When starting any sewing project, you will usually need to buy a cotton roll of the exact color of your fabric or to match. To transfer that same thread into your spool, you'll need to rewind it. Each car is a little different, but the ground rules are more or less the same.
Steps
Step 1. Remove the bobbin from the sewing machine
If your machine has a free arm, you will need to remove that first. Open the reel door to access the reel container, for vertical models. If your machine has a push-in (horizontal loading) bobbin, simply open the sliding door underneath the presser foot.
Step 2. Lift the lever and pull out the reel case (for vertical machines
But for horizontal ones, just pull the coil out of its panel).
Step 3. Tilt the spool case and let the spool drop in your hands
(some cases have a side lever that lets go of the coil when it is raised). If the bobbin has another color thread around it, use a new bobbin. Or, if it's not a lot of it, just unroll it and reuse the coil. Just make sure that rewinding starts when the reel is empty. (In no time, you can wrap a new color around a different one. Only then may you have to rewind it again soon, because the color will run out sooner).
Step 4. Place the wire of your choice on the pin and place a rug over it, if there is one (usually only on the horizontal pins)
Many machines use gravity to hold the wires for me, so if your pin is vertical and you don't have a cap, don't worry, you won't need it.
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If you are using a new roll of thread, you may need to free the end. Look for a small mark near the end of the roll. You may have to pull the label a bit to find it. Then, pull it until it breaks free.
Image Step 5. Turn the free end of the thread around the bobbin tensioner and any other hooks
The placement of this piece varies, but it generally turns this way.
Image Step 6. Thread the end of the thread through the hole in the top of the bobbin
Image Step 7. Press the spool to the end of the spool holder
Make sure any springs or clips are activated. Position it so that the thread that comes out is facing you (or up, depending on the position of the bobbin holder on your machine).
Image Step 8. Disable the needle mechanism
Many machines have this control in the manual wheel. It may require a manual push, pull, or turn of the wheel center. Check your machine manual to be sure. The sewing machine may be faster at rewinding the bobbin than at seams, and you don't want your needle moving too violently up and down.
Image Step 9. Activate the bobbin rewind mechanism
On some machines, this is done by pushing the spool holder to one side. You may also need to move the stitch selector to a rewind position.
Image Step 10. Hold the free end of the thread and, keeping your fingers away from all moving parts, squeeze the foot pedal or knee lever
The spool pin will turn.
- If you've threaded the bobbin correctly, it will rewind comfortably, evenly and tightly, with perhaps a little bulge in the middle.
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You should cut the end of the thread you were holding (very close to the bobbin) as soon as there is enough thread on the bobbin that it won't unwind. It will prevent the wire from wrapping around any moving parts.
Image Step 11. Fill the entire spool
It may look like a lot of thread, but you don't want it to finish too soon as you sew. Many machines have a mechanism that stops rewinding when the bobbin is full, often a small blade that automatically cuts the thread when the rewound bobbin is full. If there is this mechanism in your machine, let it tell you that it is full. If not, fill the coil without going over the edges.
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Image Step 12. Hold the spool and its case so they are positioned as shown
Check that the reel unwinds in the right direction. If not, turn it over.
Image Step 13. Insert the coil into the case
Image Step 14. Pass the thread under the bobbin tensioner (a thin metal lever)
The thread should advance with a slight resistance as you pull it. Let this extra thread hang.
Image Step 15. Lift the case lever up and hold it as shown
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Image Step 16. Insert the coil case into its space
Make sure it is inserted all the way in (you should hear it click into place) and that the direction it is going is the right one. The reel case should not turn or disengage when you release the lever. It should be locked inside. And the end of the thread should be free. Do not close the reel door.
Image Step 17. Reinsert the needle from the handwheel, disengage the bobbin winding mechanism, and return the machine to a straight forward stitch
Image Step 18. Thread the upper thread into the machine as usual
Once it has passed through the needle, you need to raise the bobbin thread. Hold the end of the thread with your free hand.
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Image Step 19. Turn the manual wheel towards you
The needle should go up and down to the highest position. A full circle should suffice. The upper thread will pass around the bobbin.
Image Step 20. Observe that the upper thread pulls over the bobbin thread through the hole in the plate under the presser foot
- You can pass the closed tip of a pair of scissors under the foot to help you pull the thread up and out.
- If the ends don't advance a bit when you just pull them, spin the hand wheel a little (not quite) until they give out. Generally, the needle will need to be in its highest position.
Step 21. Pull the ends to straighten them, and continue to hold them so they don't catch as you begin to sew
Step 22. Close the bobbin door before starting to sew
Advice
- When you buy a bobbin, write down the make and model of your sewing machine and take them with you to the store to make sure you get the right spare parts. You can also take the old coil with you as a comparison. The staff in the fabric or machine shop can help you find the right size.
- Like a car throttle, your sewing machine will go faster the more you press. As you go ahead and practice, you will realize that there is no reason to wind a bobbin slowly, especially if you have properly locked the needle. When you are sure that everything is going correctly, go and sweep it away.
- Consult your sewing machine manual for specific instructions on how to operate it, as they can change.
- If you don't have a manual or are still confused, ask at a sales and repair shop or a fabric store. Someone who works there will likely be familiar enough with different types of machines to point you in the right direction.
Warnings
- Do not try to adjust the coil tension yourself. Generally, it is already adjusted right and it is best to change the tension of the upper thread until it is tight.
- If you are experienced with sewing machines, then don't be afraid to make changes to your bobbin tension. The ability to make tension changes allows you to use many different types of cotton easily.
- Sewing machines have moving parts with which you can injure yourself. Remember what they are and keep your hands and other objects away. In particular, do not put your fingers under the needle.
