Wind the bobbin before you thread the needle
A bobbin is the small spool that holds thread underneath your fabric. On a Singer machine, you wind it by hand using thread from a regular spool, then insert it into the bobbin case below the needle plate. The bobbin supplies the bottom thread that locks with the top thread to form a stitch. If your bobbin is empty or nearly empty, the machine will skip stitches or break thread, so winding a fresh one takes five minutes and prevents frustration mid-project.
Most Singer machines use the same winding method, whether you own a mechanical model from decades ago or a modern computerised one. The steps are identical: thread the bobbin, find it on the winding spindle, guide the thread through a tension disc, and run the machine until the bobbin is full.
Key Takeaways
- Thread the bobbin by hand first, then place it on the metal spindle at the top right of your machine, with the spool of thread still on the main spindle.
- Guide the thread through the bobbin winder tension disc (a small metal or plastic piece on the machine body) to control how tightly thread winds onto the bobbin.
- Push the bobbin winder spindle to the right or engage the bobbin winder clutch, depending on your machine model, to stop the needle from moving while you wind.
- The bobbin is full when it reaches the line marked on the side or when thread stops feeding onto it; stop when ready to avoid overfilling, which causes tension problems.
- Insert the wound bobbin into the bobbin case with the thread tail pulled through the tension spring, then close the case and pull the bobbin thread up through the needle plate.
Gather your materials and prepare the machine
You will need an empty bobbin (plastic or metal, depending on your machine), thread in the colour you want for the bottom of your seams, and your Singer machine. Check your machine's manual to confirm which bobbin type it uses—Singer makes both Class 15 bobbins (metal, used on older machines) and Class 66 bobbins (plastic, used on most modern models). Using the wrong bobbin type will cause the thread to wind unevenly or the machine to jam.
Place the spool of thread on the main spindle at the top left of the machine, the same way you would for regular sewing. This thread will feed onto the bobbin. Make sure the presser foot is up, because raising the presser foot opens the tension discs and allows thread to pass through freely. If the presser foot is down, thread cannot reach the bobbin winder tension disc, and the bobbin will wind too loosely.
Thread the bobbin and place it on the winder spindle
Take the empty bobbin in one hand. With the other hand, pull thread from the main spool and insert it through one of the small holes in the bobbin's side. Pull the thread through until about two inches hang out the other side. This anchors the thread so it does not slip as the bobbin begins to turn.
Locate the bobbin winder spindle—a metal rod that sticks out horizontally from the top right of your machine, usually near the thread guides. Slide the bobbin onto this spindle with the hole you just threaded facing toward the centre of the machine. The bobbin should sit flat and spin freely. If it feels tight or crooked, remove it and try again; a bobbin that does not spin smoothly will wind unevenly.
Guide thread through the tension disc and engage the winder
Look for the bobbin winder tension disc, a small metal or plastic piece with a slit or groove. On most Singer machines, it is located near the bobbin winder spindle. Pull the thread from the main spool down and through this tension disc. The disc controls how tightly thread winds onto the bobbin—too loose and the bobbin will be uneven; too tight and thread will break. The standard path is down through the disc, then across to the bobbin.
Now engage the bobbin winder. On mechanical Singer machines, push the bobbin winder spindle to the right until it clicks or seats fully. This action disconnects the needle bar so the needle does not move while you wind. On some computerised models, there is a bobbin winder button or lever instead. Check your manual if you are unsure. Once engaged, the bobbin spindle will turn when you press the foot pedal, but the needle will stay still.
Wind the bobbin by pressing the foot pedal
Hold the thread tail loosely in one hand so it does not tangle. Press the foot pedal slowly and steadily. The bobbin will begin to spin, and thread will wrap around it in neat, even layers. As you wind, the thread tail will eventually be pulled into the bobbin automatically—let it go when this happens.
Watch the bobbin fill. Most Singer bobbins have a line marked on the side that shows when the bobbin is full. Stop pressing the pedal the moment the thread reaches this line. If your bobbin has no line, stop when the bobbin is nearly full but thread has stopped feeding onto it smoothly—this usually takes 30 to 60 seconds of steady pedal pressure. Overfilling causes the bobbin to jam in the case or creates uneven tension.
Remove the bobbin and trim the thread
Once the bobbin is full, release the foot pedal when ready. Push the bobbin winder spindle back to the left (or disengage the bobbin winder button) to reconnect the needle bar. Cut the thread between the main spool and the bobbin with scissors, leaving a tail of about three inches hanging from the bobbin. This tail helps you insert the bobbin into the case and pull the bobbin thread up through the needle plate later.
Slide the bobbin off the winder spindle by pulling it straight toward you. Set it aside on a clean surface. If you wound the bobbin too tightly or it feels hard, do not force it into the bobbin case—rewind it on a fresh bobbin instead.
Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case
Locate the bobbin case, a small metal or plastic compartment directly below the needle. On most Singer machines, you access it by raising the presser foot, then lifting the needle plate or opening a hinged cover. The bobbin case may be removable (you pull it straight out) or stationary (it stays in the machine). Check your manual to confirm.
Hold the wound bobbin with the thread tail pointing to the left. Insert it into the case so it sits flat and the thread tail passes through the tension spring—a small metal clip inside the case. The thread should sit snugly in this spring; if it is loose, the bobbin tension will be wrong and stitches will be uneven. Close the bobbin case cover or replace the removable case, making sure it clicks or seats fully.
Pull the bobbin thread up through the needle plate
Hold the top thread (the one coming from the needle) loosely in one hand. With the other hand, gently turn the hand wheel (the large wheel on the right side of the machine) toward you one full rotation. This motion lowers and raises the needle, which pulls the bobbin thread up through a small hole in the needle plate.
After one rotation, you should see a loop of bobbin thread poking through the hole in the needle plate. Gently pull this loop upward with a needle or tweezers until you have about six inches of bobbin thread above the needle plate. Now you have both the top thread and the bobbin thread ready to sew. Trim any excess thread, and you are ready to begin sewing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I wind the bobbin too tightly?
A bobbin wound too tightly will not fit smoothly into the bobbin case, or it will jam and stop spinning during sewing. If this happens, unwind the thread and rewind it on a fresh bobbin at a slower pedal speed. The tension disc should control tightness automatically, so if bobbins are consistently too tight, check that the presser foot is raised before winding.
Can I use a bobbin from a different sewing machine brand?
No. Singer bobbins are not compatible with most other brands, and using the wrong bobbin will cause thread to wind unevenly or the machine to jam. Check your manual or the bobbin itself for the class number (usually Class 15 or Class 66), then purchase replacement bobbins that match.
Why does my bobbin thread keep breaking while I wind?
Thread breaks during winding if the tension is too tight, the thread is old or weak, or the bobbin winder tension disc is dirty. Slow down your pedal speed, check that thread is feeding smoothly through the tension disc, and clean the disc with a soft brush if lint has built up. If thread still breaks, try a fresh spool of thread.
How many bobbins should I keep wound and ready?
Most sewers keep three to five bobbins wound at a time—one in the machine and two or three extras in different thread colours. This way you can switch colours without stopping to wind a new bobbin. Store wound bobbins in a small container or box to keep them clean and prevent thread from unravelling.
Do I need to rewind the bobbin if I switch thread colours?
Yes. The bobbin thread colour shows on the underside of your seams, so if you change the top thread colour, you should also change the bobbin thread to match or use a neutral colour like grey or beige. Winding a fresh bobbin takes only a few minutes and prevents visible thread on the back of your work.