How to spool thread onto the bobbin - Sewing Machines

How do I wind the bobbin?

1. Turn on the sewing machine, and open the top cover.
2. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder shaft so that the spring on the shaft fits into the. ...
3. Remove the spool cap that is inserted onto the spool pin. ...
4. While holding the thread near the spool with your right hand, as shown, pull the thread with.

1. Turn the power on the machine.
2. Open the bobbin winder cover at the top on the right side of the sewing machine.
3. Swing up the bobbin thread spool pin. Move the bobbin thread spool pin up as far as possible.

1-Bobbin thread spool pin
4. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder shaft so that the spring on the shaft fits into the notch in the bobbin.

1-Notch
2-Bobbin winder shaft spring
5. Slide the bobbin winder shaft to the right.

NOTE: If the correct size bobbin is not used at this time; when the bobbin winder is engaged; the bobbin winder will make a usual noise and not wind the bobbin correctly.
6. Place the spool of thread for the bobbin onto the bobbin thread spool pin.
7. Slide the spool cap onto the bobbin thread spool pin.
NOTE: If using thread that winds off quickly, such as nylon or metallic thread, place the spool net over the spool before placing the spool of thread onto the spool pin.
8. Pull out some thread, and then thread the thread guide for the bobbin winding. Hold the thread with both hands, and then securely pass the thread as far as possible into the two slits in the thread guide.

1-Thread guide for bobbin winding
2-Two slits
9. While using your left hand to hold the end of the thread that wraps around the thread guide for bobbin winding, use your right hand to wind the free end of the thread clockwise around the bobbin five or six times.

10. Pull the thread to the right and pass it through the slit in the bobbin winder seat.

I can help you with this, the Elna Lotus has a pretty simple bobbin winding system, the bobbin winder is top right of the machine, drop bobbin with holes to the top onto the spindle. Now Lotus have a dial on the right side which switches between bobbin winding, stitching and locked for transport, turn it to Bobbin symbol. Take the thread from the spool pin at the back across to the metal eyelet at top front (it sits inside the accessory tray when transporting so you may need to pop open the tray lid and flip this eyelet out)
Now take thread across and through a hole on top of the bobbin and holding the tail, put your foot onto the foot control to get a couple of winds onto the bobbin to hold the thread. Now place your finger or the handle of a pair of scissors onto the top of the thread spool to apply tension so that the thread winds evenly and slowly wind the bobbin until about 3/4 full, making sure it winds evenly. Tension onto the spool is the key here, Lotus doesn't have a tension device to control the thread tension as it winds so you need to do this, critical to getting a good stitch out of these lovely machines.

Hope this helps you out.

Put the thread spool on the vertical spool holder with a sponge pad underneath. Wind the thread off the spool and through the small wire thread guide next to the spool holder. Take the thread across the top of the sewing arm to the tension unit just next to the gap in the case through which the thread is normally threaded - the tension unit looks like the top of a shiny screw without the slots in it. Wind the thread in a clockwise direction around the tension unit once and pull the thread with a bit of tension until it slips into the sprung gap around the underside of the shiny part. Slip the end of the thread through one of the holes in the bobbin and, preferably, wind a few turns on, then push the bobbin onto the bobbin winder shaft at the right-hand end of the top of the machine. Turn the bobbin clockwise by hand a few more times to make sure the thread is 'locked' onto the bobbin and then just push the lever adjacent to the bobbin winder to the left. To wind the bobbin, you then press the foot controller and either stop when you've got enough thread on the bobbin or let it stop automatically when full. Make sure you dont go so fast that the spool rattles-around on the spool holder otherwise this could spoil the way the bobbin gets filled.

You need to keep tension on the thread spool as you wind the bobbin to avoid this from happening. Also, is there a little tension device to take the thread around between the spool and the bobbin winder? Some machines have a little silver button tensioner purely for bobbin winding to keep the thread flowing smoothly.

But I always do the following anyway just to ensure a smooth bobbin. Take the thread from your spool, through the eyelet or tensioner, then back to the bobbin and put the tail end up through a hole in the top of the bobbin. Now put the bobbin onto the winder and click it against the stop. Place the curved handle of a pair of scissors onto the top of the thread spool and apply some gentle pressure to stop the spool from bouncing and jumping while winding off. Keep doing this through the winding process.

Start the bobbin winding mechanisim, its a button on my Janome 6500, yours might be a little different. HOLD the thread tail until you've got coverage over the whole bobbin area catching the starting point. Stop, trim the thread tail off top of the bobbin with scissors, then restart winding again. Watch as the thread winds and give it a nudge with your finger tip to the top or bottom so the bobbin winds evenly across the whole spool's width.

