Bobbin storage/organization
 

How do you do it? I've tried the pipe cleaners and doohickeys that hold a bobbin to the spool and never liked them. So my current is to use bobbin boxes and label them with the content and brand and if a color is so close I can't tell if it's the same, it's close enough for my project. I figure as long as the content is right, I'm fine. I sew quilts, bags and clothes so I have cotton, poly, and cotton covered poly. I use gutermann (both cotton and poly), coats cotton/poly (if I can't find the right color in gutermann), aurifil and some connecting threads that I'm using up. I have my bobbins in these dritz cases that have foam to keep them from spilling out and I labeled them with the brand and content. I need to get at least one more case but I'm keeping them in this desktop cube (pattern from sew sweetness). So far I've been really happy with this method.
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Someone here posted a great idea a day or so ago. She has those big loose-leaf rings and threaded the bobbins on them and closed the rings. You could carry them with you to classes, etc. Or, you could color code them and link the rings together, if you have a bunch of bobbins. You could use baby pony tail thingys to keep the thread neat. Wonderful idea! After the hurricane (or tropical storm) leaves here, I'm getting the little pony tail thingys and organize mine this way.

You need to do what works for you ... so if this is it, then that is what you should do!! :)

For me ... I use the bobbin buddies where I can keep the spool and bobbin together.
I had kept them separate, but found I would sooner know that I had both, when I reached for what I needed.

I have a sewing desk, so left of me are the spools and bobbins with polyester thread.
The right drawer has the cotton spools and bobbins.

The stash of never-used-yet threads are in a multi-drawer cabinet at the other side of the room.

Like I said ... do what works for you.
We all have different circumstances, space allowances, preferences, and such.
Good that we are not all the same, isn't it? :)

I keep thread and coordinated bobbins in the same ziploc bag and throw them in a big handmade basket. If I need a certain color, I know if I already have a bobbin that color. My empty bobbins sit on my table on one of those porcupine bobbin holders. My only rule about the basket is that I can never put anything sharp in there so all I have are bags of thread.

I sure love your Hello Kitty Cube! And it appears your system is working wonderful for you too :)

Someone suggested the magnetic bobbin holder called the Grabobbin and I love them! Of course, they only work with my Juki metal bobbins and not my Janome plastic bobbins.. I have several with my threads separated by type/wt like you have. And I just bought a Brother P-Touch for labeling too!

I think the idea of organizing my fabrics, patterns, notions, threads, rulers, etc... into a workable system will be a forever ongoing process! I agree with QuiltE - do what works for you!

Christine

I have my machine embroidery threads that have been used, alone with the corresponding bobbin, in zip lock baggies in large plastic drawers and drawers have their own colors, for example, browns, red, etc. Cotton threads are done the same. This seems to work for me.

I"m working thru my bobbin storage now. With 5 different machines that I'm using regularly and different types of thread, I'm started just putting them in small ziplocs with the little pony tail holders around them and labelling them as to what thread it is. Then I put them in the box for the correct machine with the feet and whatever else I have for that machine. I love all my machines but it has made some things complicated. I think I need to make a trip to the hardware store to pick up more plastic boxes to store stuff in.

I have several little boxes I keep my bobbins in.

So many bobbins! Oh my! Quilting threads, embroidery threads, pre-wound, etc.

I use boxes like the one in the original post. It holds the bobbins in tight plus has a lid in case it is dropped. I also use couple of the round circle bobbin holders. In the box for classes, I use the notebook ring as it holds about 5 bobbins.

I have three of those boxes...two I use for my Janome MC6500P and one for the machine I quilt on which is Janome 1600P. The bobbins are different for each machine. These days I only use 50wt thread, so the thread spools can work on either machine, but not the bobbins.

I use the gizmos that keep the bobbin with the spool. They look like a large plastic bobby pin (hair pin). I had the silicone rings before this, but when I had problems and was asked, "Did you use the same thread in the bobbin as on the spool?" Well, duh. White thread is white thread. How would I know...I don't just have one spool of white thread or one bobbin with white thread. So the plastic gizmos solve that problem.

