Best bobbin thread for embroidery machine
In this article, we will explore what bobbin thread is, how it affects embroidery, and the best brands for it. We also discussed pre-wound bobbins, their types and classes, and what size we should choose for the bobbin thread. Let’s start with the basics.
Table of Contents
What is a bobbin thread?
When we do regular sewing with a machine, we use the same thread on top of the fabric as we use on the bottom because it lines up tension perfectly. But in embroidery, we use a bobbin thread at the bottom that is different from the regular thread. Bobbin thread affects every stitch you make no matter what top thread you are using. It is very thin and weighted so that you can have a little bit more tension on the thread while still being thin. We don’t want bobbin thread popping through on the top, it must stay at the bottom side of the embroidery design. But not all bobbin threads are created equal and not all machines can work with the same ones like Janome. A lot of bobbin threads are either white or black. So If you have a darker fabric, you can use the black bobbin thread and for a lighter one, a white Bobbin is a great choice. For example, if you are doing freestanding lace because the back is going to be visible, you need to match the bobbin thread with the upper thread but in most cases, people prefer white bobbin. for more about thread. you can visit:5 Best Embroidery Thread
Pre-wound bobbin and bobbin types
Most commercial embroiderers used prewound bobbin threads for their projects. Here, you need to understand that commercial machines use a different style of bobbin which is called an I-class bobbin. All of the Brother and Janome machines are 15 class but the Brother model used a commercially used I-class bobbin. You can differentiate between 15 and I class bobbin. For more about commercial machines. you can visit: 5 Best Commercial Embroidery Machines
Fifteen class bobbin:
A 15-class bobbin has plastic edges to it but it is pre-wound with weighted bobbin thread. It comes in a little tube from file and it is thick.
L-class bobbin:
It is the thinner thread that has a little black ring and a magnet that gives it a little drag. It works with all 10-needle or multi-needle machines because it easily fits there. for more about multi-needle machine. you can visit: Top 5 Reasons for Choosing a Multi-Needle Embroidery Machine
Cardboard sided bobbins:
We usually don’t prefer the cardboard side bobbin because it creates problems such as paper mache down which results in dust and linen. Additionally, its cardboard pieces are folded over and give wonky tension. But still, there is a solution if you’re working with these bobbins. When you buy a machine, you receive a white tiny pouch that has also the necessary accessories in it. One of them is a little metal washer that has a magnet on its back side and a little dimp in the middle. When you are using a cardboard-sided bobbin, put the washer on top that has the same thickness as a bobbin. It gives you a better tension and you don’t have issues when it falls. And the middle dimp keeps it spinning in the middle of the bobbin case and not wobbling all around.
Best bobbin thread for machine embroidery
1-Magna glide I size bobbin
It comes with 20 pre-wound bobbins in the jar that are 72 yards per bobbin. One of the big benefits of using a magma bobbin is that it has a magnetic core in the center that holds the inside of the bobbin case to keep tension consistent. Glide 60 bobbin works best for machine embroidery and is available in many colors. Magma glides also go hand with the glide 40 thread so that the same number of bobbins would match the top thread number for the glide 40. You can put the little jar next to the sewing machine so when you run out of the bobbin, you can just pop it in and keep sewing. This Magna glide bobbin comes with an M and L class bobbin. If your embroidery machine has a metal bobbin and L-class bobbin case, you can buy these pre-wound magna glide bobbins. M class bobbins are bigger than L so most people choose L class. The best thing about the Magna glide bobbin is that you don’t have to stop to change out the bobbin because it has a lot of thread on it.
Here is a complete tutorial on sewing machine. you can visit: How To Embroider With A Sewing Machine
2- Filtech clear glide
It is a 60-weight bobbin thread and already wound around a regular little plastic bobbin. This is a cool bobbin because when you are done with it, you can reuse this plastic bobbin again. It comes with 5 neutral colors and 115 yards per bobbin for I size and 92 yards for class 15 bobbin. They are extremely tight like magma glides and give a consistent tension. When you are sewing, you don’t have a squishy bobbin because they are pre-wound with more thread around. It is a great choice for a computerized machine, just drop it in a bobbin case and you are ready to go with that. You can try glide 60 bobbin with glide 40 thread which makes a great combination for embroidery.
3- Sulky bobbin thread
Polylite- It comes in myriad colors and complements both rayon and poly deco top threads.
Metallic- If your machine doesn’t have a horizontal pin adapter and you are using metallic bobbin thread, slow the machine speed by half to reduce friction. Make sure to wound the metallic bobbin halfway and wind it at a slower speed to avoid unwanted tension. for more about metallic thread. you can visit: How To Keep Metallic Threads From Breaking
5- Deco Bob
Being an 80-weight bobbin thread, it is incredibly fine and can easily blend with the fabric behind it. It is so small and disappears. It is polyester in nature which is a strong and reliable choice even for quilting and machine embroidery projects. It carries no stretch and gives a matte finish helping it blend into fabric. The best thing is that if you have bad tension, this bobbin thread will hide it if it pokes through to the top.
6- Superior 60 wt polyester thread
It is a bottom-line thread from Superior that is thin and blends with fabric quickly. It is the best thread when you don’t want the thread to show on top. It was first developed to be used as a bobbin thread but can also be used on top. It is also a great choice for binding appliques and quilts.
Conclusion
We hope this blog helps you to get the right bobbin thread for your embroidered projects. Along with the thread, choosing the right bobbin also matters. Make sure to read the machine manual and check what kind of bobbin works with it.
FAQs
How to choose the right bobbin for an embroidery machine?
Bobbin thread belongs on your bobbin which is not the same as embroidery thread. All the Bobbins are not the same because every machine works with a specific type of bobbin. That’s why I could not say that a bobbin you use perhaps works with any machine like Singer, Bernina, or Baby Lock. It will mess up the machine. So be careful when choosing a bobbin. If you don’t know what bobbin works with your machine, ask it from the dealer where you purchased the machine or read the manual guide properly. Simply go to Google search, type the name of your machine, and get the answer to which bobbin you need to buy according to the machine type.
What is the best bobbin thread weight?
Thread weight refers to something heavy or thick and the lower number is the thicker thread. For example, you can use any bobbin thread on a Brother embroidery machine but it cannot weigh 20 or less. We use an embroidery thread that is of 40 weight and a bobbin thread of 60 weight. For a Janome machine, you can also try a 90-weight bobbin that works best with it.
When do I need to change the bobbin case?
Although you can buy an empty bobbin and wind thread by yourself on a machine. You can also order pre-wound bobbins which saves time. It is easier for you to have a pre-wound bobbin because you don’t want tension issues if the machine doesn’t wind it correctly or you are too nervous to deal with it.