I just stack the bobbin spool on top of a spool of thread and insert a golf tea in the middle hole.

I have used and loved the Handi-bobs for at least 15(?) years and wouldn't be without them. Was a costumer before quilting and never had to search somewhere else for the matching bobbin. They are a real time saver plus no tangled thread.

I love the Handi Bobs but I really love Superior Threads on the spools. But the 2 don't play together. Superior's spool holes are just a wee bit too small for the bobs. My thread rack has the wooden shafts that are too short to hold both the thread and the bobbins so I have taped/glued the small toothpick-like skewers from the grocery store to the shafts on the rack and now it will hold both thread spool and bobbin together. Works for me.

Well, goodness gracious - I have bobbin tunnels and didn't know it! I have two and each one has two 'tunnels' that I have marked "ken" for my Kenmore, "FW" for my Featherweight, "Bro" for my Brother and "???" can't remember the other one. I keep the bobbins for my 239 Singer in a separate bobbin case.

hope you found your answer but, if not, here's my experience. I bought these too, thinking they would solve all my bobbin problems. Not..... I've learned that these do "not" fit on all thread spools. For Mettler small spools, you can get it to work by attaching to the bottom side (not the top / label end). Also, unless you use (as mentioned in a previous post) some napkin or paper to make it fit (like for Connecting Threads spools), those openings are just too big. I do like these when I can use them. I use a lot of different colors (do other projects than just quilting) so my other solution for this is --
1 - I have a regular bobbin holder I use for multiple spools of white, black, grey, cream
2 - then where I can use the Handi-Bob, I do
3 - for those that don't fit into either of these categories, I have another bobbin case for those

It probably sounds complicated but it works for me.

Ummmm..... For my piecing machine I use two color bobbin threads. Black for dark fabrics, white for light fabrics. I don't have a lot of bobbins sitting around... For the long arm the bobbins get wound when I start the project in the color of my choice one at a time. When the project is over, I generally throw the thread away (after taking off the bobbin). No need for for a lot of bobbin storage here.

Pipe cleaners???? I haven't seen a pipe cleaner in 30 years. Do they still make them?

tim in san jose

Funny, everything I have is "vintage." That includes me.

I have some tucked away, knew that some day there would be a use for them. Your idea is fantastic. IMHO the Hand-Bobs are as good as throwing money into the wind.

Many thanks for your solution, I like it. The Handi-Bobs work on one spool type I have so I'll use them there, but I'd never buy them again and I will not recommend them to my quilting buddies.