I use those doughnut shaped rubbery things to hold my bobbins. I have one for each of my machines so I don't try to put the wrong bobbins in the machine I'm using at the moment. I don't worry so much about matching the top thread color to the bobbin thread color especially when piecing, you can't see it anyway. DD had different view on that, that is why we have so many bobbins with just a little bit of thread. LOL!!!

If you use Crisco to make pie crust, each stick comes in a clear plastic box with a tight cover. Great to store bobbins and I can see at a glance if I have what I want.

I have some of those bobbin cases and like them a lot. Good idea to sew a bin for them!

She used the plastic tubing to keep he thread from unraveling. I want to do this also, but need to know how to cut it to fit the bobbins. Anyone know how?

I purchased several sets from the tool department at Walmart so I would have a unit for each machine. One two layer section that had a lift-out divided tray that was perfect for filled bobbins. The bottom layer holds spare empty bobbins and extra machine feet. When I take a machine to UFO days, I just grab its unit and I have everything I need for that machine.

I use the same bobbin cases you use. I like that they keep the bobbins from unraveling all over the place. When i'm piecing scrappy quilts, I use up whatever bobbins I have in various colors and then refill as needed when I make a bag or other project where thread color matters.

I have those bobbin holders as well! I have a 2nd machine that uses a different bobbin so had to be able to keep them separate. I also have spools of cotton thread for the microwave bowl holders that need the cotton thread. I am going to use your idea to keep those bobbins separate as well when I get around to using that thread. Great idea!

Good idea, Kris P. I would eventually use the thread on the bobbins over the next decade but I like the idea to use them in scrappy quilts...you get a gold star!

Thanks for all the validation. LOL. I wasn't asking for advice or if I should change. Just sharing what I do and I like to see what others do. Love the idea of using up random colored bobbins on scrap projects. I might do that with the bobbins I have on hand that have who knows what kind of thread on them. I keep those on a porcupine bobbin holder (along with my empty bobbins for easy access).

Just cut slices of the tubing about 1/4" (make sure it's small enough to fit in between the two round sides of the bobbin) and then make a cut in each ring so you can slip it over the bobbin. I bought a bunch of tubing to do this but now I can't find where I stashed it.

I’m in the same boat with multiple machines and many different bobbins. With the exception of the featherweight bobbins I Finally just started putting partially filled bobbins back in with the thread that is on them. So in my Isachord box I have class 15 bobbins (both metal and plastic), L bobbins and M bobbins. Open my vintage thread boxes and you’ll see the same thing, 100wt and specialty thread boxes also all have multiple kinds of bobbins in them.... Means I always know what thread is on any given bobbin and since my bobbins all look very different from each other it works for me. Also helps that I have a gazillion bobbins for each machine. My system’s not ideal, but so far it works better for me than anything else I’ve come up with.

And, I always keep a few empties with each machine.

I cut clear tubing to put around my bobbins so the thread doesn't come off. You can buy one of those cutters designed for plastic tubing at the hardware store- usually they’re in the same aisle as the tubing.

Rob

I use those things you put between your toes when you polish them [you can get the ones for just one toe at the family dollar ] around the bobbin to keep the thread in check then i use a golf tee to hold them together

I keep most of my thread on 6 of The Arranger thread racks. The spool pins are 3 1/2" tall and I keep filled bobbins on the spool pin with the spool or cone of thread. I tried using various bobbin boxes but it didn't work for me. This way I always know what type of thread is on the bobbin since I have cotton and poly sewing thread and lots of machine embroidery thread. My long arm supplies are kept in a separate cart and my metallic threads are in a little bin on a shelf.
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Cari

I store my bobbins on bobbin tunnels and they sit perfectly in a plastic pencil case that you can pick up at Walmart for about a dollar. The bobbin tunnels can be found here: https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/bo...nnel-bt60.aspx

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May not work for some but one method that a former guild member used was to attach the bobbin to the thread spool using a fuzzy pipe cleaner. It isn’t elegant but it keeps them together.