The bobbin goes in the bobbin case, which sits under the needle plate

The bobbin is the small spool that holds thread underneath your fabric. On a Brother sewing machine, you insert it into a removable bobbin case — a metal or plastic housing that clips into the machine below the needle plate. The bobbin case is not part of the machine itself; you remove it, load the bobbin, and slide it back in. This takes about two minutes once you know the steps.

Most Brother machines use one of two bobbin case styles: a drop-in case (where the bobbin sits directly in a slot) or a front-loading case (where you open a hinged door). Both work the same way, but the location and appearance differ slightly. Check your machine's manual or look at the underside of your presser foot to see which type you have.

Key Takeaways

  • Raise the presser foot before removing the bobbin case — this opens the tension discs and prevents thread from jamming.
  • The bobbin case clips in at an angle and locks with a small lever or latch; it should not slide out easily once seated.
  • Wind the bobbin on your machine's winding mechanism first, then insert it into the case with the thread tail pulled through the tension spring.
  • If the bobbin case is stuck, wiggle it gently side to side rather than pulling straight out, which can bend the clip.
  • A bobbin wound too loosely or too tightly will cause skipped stitches or thread breakage, so test tension on scrap fabric before sewing your project.

Raise the presser foot and remove the needle plate

Start by raising the presser foot (the metal arm that holds fabric down). This step is straightforward to skip but important: raising the foot opens the tension discs inside the machine, which prevents thread from catching when you remove the bobbin case. If you remove the case with the foot down, you risk tangling thread or damaging the tension mechanism.

Next, unscrew or unclip the needle plate — the flat metal piece directly under the needle. On most Brother machines, the needle plate is held by one or two small Phillips-head screws on the front or sides. Remove these screws and set them somewhere you will not lose them. Lift the plate straight up and to the side. You will now see the bobbin case underneath.

Locate and remove the bobbin case

The bobbin case is a small metal or plastic housing, usually silver or black, sitting in a slot under the needle area. Look for a small lever or latch on the side or front of the case. On some Brother models, the case has a hinged door that swings open; on others, the entire case slides out.

To remove a sliding bobbin case, gently wiggle it side to side while pulling toward you at a slight angle — usually downward and forward. Do not yank straight out; the case clips in at an angle, and pulling straight can bend the clip and prevent it from seating properly later. Once the case is free, set it on a clean surface where you can see the small tension spring inside.

Wind the bobbin and insert it into the case

Before you place the bobbin in the case, make sure it is wound. If you have a pre-wound bobbin, skip to the next paragraph. If you are winding your own, place an empty bobbin on the bobbin winder (a small spindle on the side or top of your machine), thread the machine as if you were sewing, and press the foot pedal or press the start button until the bobbin is full. The machine will stop automatically when the bobbin reaches the right tension.

Now insert the wound bobbin into the bobbin case. The bobbin sits in a circular slot inside the case. Drop it in so the thread unwinds from the top. Pull the thread tail through the small tension spring — a thin metal clip inside the case. The thread should sit snugly in this spring; if it is loose, the tension will be wrong and your stitches will be uneven. Pull the thread tail out through the slot on the side of the case so it hangs free.

Slide the bobbin case back into the machine

Hold the bobbin case so the small lever or latch faces toward you. Slide it into the slot under the needle at a slight angle — usually downward and forward — until you hear or feel a click. The case should sit flush with the machine body. If it sticks out or feels loose, remove it and try again; the clip may not be fully seated.

Once the case is in, gently tug on it to make sure it does not slide out. It should be snug. If it comes out easily, the clip is not locked. Remove it, check that the lever is in the locked position, and reinsert it at the correct angle.

Replace the needle plate and thread the top

Slide the needle plate back into place and screw it down. Make sure it sits flat and the screws are snug but not over-tightened — over-tightening can crack plastic plates or strip the screw holes.

Now thread the top of the machine as usual: raise the presser foot, place thread on the spool pin, and guide it through the tension discs and down to the needle. Lower the presser foot. Hold the top thread with one hand and turn the hand wheel (the large wheel on the right side of the machine) toward you one full rotation. This pulls the bobbin thread up through the needle plate. You will see a loop of bobbin thread come up; pull it gently with the top thread so both threads hang below the presser foot. You are now ready to sew.

Troubleshoot if the bobbin case is stuck or the machine skips stitches

If the bobbin case will not come out, do not force it. Wiggle it gently side to side and pull at a slight angle. If it still will not budge, check that the presser foot is raised and that no thread is wrapped around the case. Sometimes a thread tail gets caught under the case during sewing. Once you free it, the case should slide out easily.

If your machine skips stitches or makes loops after you insert a new bobbin, the problem is usually tension. Check that the bobbin thread is seated in the tension spring inside the case. If it is loose or sitting on top of the spring instead of inside it, remove the case and reseat the thread. Also check that the bobbin itself is wound evenly and not too loose; a loosely wound bobbin will not feed thread at the right speed. Test on scrap fabric before sewing your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a plastic bobbin instead of a metal one?

Yes, Brother machines accept both metal and plastic bobbins. Plastic bobbins are lighter and wind faster, but metal bobbins last longer and hold tension more consistently. Use whichever came with your machine or matches the bobbin case type. Do not mix metal and plastic in the same case.

What if the bobbin case lever is broken?

If the lever or latch is cracked or missing, the case will not lock and the bobbin will not feed properly. You will need a replacement bobbin case. Brother sells them as separate parts; order one by your machine model number. They cost between ten and twenty dollars and take about five minutes to install.

How tight should the bobbin thread be when I pull it through the tension spring?

The thread should slide through the spring with slight resistance — you should feel it catch a little when you pull, but it should not require force. If it slides through too easily, the spring may be worn or the thread may not be seated correctly. If it is too tight, the thread may break when you sew.

Do I need to rewind the bobbin every time I change thread color?

Yes. If you want a different color in the bobbin, wind a new bobbin on that color and swap it out. You can keep old bobbins wound and ready, but each bobbin holds only one color at a time.

Why does my machine make a clicking sound when I sew after inserting a new bobbin?

A clicking sound usually means the bobbin case is not fully seated or the bobbin is wound too loosely. Remove the case, make sure the lever is locked, and reinsert it firmly. If the sound continues, check that the bobbin is wound evenly and wound tight enough. A loose bobbin will slip and click as it tries to feed thread.