How to Thread Your Sewing Machine & How to Wind A Bobbin: 2 Easy Tutorials
Ok…here’s the deal…I’m no Martha Stewart.
I’m not even Julia Child. (Although I do talk kooky, occasionally appear to be a little tipsy, and enjoy good cooking.)
But I did make some videos.
I’m not saying they are great…but if you want to see a simple demonstration on how to thread a sewing machine or how to wind a bobbin they’ll do in a pinch.
So here they are:
How To Wind A Bobbin (using your sewing machine)
and:
How To Thread Your Sewing Machine
Now…before you ask….no, there is not a video on how to thread your bobbin. I’m sorry. I am lucky enough to have access 9 different sewing machines (not all mine, but in my family) and I am telling you that every single one of them needs to be threaded differently. (Every single one of them.) Bobbins are independent little fellows…they can’t even agree on where to live on their machines…some are front loading bobbins…
and others are top loading (drop in) bobbins…
So today I’m just going to give you my only piece of bobbin threading advice which is this:
Get out your instruction manual and follow it to the T…and then practice, practice practice.
Really practice until it doesn’t make you want to punch someone in the face…and then keep practicing until it doesn’t make you want to kick the cat…and then…I’m just kidding but really, practicing is the key. I sat down one day and would sew a few stitches, then I would take the bobbin out, start over, rethread, sew a few stitches and then repeat the process all over again. Annoying yes…but now I can thread bobbins in my sleep (which is about the only time I get a few minutes to myself to sew:). So get out that manual and practice, practice, practice.
Alright, I think that is everything for the day…2 videos, 2 photos and some unsolicited advice. Yep, that’s everything.
-liZ
Except…That’s not really everything…I forgot to share some “what I wish I’d known when I started sewing advice” from the ever famous Meg at Elsie Marley.
She says, “I wish I knew how important ironing was when I started sewing. Everything seems to take so long when you are starting out and ironing is yet another step–one that usually gets skipped all together. But I have come to believe that having a good iron is more important than having a good sewing machine. No matter what you are making–pillows, soft toys, garments–if you iron all your seams, the finished product will look so much better. Instead of looking sad and homemade, your finished product will look handmade and amazing!”
Thanks Meg…and watch for her gift in the giveaway at the end of this month!!!
I have been sewing for over …..well, a long time …….and have never thought of threading the bobbin thread through the hole before I start filling it. Thanks Liz!
What brand/model is the machine in the video? Great job by the way, these are simple tasks if you practice enough but I am a visual learner and always like a video to see the correct way to do things!
What type of iron do you have ?looking for a good iron for pressing
Thank you. Terri
OK you need to do more videos cause you are so adorable (and informative)!
I love that advice at the end…ironing! Who knew?
Not me when I started, but I totally do it now. All the time.
~Michelle
So I love the videos. Quick question, Every time I load thread onto my bobbin, it always comes out kind of cone shaped (more on one end then the other). Why and how do I fix it?
Thanks.
I am sure that if you look in your instruction book it should give you the answer to this but just in case: you will need a small screwdriver and you need to loosen and adjust the knob or “brake” that controls how much thread goes onto your bobin. It is the knob that you slide your bobbin over to just before you start winding. Like she said it is the knob that tells your machine you are winding a bobbin. It is kind of odd shaped and you just turn it and adjust it to correctly wind your bobbin. You will just have to experiment. Hope this helps. I am lazy and never adjust mine I just use my finger as another tension or guide to guide the thread up or down as need be.
Jess—The one in the video is a Bernina Bernette H70. It’s a good machine! My mom got it for me and I think that she actually bought it on ebay!!!
-liZ
Terri—-I am so sorry I don’t have a great answer for you….mine is one that I got for my wedding (more than 15 years ago) it’s old and the handle is cracked but it still works, and steams, and so I still use it….all the time.
-liZ
Jax—Read Bonnie’s comment…she’s awesome!
-liZ
I echo the advice on ironing, it is so important and shouldn’t be skipped. However, I am the worst at ironing! Can you do a How-to blog post on ironing? How hot should the iron be? Yes to steam? Keep the iron moving or hold and press for a couple seconds? What’s the best way to iron a nice straight hem? Or am I over thinking it all? Thanks!
Thanks a bunch. Guess I gotta find that darn book. I have been trying to just guide the thread to even it out but I get distracted easily and it ends up worse then if I had left it alone. Thank You for taking the time to respond!
…And if you have any of the fun tools for ironing…. ham, clapper, etc. I would love to see them in action before I spend the money on them.