isennock Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hello!! I have just set up my Lennie and am finally running out of prewound bobbins. My Lennie only came with the little plastic side winder (as a bonus i guess), it is a cute little winder and actually works well for winding bobbins from spools of thread, BUT CAN'T BE USED WITH A CONE OF THREAD!!! I have purchased some cones from superior threads and joanns, now i need bobbins. i can't wind my own from the cones, my regular machine only winds from spools also. I wouldn't mind buying the prewound ones - but man are they expensive and it is really hard to see what the real colors are. Does anyone have any suggestions for purchasing a good, reliable stand alone bobbin winder??? I see APQS has one for $350, but I can't get any info about it or pictures from their web. please help! Thanks, Tammy (newbie) Maryland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I have the "expensive" winder from APQS and absolutely love it. I even use it to wind bobbins for my BabyLock embroidery/sewing machine. It is fabulous in MHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 You can purchase a cone stand to put next your winder. I have one I use it for my cones using my DSM. You may be able to find one at JoAnn's, Kingsman, or even Superior may carry them. I think I got mine from Brewers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I bought my thread stand from my LQS and paid under $10, but it was several years ago and I can't exactly remember the price. I use it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isennock Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 A cone stand - HOW WONDERFUL - I had no idea, this is a must investigate for my machine, I have a inexpensive Janome, not sure how she would work with one, but it is an inexpensive thing to try out before a purchase of a costly stand alone winder! THANKS LADIES!!! I love this forum! just in case the cone stand doesn't work well with my Janome, any other thoughts on a stand alone?! Sandra, thannks for your feed back on the APQS one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyLynn Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Tammy Before I found the cone stand ,I used a coffee cup to hold the thread. I just sat if off to the side of the machine and kinda draped the thread over the thread holder on the top of the machine, just to use it as another guide. In fact, I have a cone thread holder stand, and often just still use the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyLynn Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Opps, I should add, I do have the stand alone winder that came with my machine, so I do not use the coffee cup with that, but with my DSM, which is also a Janome, I love my Janome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreadWaggle Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 You also may be able to wind the APQS bobbins on your Janome winder. Sit the cone in a coffee cup or bowl and run it through the guide over the thread holder on the machine. I have not tried it with an APQS bobbin, but have done it with non Janome bobbins on my Janome. I have a cone thread holder that I use with my Janome machines, so if you invest in a thread holder, you can always use it with you DSM too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isennock Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 with the coffee cup approach, won't the cone just flop around in the cup like a fish out of water and make the bobbin winding uneven.......I guess I need to try it for myself instead of asking..........going to try it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isennock Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I was able to wind the Lennie bobbin on my Janome, it hurt my fingers like crazy trying to get the bobbin off of the Janome, but it worked. I was on the way to get a coffe cup when I found one of my husbands ruler tools, I put the cone on this and just held it, i guess i was the human cone holder!!!!! I did get a nice wound bobbin!!! But taking the bobbin off the Janome really hurt me!!! I am still going to try to find a cone holder and see if the cone holder will work with the side winder, i don't think my fingers can handle the constant removal of the bobbin off the janome. thanks again to everyone! Tammy, Newbie from New Market!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roberta Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I have the APQS winder and I absolutely love it. It winds very nicely. I also purchased a cone holder a few months ago to use on my DSM and it is great too. Alot cheaper. I got it at my local Bernina store for under $10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 If you purchase the thread stand (& hopefully you do at some point - it is very useful), I recommend that you get the one with the metal base and not the plastic base. The metal base is much more stable. I bought mine at my LQS. Also, it is worth the investment to get the good bobbin winder from APQS and skip the SideWinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia Wilson Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Another cone thread stand option is to use your Lenni..... work from the back of the machine, have your sidewinder set up and ready to go and have your cone of thread placed in the thread holder at the back, feed the thread through the first top thread guide and then to the sidewinder. I've tried it, it does work just