Should I Wind My Own Bobbins?
Just about every home embroidery machine comes equipped with a built-in bobbin winder. Normally found conveniently placed atop your machine under the lid, the built-in bobbin winder is a constant source of wonder. Should I wind my own bobbins, or should I purchase pre-wound bobbins? That’s a question that everyone has asked themselves at least once.
There is nothing wrong with winding your own bobbins. Many times you need a special thread in your bobbin, or you simply want to use the same thread in the bobbin as you are using on the top. Free Standing Lace comes to mind as one of those times.
What ever your reason(s) for winding your own bobbins, no one could ever fault you for doing so. However, if the reason you wind your own bobbins has anything to do with cost, you may be surprised to learn that pre-wound bobbins may actually save you money. To illustrate my point, let me make a few cost comparisons between pre-wound bobbins and standard spools of bobbin thread.
For these comparisons I’ve selected three well known manufacturers of bobbin thread and three well known manufacturers of pre-wound bobbins. As the chart below shows, there is a significant difference in “per bobbin” cost between pre-wound bobbins and bobbins you wind yourself.
| Manufacturer | Cost* | Spool Capacity | Bobbin Capacity** | Bobbins Per Spool | Bobbins Per Box | Cost Per Bobbin |
| Brother | $8.99 | 1200 yards | 120 yards | 10 | N/A | $0.89 |
| Superior | $6.95 | 1420 yards | 120 yards | <12 | N/A | $0.59 |
| Finishing Touch | $7.99 | 1200 yards | 120 yards | 10 | N/A | $0.80 |
| NEBS | $36.00 | N/A | 130 yards | N/A | 144 | $0.25 |
| Coats Astra | $24.95 | N/A | 114 yards | N/A | 144 | $0.17 |
| Clear Glide | $24.00 | N/A | 135 yards | N/A | 100 | $0.24 |
** Bobbin capacities are approximate.
The comparisons above are based on products commonly thought to be of superior quality. Bobbin thread and pre-wound bobbins from other manufactures, or of lower quality, may result in different costs per bobbin. Purchasing pre-wounds in smaller than box quantities is normally more expensive and could increase your cost per bobbin.
As I said earlier, there is nothing wrong with winding your own bobbins. What ever works best for you is the way to go. But, if cost is a major factor in your decision you may want to reconsider. Using pre-wound bobbins can actually be less expensive than winding your own.
Regardless of whether you use pre-wound or self-wind bobbins, you will have better results if you use high quality thread. Some machine manufacturers do not recommend using pre-wound bobbins in their machines, but a bit of experimentation should determine whether or not they will work for you.
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