Before you start sewing, you will usually buy thread in a color that matches the fabric you are sewing. To make the color of the yarn you buy match the color of the yarn in the bobbin, you must first wind this yarn into the bobbin. Every sewing machine has a slightly different way of winding thread, but the basic technique is pretty much the same.
Step
Step 1. Remove the bobbin from the sewing machine
If your sewing machine has an extra table in the front (usually it will be removed when sewing the sleeve holes,) remove it first. For sewing machine models with vertical bobbin mounting, open the lifeboat housing cover to remove the lifeboat. If you are installing the bobbin on your machine horizontally, all you need to do is remove the metal plate of the sewing machine base that is under the retaining shoe.
Step 2. Lift the lever on the lifeboat and pull the lifeboat out of the engine (for vertical bobbin installation
) For horizontal installation of the bobbin, you simply remove the bobbin from the lifeboat.
Step 3. Tap the lifeboat on the top and let the bobbin fall into your hands
(There are lifeboats that have a lever on the side that releases the bobbin when lifted.) If the bobbin you just removed is still filled with a different color of thread, use an empty bobbin. Or, if the content is not too much, first remove the existing thread and then use this bobbin again. It is better to fill the bobbin empty. But if needed, you can wind the yarn in a different color on top of the existing color. However, you may have to rewind the yarn more often to fill the bobbin because the color you need will run out faster.
Step 4. Thread the thread you need in the thread holder and attach a spool of thread at the end, if available (this holder is usually used only in horizontal thread holders
) Many sewing machines rely on gravity to hold the spool of thread, so if your thread holder is vertical and there is no hold, don't worry.
-
If the skein is new, you will need to remove the ends of the yarn first. Look for small nicks at the end of the spool of yarn. You may need to peel the wrapper a little bit, then remove the thread.
Image Step 5. Hook the free end of the thread on the thread tensioner and the hook above it
The place of this hook may vary, but in general it will look like the one shown in this image.
Image Step 6. Insert the end of the thread into the hole at the top of the bobbin (to hold the thread in place when the winding process begins
)
Image Step 7. Press the bobbin against the bobbin winder
Make sure that the bobbin holder is locked. Thread the bobbin with the thread (which you just inserted into the retaining hole) either facing you or up, depending on the position of the bobbin winder on your sewing machine.
Image Step 8. Remove the needle drive machine so that it is temporarily disabled
How to remove the needle drive machine can be by pressing, pulling, or twisting the center of the top wheel. Read your sewing machine manual to be sure. A sewing machine will work faster when winding bobbins than when sewing, and you certainly don't want to let the sewing needle in your machine move up and down when you don't need it.
Image Step 9. Activate the bobbin winder mechanism
On some machines, the method of activating this winding mechanism is to press the bobbin sideways. You may also need to change the stitch size to the bobbin winding position.
Image Step 10. Grasp the free end of the thread and keeping all your fingers off the sewing machine that will move, press the foot pedal or knee lever
The bobbin winder will rotate.
- When the yarn has started to wind properly on the bobbin, the bobbin winding will be smooth, the yarn will loop evenly, and tight, perhaps with a slight bulge in the middle.
-
You should cut the end of the thread you are holding (as close to the bobbin as possible) once there is enough thread in the bobbin so that the thread will wind itself and not come loose. This will prevent the thread sticking over the bobbin from getting caught in the moving parts of the sewing machine.
Image Step 11. Fill the bobbin to the brim
It looks like it will take a lot of thread to fill the bobbin completely, but you don't want to run out of bobbins too often while sewing. Many machines install a device to stop the bobbin turning when it is fully charged, usually in the form of a small knife that will automatically cut the yarn once the bobbin is fully charged. If your sewing machine has this device, let the machine determine how much thread is needed to fill this bobbin. If not, fill the bobbin no more than the circle.
Image 
Image Step 12. Hold the bobbin and the lifeboat in the direction shown in the picture
Check that the thread in the bobbin will eventually unravel in the correct direction. If not, return your bobbin.
Image Step 13. Insert the bobbin into the lifeboat
Image Step 14. Pull the thread from inside the lifeboat through the bottom of the thread tensioner (in the form of a thin metal lever
) There should be a slight hold on the thread as you pull. Let the excess thread hang.
Image Step 15. Lift the lever on the lifeboat and hold it as shown in the picture
Image 
Image Step 16. Insert the lifeboat into the lifeboat housing
Make sure the lifeboat is securely in place (you will hear a click if the lifeboat is installed) and that it is oriented correctly. The lifeboat must be able to turn and must not be released by the time you return the tow lever. And the end of the thread you pulled earlier should be left hanging freely. Don't close the lifeboat door yet.
Image Step 17. Restart the sewing needle drive by turning the top wheel again, to stop the bobbin winder, and resetting the sewing machine to sew with a straight forward stick
Image Step 18. Thread the top thread on the sewing machine as usual
Once your thread is threaded into the machine needle, you'll need to pull the bobbin from the bottom up. Hold the end of the top thread with the hand that is not holding the top wheel.
Image 
Image Step 19. Turn the top wheel toward you
The needle will move down and back up until it reaches the highest position with one full turn. The top thread will move down around the bobbin.
Image Step 20. Watch as the top thread pulls the thread from the bobbin up through the hole in the bottom surface of the sewing machine under the retaining shoe
- You can insert the closed ends of the scissors under the retaining shoe to pull the bobbin thread up and out.
- If the free end of the bobbin doesn't rise high enough when you try to pull it gently, turn the top wheel a little (not a full turn) until the bobbin is up. In general, the sewing needle should be in the topmost position.
Image Step 21. Pull the end of the bobbin to make it longer, then hold it firmly so it doesn't tangle when you start sewing
Step 22. Close the door of the lifeboat housing before you sew
-
Step 23.
Tips
- When buying bobbins, note down the make and model of your sewing machine and take them to the store so you can buy the right bobbin for your sewing machine. Or take the bobbin that was there when you bought the sewing machine to compare the sizes. People who sell fabrics or sewing machines can help you find the right bobbin size.
- Just like a car's gas pedal, your sewing machine will run faster if you press the pedal harder. Once you've tried and practiced a little bobbin filling, there's no point in slowly rolling the bobbin, especially if you've removed the needle drive properly. When you are sure that everything is installed correctly, start the machine and fill the bobbin to the brim.
- Study your sewing machine manual to find out how to use the machine specifically on your sewing machine because there may be differences.
- If you have lost your sewing machine manual or you are still confused, try asking your salesperson and sewing machine repair center or a salesperson at a fabric store. There may be people working there who are familiar enough with the differences in the different sewing machine models to help guide you in the right direction.
Warning
- There are parts of the sewing machine that can hurt. Get to know each part well so you don't hurt your hands and keep other things away that you don't need. Never let your hand go under a sewing machine needle.
- Do not attempt to adjust the lifeboat tension yourself. In general, the lifeboat is properly adjusted and it is best to adjust the tension of the top thread until the pull of the two threads is equal.
- If you have experience sewing with a sewing machine, don't be afraid to change the thread tension on your lifeboat. Your ability to change the thread tension of the lifeboat will help you use a variety of threads with ease.
