Winding a Bobbin Instructions and video links Class 15 Clone & Kenmore
Because bobbins are essential to lockstitch sewing machines, I made a couple of videos of how to wind bobbins for a couple of different types of sewing machines, and shared them on YouTube.
I will include those links here, as they are completed. I will try to add written instructions as well.
Here is the link to the Youtube video, just click on it and it will play-
How to wind a Bobbin for Class 15 Clone Sewing Machines
Winding a bobbin is an essential skill for using most lock stitch sewing machines, with the class 15 clone sewing machines being one of the most common vintage sewing machine styles around the world. The bobbin winder is in front of the handwheel on most of these class 15 clone vintage sewing machines- 1. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder post, and push the bobbin winder into position, so the bobbin winding tire is pushed against the handwheel. 2. Hold the handwheel with your left hand, and loosen the silver bobbin winding clutch, in the center of the handwheel, with your right hand.
(Some Kenmore sewing machines from the 80's to the 90's have you pull out the entire silver handwheel, to release the clutch)
(The clutch is supposed to make the needle not
go up and down, while you wind the bobbin, but as machines age, and oil dries inside the clutch, and as the machine is used, the clutch may get a little sticky, or develop metal burrs inside, which won't allow the bobbin winding clutch to release completely, so NEVER leave the needle threaded, or a sewing project under the needle, when winding a bobbin, unless you have set your machine to wind a bobbin automatically, while you are sewing, or you will wind up sewing the bobbin hook to the needleplate, or may damage your sewing project.)
3. Unthread your needle on your sewing machine
just in case your bobbin winding clutch doesn't release.
4. Place the spool of thread you want to wind from, on the spoolpin on the bed of the machine, next to the bobbin tension disc.
(KENMORE, and many other machines have their bobbin winder on top of the machine, you use the top spoolpin for the spool of thread, pull the thread to the left around and under the bobbin winding tension disc, in a full circle around the tension disc, so the thread makes an x to the right of this disc, then thread through the middle of the bobbin, and up, out through one of the holes on the top of the bobbin, as it sits on the bobbin winding post. Snap the bobbin winder finger against the bobbin, which should push the bobbin winder into position for the bobbin winding tire under the machine lid, to come into contact with the inside edge of the handwheel, which causes the bobbin to wind.)
5. Bring your thread from this spool, to the right, under the bobbin winding tension disc, and up to the bobbin you placed on the bobbin winding post.
6. Thread from inside the bobbin, out one of the holes on the left side of the bobbin. Hold about 3 inches of thread to the left of the bobbin.
7. Push the sewing machine pedal, or knee bar, whichever makes your machine run. (If your machine has a safety switch light that must be turned on to sew, or wind a bobbin, turn it on, before pushing the pedal.)
8. The bobbin winder will usually disengage itself, automatically, when the bobbin is full, but you do not want to overfill the bobbin, so stop winding, if the winder doesn't stop, before the thread gets within 1/8th of an inch of the bobbin edge.
9. Disengage your bobbin winder, if it did not disengage itself, by unsnapping the flat piece that rubs against the thread in the bobbin, while it is being wound.
10. Snip your thread, and you can place your bobbin back in the bobbin case, ready to sew! Putting the bobbin in bobbin case- have thread come off the top of the bobbin, clockwise, over the top, and hold the bobbin case with the "pigtail" up, then pull the thread through the slit in the bobbin, and under the flat bobbin spring, so the thread comes out the opening in the side of the bobbin. Place bobbin case in machine, remembering to place the pig tail in the pointed opening at the top of the bobbin hook area.
How to Wind a Bobbin on Kenmore Sewing Machines
Top mounted Kenmore sewing machine bobbin winder instructions-
NOTE- remember to turn on the light on your Kenmore, it is a safety switch, the machine will not run without the light being turned on, even to wind the bobbin.
KENMORE, and many other machines have their bobbin winder on top of the machine, you
1. Release the hand wheel clutch knob, by turning the center knob to the left, while holding the handwheel still, with your right hand.
TIP-Some Kenmore sewing machines from the 80's to the 90's have you pull out the entire silver handwheel, approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch, to release the clutch.
