....nothing is better than to have a stack of fresh bobbins waiting for you. try it you will like it even if your machine winds them....most do but it is the convenience of having multiple bobbins ready for you.

I Have One, Love It.

I had one of these because I had heard such good things about how handy it was - not having to unthread your machine, etc. I found that it did not wind the thread tight enought for my Janome machine and I was having trouble with knoting in the bobbin area. I gave it to a friend. She loves it. ???

I don't have one, I always buy 2 of each color thread and use the second one to fill bobbins. No need to unthread the machine every time. I put the second spool on the spool holder you normally use when sewing with a twin needle.

I'm glad you posted this - I have been wondering the same thing. Sounds like the SideWinder is winning.

I love mine. I use the empty NEB bobbins in my Viking and they fit great on this. Then I don't have to use Viking bobbins all the time.
Nebs to refill won't fit on the winder for the Viking.

My previous Viking wound the bobbins so poorly I bought the sidewinder. Then I discovered it will not fill the Viking bobbins. I donated it to our quilt group and it really comes in handy as we go through so many bobbins of thread. Great timesaver if you don't have a Viking machine.

No, I don't have one. Don't see a need for it.

I don't have one myself, thought about getting one, everyone in my quilt guild have one. They use them in class alot. I too, have to unwind everything while sewing. Hancocks have had them on sale for as little as 15.00.

My friend has a Bernina, don't know the model name, but she uses the Sidewinder for her bobbins. She likes it so well so convinced me to buy one, so we are both very happy now.

I have one of the originals and I guess I didn't read the directions about not doing the Phaff bobbins. I didn't have any problems although with the Creative Vision you don't have to unthread the needle to wind the bobbin like on my other machine. I love mine and it winds the thread very evenly. I really like it however for the Janome since I DO have to unthread that one to fill a bobbin. Good luck.

I have a sidewinder and I love it. I love the fact that I can do something else while the bobbin is filling as it automatically shuts off when the bobbin is full. I think it's money well spent.

I have a Babylock with a separate motor just for winding bobbins, however it doesn't do the neatest job I ever saw. It is in the shop right now and the repairman called and said he really couldn't do much with it as there were no adjustments that seemed to help, so I will try it again and if it doesn't suit me I will probably get a sidewinder.

mine was only $15 my winder on the machine i love to use doesn't wind anymore so i got it for that reason but now i love it it is faster to just wind a bunch at a time without having to thread and rethread all the time. i also wind it twice around the spindle so it is nice and tight last longer than the sewing machine winder thread does

The Deluxe Sidewinder specifically says: "interchangeable bobbin spindles accommodate bobbins for all makes and models of sewing machines, embroidery machines and long arm quilting machines, that have holes in the middle of the bobbin for the different diameter spindles to fit in, including Viking Green Bobbins."

I'll be getting one as a present to myself.

ghostrider..you say it will NOT work on Bernina? Thanks for telling me that, as I was really thinking of getting one..but I have a Bernina 630, so guess it would not work for me !! Dagggone it................

ah...now I read that it DOES work for Bernina....guess I need to read what it says on the box, huh????

I got one couple years ago using my Joann's discount coupon, so I got it cheap. I use mine all the time and generally fill a bunch of bobbins at a time. It works for both my Pfaff and the Bernina.

I wind my Bernina bobbins on my and it seems to work fine.

I have one and it works okay, but it doesn't work with my green Viking bobbins.(my main machine for quilting) :x
I bought it because when I get ready to machine quilt, I like to wind 10 bobbins, so I can just change bobbins without having to unthread to wind bobbins.
It works well for the bobbins on all my other machines, I don't use it anymore.

Don't have one.

If your thread was not wound tight it was probably because you had it BEHIND the little lever like I did. I was horrible till I figured it out and had the thread close to the bobbin and the lever leaning against it. I too think that it winds more thread than the sewing machine winds it.

I bought one....I disliked it intensely...it didnt wind the bobbins fast or tight...there was so much slack in the threads I could wind them by hand faster...I use an old machine to wind mine now. I took that sad sidewinder back and spent that 30 bucks on some nice fabric

I don't un-thread, I just remove the spool I am sewing with from the spindle and set it on the deck, then use a different spool to wind the bobbins, then re-thread. Quick and slick! :thumbup:

I got one because it was on sale for $11 - it will possibly re - gifted as I have never used it. I think if you don't want to take the thread out of your machine to wind bobbins it might be handy. However, I can re - wind bobbins without removing thread and also have spare reels of thread generally, so don't know what possessed me to buy it except for the price.

I love mine! It is faster than my machine and easier to use. You don't have to unthread or change spools around. It is down on the table, easier to reach! and in a class where there is a shortage of power outlets it runs on batteries. I can whiz a bunch of bobbins full in no time! nice to have stacks ready when doing overall quilting.
Not everybody has one. No you don't need it.

Of course you are right!
We get plastic bobbins by 8 or more in a pack.
The idea is to fill up enough bobbins to sew the whole project first, because they are interchangable.
I think people with embroidery machines like them especially because you can pop in different colors.

I just set a 2nd spool so I don*t have to re-thread the machine in case I run out of pre-wound bobbins--$ 30 buys almost a halftank of gas

I bought the "Dritz Better Bobbin Winder" which is very similar to the Sidewinder. I sew on vintage machines, and each one winds bobbins a different way, plus I usually had to hold the bobbin, or the thread, or something to get them to wind right. I love this little tool...pretty affordable with a coupon! I don't even mind if I have to unthread the machine to use the spool of thread.

Love mine. Couldn't do without now since I've used it. Its worth every penny.