I have various types of bobbin holders for each of the machines I use regularly and I fill all the bobbins I have empty for each machine. I keep holders next to each machine. When piecing on my Featherweight, I usually fill 8-10 bobbins at a time. Same for my Brother. Don't use my Kenmore as much so I have fewer bobbins wound for him.

Does the pre wound come in cotton and polyester? I would like to try this on my little portable Janome, but I have enough trouble with my Bernina that i would be afraid to try pre wounds on it. Has anyone used pre wounds on a Bernina. Our Bernina dealer is not open to any suggestions for items they don't sell and makes it sound like anything else will ruin the machine and void the warranty. In fact they are so adamant about this that I am afraid to ask!

I love the thought of the prewound bobbins. I would like to try them.

I pre-wind a bunch of bobbins at a time, too.

Especially on a customer's quilt I need to keep track of materials I use (I usually charge a fixed amount plus whatever materials are required). Since I change colors alot in my quilting I can't just keep track of the spools of thread - frequently I only use a small amount of a particular color or weight. So instead I charge by the bobbin, and keep track of the number I use. I have figured out a good average price for the thread I use, figured out how much thread is on a bobbin and came up with a price per bobbin (which is actually the price of two times the bobbin amount to take into account the top thread!) Since I've been doing this I feel a lot more confident that I am charging a pretty accurate amount for the thread I use, and I have a much better idea of just how much thread goes into a quilt! (It's a lot, by the way.)

And pre-filling bobbins certainly keeps my quilting flow going!

Alison

For those of you who use the prewound bobbins, do you ever find that there is a problem with the quality of the thread in the prewound? I have been taught that you are to use the same type of thread at top and in the bobbin or you will have problems . I have religiously followed this command so am curious.

I use one of 4 possible colors for piecing: white, beige, pale gray and black. Although I don't have many wound ahead of time, I'm seriously thinking about trying that after reading this post. Thanks for the tip! I do wind as many bobbins as I think I'll need, and in the color I'll need, at the outset of a project so I don't have to disrupt my sewing to wind a bobbin. I use the same color in the top and bobbin.

I also do that if I only have one spool of the thread. My machine is a semi-industrial so it has a built in bobbin winder. So I usually get to spools of the same thread.

My 9 year old granddaughter makes the rubber band bracelets on a loom that are so popular. Those rubber bands are perfect for putting around a thread spool or a bobbin to keep thread from tangling. Also even better you can buy the rubber band refills at the dollar store. Can't beat that and I have enough rubber bands to last me a long time.

Thank you for posting about the elastics for the looms, they are very reasonable and would work. :)

Me, too. Great minds think alike...:thumbup:

Junior Member - sounds like we are quilting sisters!!!!I use the natural color from Connecting Threads (1200 yds if thread) for my putting together of my squares. I have about 40 bobbins and I use my SideWinder to wind the thread and then I put it in a Truvia container (with snap top lid - no unscrewing lids). When they are empty they go into a large prescription bottle/container and when I have emptied the Truvia bottle, I Sidewind the whole slew of empty bobbins. They last me ever so long and I still have some left for the next two quilts I am working on. I don't like having my threads out (my neighbor just gave me about 100 spools of thread and I keep them lined up in a see through container box with lid and I have it stored in the wardrobe. Works for me

Getting ready to go on a mini-vacaysh to my sister and brother in law's today with my niece. Stopping at a winery and getting a few bottles of the fruit of the vine and then head out to a local little casino and then to a restaurant to play PICTO (which is like Bingo only with pictures - "Under the P --- elephant, etc." Then it is an all you can eat fish dinner. Whoo Hoo!!!!! Hitting some quilt shops (looking for orange for my sister in law to make her quilt) and then just relax at their home which is on a lake (quite frozen right now) and come home on Sunday. And then get down to Spring cleaning and sewing. Morning for cleaning and afternoon for sewing. I want to have the spring cleaning done before spring so I can sit outside and enjoy the day after such a cold, miserable biting winter. But hey, we're Minnesotans. We're Swedes and Germans and we can withstand anything! Besides it is fun complaining and griping and stewing and just see who can make the worst of the winters we have had this year. Come next fall, we won't even remember what the winter was like. It was too cold to go out and shovel and we had to pay someone to do it. I did that once so far this year. I mean they closed practically the whole state down because we had it so cold that it could freeze bite in 2-6 minutes. I am not going out for that!!!!

Have a great day, everyone. Edie

When piecing scrap blocks of lots of colors I like to use up the bobbins that have colors I think I won't be using again so I can free them up for rewinding with something I will use, and still using up the thread that is on them. Thread is expensive and just like our fabric scraps, we should figure out a way to use them.

These are the most recent I ordered. They are the least expensive that I've found and I haven't had any problems with them so far. I'm almost through my first one of these. Shipping seems high for the price but if you just add it together and look at the total price, it isn't so bad.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In case the link doesn't work, search for Sideless Prewound Polyester Bobbin with Core
(by Marathon) on amazon.com

I like ordering through amazon.com - I feel like there is some recourse if something goes wrong.

Good luck and happy quilting!!

I fill 5 or 6 ahead, usually with lt gray or beige and I do use the mini scrunches to hold them. I found the mini's at our local Dollar Tree.

Okay - I tried that link and it indeed did not work. You can search and find them or try this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sideless-Prewo...by+Marathon%29


I think it may work! Fingers crossed!!

You can get the ponytail bands from the $1 store @100 for a $1
Also I usually piece with gray thread - it blends in better with multi colors

Such an obvious thing to do and yet one I never thought of! Thank you.

Me too!! I love the prewound bobbins for embroidery. The time you save winding bobbins. alone is worth the price which really doesnt' cost much. And saves wear and tear on your machine's bobbin winder. I only wind bobbins when I "HAVE TO" match a color. (BTW, I have never had any problem with tension or anything.)

I use neutrals - grey, taupe as well as white and black. When I need to take a mental break, I load a few bobbins. The best little treat I have given myself is a 'sidewinder'. Normally $25, but got it 50% off. Winds bobbins quickly and easily.

Sandrea, I love the idea of the prewound bobbins you found at Amazon but how do I know if they will fit my Bernina?

Is there a list of sewing machines that will work with pre wound bobbins?

prewound bobbins
 

My friend gave me a few to try and they did not fit my Husqvarna +1. N