Releasing the clutch, is supposed to make the needle not go up and down, while you wind the bobbin, but as machines age, and oil dries inside the clutch, and as the machine is used, the clutch may get a little sticky, or develop metal burrs inside, which won't allow the bobbin winding clutch to release completely, so NEVER leave the needle threaded, or a sewing project under the needle, when winding a bobbin, unless you have set your machine to wind a bobbin automatically, while you are sewing, or you will wind up sewing the bobbin hook to the needle plate, or may damage your sewing project.
2. Unthread your needle on your sewing machine just in case your bobbin winding clutch doesn't release.
3. Use the top spool pin for the spool of thread, pull the thread to the left around and under the bobbin winding tension disc, in a full circle around the tension disc, so the thread makes an x to the right of this disc, then,
4. Thread through the middle of the bobbin, and up, out through one of the holes on the top of the bobbin, as it sits on the bobbin winding post.
5. Snap the bobbin winder finger against the center post of the bobbin, which should push the bobbin winder into position for the bobbin winding tire under the machine lid, to come into contact with the inside edge of the handwheel, which causes the bobbin to wind.
6. Hold the end of the thread about 3 inches above the bobbin you are winding, as you start to wind the bobbin, usually, the thread will break off, if it doesn't, just snip it after the bobbin is done winding.
7. Push the machine pedal, or knee bar control, to run the sewing machine.
8. When the bobbin is full, it will normally, automatically disengage the bobbin winder.
TIP-Do NOT overfill the bobbin, you don't want thread to fill clear to the edge of the bobbin, or it won't spin freely, when in the machine, and will cause stitching problems. If the bobbin doesn't stop winding before the thread is 1/8th an inch from the edge of the bobbin, stop winding it, snip your thread, and disengage the bobbin winder manually.
9. Snip your thread, and you can place your bobbin back in the bobbin case, ready to sew!
Putting the bobbin in bobbin case- have thread come off the top of the bobbin, clockwise, over the top, and hold the bobbin case with the "pigtail" up, then pull the thread through the slit in the bobbin, and under the flat bobbin spring, so the thread comes out the opening in the side of the bobbin. Place bobbin case in machine, remembering to place the pig tail in the pointed opening at the top of the bobbin hook area.
I will include those links here, as they are completed. I will try to add written instructions as well.
Here is the link to the Youtube video, just click on it and it will play-
How to wind a Bobbin for Class 15 Clone Sewing Machines
Winding a bobbin is an essential skill for using most lock stitch sewing machines, with the class 15 clone sewing machines being one of the most common vintage sewing machine styles around the world. The bobbin winder is in front of the handwheel on most of these class 15 clone vintage sewing machines- 1. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder post, and push the bobbin winder into position, so the bobbin winding tire is pushed against the handwheel. 2. Hold the handwheel with your left hand, and loosen the silver bobbin winding clutch, in the center of the handwheel, with your right hand.
(Some Kenmore sewing machines from the 80's to the 90's have you pull out the entire silver handwheel, to release the clutch)
(The clutch is supposed to make the needle not
go up and down, while you wind the bobbin, but as machines age, and oil dries inside the clutch, and as the machine is used, the clutch may get a little sticky, or develop metal burrs inside, which won't allow the bobbin winding clutch to release completely, so NEVER leave the needle threaded, or a sewing project under the needle, when winding a bobbin, unless you have set your machine to wind a bobbin automatically, while you are sewing, or you will wind up sewing the bobbin hook to the needleplate, or may damage your sewing project.)
3. Unthread your needle on your sewing machine
just in case your bobbin winding clutch doesn't release.
4. Place the spool of thread you want to wind from, on the spoolpin on the bed of the machine, next to the bobbin tension disc.
(KENMORE, and many other machines have their bobbin winder on top of the machine, you use the top spoolpin for the spool of thread, pull the thread to the left around and under the bobbin winding tension disc, in a full circle around the tension disc, so the thread makes an x to the right of this disc, then thread through the middle of the bobbin, and up, out through one of the holes on the top of the bobbin, as it sits on the bobbin winding post. Snap the bobbin winder finger against the bobbin, which should push the bobbin winder into position for the bobbin winding tire under the machine lid, to come into contact with the inside edge of the handwheel, which causes the bobbin to wind.)
