This quick tutorial will teach you one of the very first steps to getting started with sewing – how to wind a bobbin. It might seem a bit intimidating at first, but believe me, soon you’ll be able to wind a bobbin in your sleep! Not that you would want to, but the point is that it will become pure muscle memory.
I have a Brother sewing machine, but the process is practically the same for all sewing machines. So there’s a good chance these steps will be the exact same for you, even if you do have a different make of machine.
Does the kind of bobbin I use matter?
Yes, the kind of bobbin you use does matter, at least on some machines. I’ve had lots of problems from using the wrong bobbins. If your machine didn’t come with any bobbins, your manual should tell you which kind to buy. Bobbin packaging or the online listing will also specify which kinds of machines they are for. If it says something like, “for most machines,” you might be better off finding one that’s a little more specific.
If you are still shopping for sewing supplies, you can also check out my post on everything you need to get started with sewing!
Read your sewing machine manual
Step 1 – That said, the first step to wind a bobbin is: read your manual! If you don’t have one, you can probably view your machine’s manual online for free (just google your machine’s make and model). It will have very clear diagrams that match (almost) exactly what your machine looks like, so it really is a good first step to take.
If you have a Brothercs6000i like me, here is a link that has a download for the manual.
Turn on the sewing machine
Step 2 – Plug your machine in, turn it on, and plug the foot pedal into the machine.
Set up the thread and bobbin
This picture shows the path that the thread will take from the spool pin (far right) in the next few steps. If you don’t like my drawing, you can also check out the diagram on the top of my machine… It’s pretty much the exact same! Your machine might have something similar.
Step 3 – Place the spool on the spool pin. Check your manual to see if the direction the thread comes off of the spool matters. On my machine, it doesn’t.
Step 4 – Pass the thread through the thread guide on the top left side of the machine. Go through the slit, from back to front, under and over.
Step 5 – Then, wrap the thread around the base of the pre-tension disc, clockwise.
Step 6 – Pass the thread through the hole in the top of the bobbin, from inside to outside. Your bobbin might have just one hole, or it might have several.
Step 7 – Now hold the tail of thread and place the bobbin on the bobbin winder shaft. Then push the shaft to the right.
Wind the bobbin
Step 8 – Continue to hold the tail and begin winding by pressing the foot pedal.
Hold the tail securely enough that you won’t let go, but not so securely that it lifts the bobbin. The winding of the bobbin will twist the tail as you hold it, and eventually it will just break off. This is what I’ve always done. But if you want, you can stop and trim the tail once you know it’s secured. Then continue winding.
As the bobbin winds, I sometimes notice that it’s winding a little unevenly. If this happens, I place my finger above or below the thread for a few seconds. This forces the bobbin to wind in that spot until it’s even.
Step 9 – Once the bobbin is full, the thread will push against the stopper (far right) and the bobbin will stop winding automatically. You can then push the bobbin winder shaft back to the left position, remove the bobbin, and cut your thread.
That’s it!
And you’re all done winding your bobbin. Did you find this tutorial helpful? Let me know if you still have any questions in the comments below!
Now the next step is to thread your sewing machine. Check out my post here on how to do exactly that!
Leave a Reply