Best analogy here is when you wind the garden hose onto the reel, if it goes on all over the place you never get the whole length on neatly, but if you wind it on neatly in an even tight coil across the spool, then back again, then repeat, you get a tidy hose. But just wind madly, it all builds up in the middle, you can't get it all onto the reel, and it won't pull out nicely next time you need it. Same thing with your SM thread.

Polyester and silky embroidery threads will be worse too as they are silky, so if the thread hasn't been wound on smoothly and under tension, then it will "collapse" with gravity, then when you use the bobbin, the thread is going to be caught on itself, will feed unevenly and be stretched, then loose, giving you less than perfect stitch tension.

My other bobbin tip is store the bobbins in a plastic bobbin tray so they are lying on their edges and under a cover. Keeps them neater and they are less likely to unwind stray threads around your sewing cabinet if you store them on the spool pins build onto the cabinet door - and it keeps the thread dust free. But I do not keep thread on bobbins for long, prefer to wind a fresh one off a new spool when I start a project and can usually complete a garment with a 3/4 filled bobbin, use the remaining few metres for handsewing, then junk the rest. Then I put the thread spool that is left back into a sealed takeway container to keep it away from UV, dust and moisture.

I hope this assists you with your machine and certainly if this doesn't resolve the bobbin issues, then I'd suggest you visit your dealer and ask them to demonstrate the technique on your machine to see if there is a technical issue with it.

Take the thread-end from the thread spool to the left, around the bottom of the "silver" "button"; across the top of the button and back to the right to the bobbin winder.

Run the thread-end through a hole in the side of the bobbin spool, hold onto the thread (pull through about 5" of thread) and place the bobbin spool onto the the bobbin winding pin.

You may have to turn a bit to the left or right to get the spool in place. Push the bobbin spool to the right; against the bobbin winding wheel.

Press on the power pedal - keeping hold of the thread-end.

As the bobbin fills, the thead end will twist.

When you can not longer hold on. Stop the machine and clip the thread end then continue to wind the bobbin.

You can view and download a manual here (free) - http://www.brother-usa.com/manuals/default.aspx?PGID=3&R3ModelID=XL2230

I could not find a guide for this model.

If there is a knob in the center of the handwheel, it needs to be loosened.

Take the thread from the spool around the first guide and then to toward the bobbin winder.

Run the end of the thread through an opening in the side of the bobbin spool.

Hold onto about 5" of the thread and place the bobbin spool onto the bobbin pin and move the pin to the right or the winding wheel to the left (depends on how your machine is designed).

Holding onto the thread end, press the power pedal.

When you cannot hold onto the thread any longer, stop the machine and cut off the thread end and then continue to wind the bobbin.

Disengage the bobbin winder (move the pin or the wheel back into place) and tighten the knob in the center of the handwheel before sewing.

I assume you mean when you wind a bobbin full of thread??

You take the end of thread from your spool through the tension device or an eyelet on top of the machine, then back to the bobbin on the bobbin winder and thread the loose end through a top hole on the bobbin. Click the bobbin in against the stop and press on the pressure foot to start to wind. Hold the top thread for a bit as the bobbin starts to fill and then once it has been covered by a row or two of thread, stop and cut of the loose end from top of the bobbin. Now continue to wind the bobbin until it cuts out as it fills against the stopper. Nudge the thread with a finger tip as it spools onto the bobbin to help get the bobbin filled top and bottom and not just in the middle. (bit like when you coil the garden hose onto the reel, it always wants to go in the middile only and then jams up LOL).

Also a really good idea to place your scissors handle into the top of the thread spool to slow/control it as the thread reels off it. This helps give an even tension on the thread going onto the bobbin which really helps with stitch quality later.

Insert the empty bobbin case onto the bobbin winder in the sewing machine.

Step 2 Set the spool of thread onto the thread peg. Use the same thread you want to use on your material to obtain the best finished stitch.

Step 3 Follow the arrows or guides to take the thread from the spool to the empty bobbin.
Step 4 Start the thread around the bobbin in a clockwise direction.

Step 5 Push the small lever against the bobbin spool to hold it in place. This disengages the needle so it won't go up and down while winding the bobbin.

Step 6 Press the foot or knee pedal to start the winding process. Stop when you have enough thread on the bobbin for your project.

Step 7
Cut the thread between the thread spool and the bobbin. Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case so you can begin sewing.

Open to clarifications.
rate this.