5. Bring your thread from this spool, to the right, under the bobbin winding tension disc, and up to the bobbin you placed on the bobbin winding post.
6. Thread from inside the bobbin, out one of the holes on the left side of the bobbin. Hold about 3 inches of thread to the left of the bobbin.
7. Push the sewing machine pedal, or knee bar, whichever makes your machine run. (If your machine has a safety switch light that must be turned on to sew, or wind a bobbin, turn it on, before pushing the pedal.)
8. The bobbin winder will usually disengage itself, automatically, when the bobbin is full, but you do not want to overfill the bobbin, so stop winding, if the winder doesn't stop, before the thread gets within 1/8th of an inch of the bobbin edge.
9. Disengage your bobbin winder, if it did not disengage itself, by unsnapping the flat piece that rubs against the thread in the bobbin, while it is being wound.
10. Snip your thread, and you can place your bobbin back in the bobbin case, ready to sew! Putting the bobbin in bobbin case- have thread come off the top of the bobbin, clockwise, over the top, and hold the bobbin case with the "pigtail" up, then pull the thread through the slit in the bobbin, and under the flat bobbin spring, so the thread comes out the opening in the side of the bobbin. Place bobbin case in machine, remembering to place the pig tail in the pointed opening at the top of the bobbin hook area.
How to Wind a Bobbin on Kenmore Sewing Machines
Top mounted Kenmore sewing machine bobbin winder instructions-
NOTE- remember to turn on the light on your Kenmore, it is a safety switch, the machine will not run without the light being turned on, even to wind the bobbin.
KENMORE, and many other machines have their bobbin winder on top of the machine, you
1. Release the hand wheel clutch knob, by turning the center knob to the left, while holding the handwheel still, with your right hand.
TIP-Some Kenmore sewing machines from the 80's to the 90's have you pull out the entire silver handwheel, approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch, to release the clutch.
Releasing the clutch, is supposed to make the needle not go up and down, while you wind the bobbin, but as machines age, and oil dries inside the clutch, and as the machine is used, the clutch may get a little sticky, or develop metal burrs inside, which won't allow the bobbin winding clutch to release completely, so NEVER leave the needle threaded, or a sewing project under the needle, when winding a bobbin, unless you have set your machine to wind a bobbin automatically, while you are sewing, or you will wind up sewing the bobbin hook to the needle plate, or may damage your sewing project.
2. Unthread your needle on your sewing machine just in case your bobbin winding clutch doesn't release.
3. Use the top spool pin for the spool of thread, pull the thread to the left around and under the bobbin winding tension disc, in a full circle around the tension disc, so the thread makes an x to the right of this disc, then,
4. Thread through the middle of the bobbin, and up, out through one of the holes on the top of the bobbin, as it sits on the bobbin winding post.
5. Snap the bobbin winder finger against the center post of the bobbin, which should push the bobbin winder into position for the bobbin winding tire under the machine lid, to come into contact with the inside edge of the handwheel, which causes the bobbin to wind.
6. Hold the end of the thread about 3 inches above the bobbin you are winding, as you start to wind the bobbin, usually, the thread will break off, if it doesn't, just snip it after the bobbin is done winding.
7. Push the machine pedal, or knee bar control, to run the sewing machine.
8. When the bobbin is full, it will normally, automatically disengage the bobbin winder.
TIP-Do NOT overfill the bobbin, you don't want thread to fill clear to the edge of the bobbin, or it won't spin freely, when in the machine, and will cause stitching problems. If the bobbin doesn't stop winding before the thread is 1/8th an inch from the edge of the bobbin, stop winding it, snip your thread, and disengage the bobbin winder manually.
9. Snip your thread, and you can place your bobbin back in the bobbin case, ready to sew!
Putting the bobbin in bobbin case- have thread come off the top of the bobbin, clockwise, over the top, and hold the bobbin case with the "pigtail" up, then pull the thread through the slit in the bobbin, and under the flat bobbin spring, so the thread comes out the opening in the side of the bobbin. Place bobbin case in machine, remembering to place the pig tail in the pointed opening at the top of the bobbin hook area.
Happy sewing!
