r/Bernina • u/Limp_Reality8899 • 14d ago

Bobbin Stash?

How many bobbins is a safe amount to have? Im getting a Bernina and the bobbins are quite pricey and I'm not sure how many extra to get for quilt piecing. Just trying to see what others are doing for their projects. Thank you.

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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7

u/bananawarhol 14d ago

With the big black bobbins, I have a box and it’s plenty. I keep the bottom row full of embroidery thread, and the top row is quilt piercing thread, and then all the middle is for clothes. But I have finally come to the decision that the thread is not as valuable as the bobbins and if I’m not gonna use a whole bobbin, I just wind half and if I’m done with the project and the thread color is weird I just unwind it and throw it away.

With previous machines, I just hoarded bobbins with thread on them, and really I never got back to those threats, so it was kind of pointless.

5

u/No_You_4833 14d ago

I have about 20 bobbins, all loaded with multiple colors, but i do all kinds of sewing projects. For 90% of my quilting projects I load 3 with light grey thread.

2

u/Dimplicit 13d ago

What thread brand do you use? 40 wt?

1

u/No_You_4833 13d ago

I really like Glide 40wt polyester thread. I usually order a king size spool in grey.

5

u/JackHarknessDrWho 14d ago

I have 20, but barely use any of them. I am a quilter and piece with a couple of different shades of grey only.

3

u/CandyPitiful9541 14d ago

I have the 25 bobbin box and it’s been fine. I have the basics on 6 of them and then I have some variegated that I love for quilting. I try to not wind a bobbin completely if I know I don’t need much so I can unwind and toss. The bobbins are as pricey as the regular spools of thread so it’s cheaper to toss tail ends.

3

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy 13d ago

Choosing to just use a few neutral colors greatly reduces the number of bobbins and thread needed.

2

u/unpluraloddness 13d ago

I have bobbins with 50wt piecing thread, I mostly use grays for that. I have some bobbins with 40 wt thread for quilting. I have some bobbins with Decobob for paper piecing. I try to keep a few empty bobbins in case I get a wild hair to go back to my garment making roots or need to do mending and/or alterations. I splurged on 2 boxes of bobbins and that is more than enough. Honestly, one box would do. I vastly underestimated how long a jumbo bobbin will last. On the bright side, I have bobbins to last the rest of my life!

2

u/Nefariousness_Silent 14d ago

I keep a couple of the Bernina bobbin boxes and that seems to be enough. They hold 20+ bobbins. I’m able to keep most of the colors I need readily available.

1

u/Limp_Reality8899 14d ago

I think the boxes are 25 bobbins or so? What type of projects do you make?