Singer 201-2 Bobbin Winding Issues
 

Please forgive me if this has already been discussed but I did a search and couldn't find anything.

After years of ignoring (fearing) my grandmother's sewing machine, after my daughter jammed up our Janome (and I can't get it serviced until this quarantine - I've tried every tutorial...) I got it out. And... I'm in love. It's a Singer 201-2 and it runs perfectly/I've been sewing face masks like a champ when I try to wind a new bobbin - the thread comes out of the tension holder midway through winding and/or the thread comes up (almost off) the spool holder. (Hopefully this makes sense...) I've searched everywhere and can't figure out what the issue is. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated - video tutorials even better (I fixed a few minor issues already and it's probably my favorite part about that machine - being able to get in and fix things!) Thanks all!

Mine does that when I try to wind too fast. I just slow down to keep the thread spool from bouncing around so much . I do have a felt cushion under the spool pin on the bed and it still bounces if I'm winding too fast. In thinking about my reply, I may flip the spool over to see if that makes a difference and/or put a metal fender washer (large washer with a small hole) on top of the spool to see if that helps.

: I tried the washer idea, but the spool pin does not extend above a "standard" spool.

John Thomas in NC

I agree with slowing down. Hard to do sometimes as you want to get back to sewing. It puts extra stretch in the bobbin thread which can cause stitching problem.

Another suggestion would be to thread from the top spool pin, rather than the bed spool pin. This can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgs4zRY-a-4

Something else that might be considered is the way the thread is wound on the spool.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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What a simple fix that I never thought to try - I always just fly on that machine (which is part of why I love it). Will try and slow down a bit next time! Thanks so much!

The 201 was built in the days of wooden thread spools. They are much heavier than today's plastic or foam spools. It's my opinion that the spool jumping out is because it's lightweight, thus the suggestion to stick a washer on the top. I mess up regularly on my 401 while winding the bobbin. It jumps out as well when I wind too fast.
bk

I have a Wards model 30 Streamliner that has a tiny hinged arm at the top of it's spool pin to keep a spool from spinning too high.

Do you hold the thread for a bit while winding it? What I mean is to have some sticking out of the bobbin slot or side of the bobbin while winding.

Yup! I hold it - it's generally fine for the first part of winding and doesn't start having issues until about midway through winding. Need to sew some additional cloth masks tonight and will need a new bobbin so I will try both going slower and/or using the top spool. Thanks all for the help - I so appreciate this forum and am so glad to have found the silver lining of my daughter killing our Janome/to be using my grandmothers beloved machine!

I try to always have two spools of the same thread. One on the spool pin for sewing and one on the bobbin winding pin. I wind the new bobbin as I sew. The spool on the bobbin winding pin never flies off because I'm winding too fast and I always have a fresh bobbin ready to go when I need it.

Wow -- you wind a bobbin at the same time you're sewing? Awsome!