have to be careful with the sidewinder to ensure even winding on the bobbins, it does take a bit of practise as uneven or loose wound bobbins can contribute to tension issues...also the bobbins do not fill up completely with thread. My better choice is to use my turbo bobbin winder from APQS to wind all my bobbins, it is the "cream-of-the-crop" in my opinion. If you can, look into getting a turbo bobbin winder from APQS...you can call them and order it or you can order it through any dealer. Oh, also, I have a metal based thread cone stand too in my studio that I use for my DSM, I bought it from Superior Threads and it was worth the money I paid for it, very sturdy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I hope APQS does something about that bobbin winder they send out with some of their machines. I struggled with that 'thing' for a few months. Lenni is a great machine other than that bobbin winder. Using the advice from this forum, I spent $89 for the Gammill stand alone bobbin winder (no tax, $11 shipping). I now get full bobbins that I can wind from a cone or spool. I am happy as a clam now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeAnn Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I also bought the stand alone bobbin winder from Gammill, $89. Works wonderful! I have a Gammill and the bobbin winder on it works while you are sewing so you need a second cone or run your longarm while winding. I opted for a stand alone as I couldn't see getting a second cone of everything or running my longarm just to wind a bobbin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I made me a stand to hold my large spools of thread, I made it out of 2 dial pins... it work great on the Dsm machine,,, I scewed a cup holder on one end of the dial pin for the guide of the thread, took a sauce for a measuring tool and cut a round circle for the bottom and in the center cut a hold for the dial pin it stand about 12 inches tall,, can set it on a table and the thread never get messy it guides real easy into the machine,,, I got the stand alone bobbins winder with my APQS machine,, it work great, too. Wilma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.A Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I use the thread stand from Superior...well worth the price. And I wind the bobbins for my George on my Brother DSM. I prefer it to the apqs turbo winder that came w/George. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 A separate bobbin winder came with my millie. I use it, but just did puchase some prewounds. My DH and I measured out the yardage on the ones I wound and then compared it to the prewounds.... The prewound really doesn't cost that much more than the ones I wind myself,,,, I thinks it was 5 cents or less per bobbin. JFYI! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I have the Gammill Stand alone bobbin winder, and I am very happy with it. If the coffee cup doesn't work, try a deep vase. I bought Superior Masterpiece thread, and it kept breaking on my DSM. I was told that this was because MP was on a cone, so I took the cone off the machine and put it into a vase. I put an empty metal bobbin on the empty spool "stem" and run the thread around it so the machine thinks it is just coming off the spool. I have no problems with it this way. I still don't dare to use Masterpiece on my longarm. Can anyone tell me why MP was created as a two-ply thread instead of three-ply? Our "regular" threads are 40 weight 3 ply, and MP is 50 weight 2 ply. I wonder why it was decided to make it 2 ply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Linda. Thanks for the info on the price of prewounds verses winding yourself. I use prewound bobbins almost exclusively because, quite frankly, I hate winding bobbins. The prewounds are just so convenient. It's good to know I'm not really wasting money by being lazy. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Holly, As I said, I just, a couple of weeks ago, got some prewounds. What colors do you get? I wanted to get the off white or creamy color (don't remember #'s or exact color names ) they were out of it, so I did end up getting a champaigney color. It has worked out well so far I've used it on 2 quilts perfect color for them! do you by them by the 1/2 gross? I did. The one color is all I have so far. Have been winding my own for the other colors I need. I do like them because they last so much longer. On some of the quilts I've done, I have allot of quilting and I seem to be changing my bobbin every time I turn around~Thanks for your info! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I buy Superior pre-wounds in the half-gross. I have cream, tan, and taupe. These three seem to cover a lot of needs for me. I thought about black as well but haven't seen much of a need for it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isennock Posted January 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 thanks for everyones input........I have, what might be a stupid question regarding why the pre-wound bobbins would last longer. If the bobbins are the same size then wouldn't it stand to reason that a bobbin can only hold so much thread. Would it be because the pre-wound bobbins are wound tighter then what we can wind with our cups/vases and stand along bobbin winders??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 The bobbins I wound myself only held about 54-57 yards. the pre wounds I think are 119 yds. linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.