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318687✽
by dragonflyer 28 Jan 2015 ( edited Jan 09'16 05:59 )
+96✽

What do you Cuties do with pesky bobbins that keep unwinding??? Well there are pricy bobbin keeps available...but, here is a fantastic way to control those threads...who knew that clear plastic tubing was the answer??? Her is my take on bobbin keeps...and it works great...and very inexpensive...and you can make them yourselves! Buy the tubing...cut the width about 3/8" wide...snip a slit...wrap it around bobbin...20 feet for about $6.00....that wraps a ton of bobbins...voila!!!

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Comments (48)
18403✽
by shilly 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
This is a great idea, thanks for sharing.
38558✽
by blueeyedblonde 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
Thanks - will have to see where I can get some and give it a try as I have thread ends that keep getting caught on another one!
1 comment
by dragonflyer 28 Jan 2015
Got mine at Home Depot...
743383✽
by gerryvb 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
love the idea
10909✽
by arlene 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
What a great idea. Will have to try it.
2872✽
by seamripper40 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
thanks for the info. about ready to change oxygen tubbing. gonna try it.
1969✽
by ansienaude 28 Jan 2015
+9✽
thank you and i am sure it will ;last forever
169079✽
by 02kar 28 Jan 2015
+9✽
Thanks for sharing. I will look for some and do this since I have about 30 bobbins more of matching embroidery thread than I have room for.
145311✽
by mops 28 Jan 2015
+9✽
Thanks for repeating this tip. It was posted here years ago, but it has got lost in the hundreds or thousands of posts since then.
15626✽
by haleymax 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
Thank you.
31366✽
by holly12 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
Great idea thanks. Arlene
51302✽
by designgirl 28 Jan 2015
+8✽
What a great idea to hold those nasty bobbin threads. Thanks .
42046✽
by nonna57 28 Jan 2015
+10✽
Great idea brought to our attention again.Thankyou... I use the air hose for the fish tank,
4 comments
by marianb 29 Jan 2015
Didn't the fish mind.. lol Marian
by nonna57 29 Jan 2015
Hahaaaa Marian. No longer have fish, Did the tour of Sydney!!!!!!! Not.... but no longer :(
by dragonflyer 29 Jan 2015
Well, if you took their hose...no wonder you no longer have fish!!
by nonna57 29 Jan 2015
Phwaaaaa Good one Kim :)
10997✽
by Smokey12 28 Jan 2015
+10✽
Thank you, just showed hubby the measurements so he can go to Lowes tomorrow and get some tubing for me. Love it and never knew what size to by.
3948✽
by harleysville 29 Jan 2015
+8✽
Genius. I would never have thought to do this. Thanks for posting.
6196✽
by draco 29 Jan 2015
+8✽
Great idea !! Thanks for sharing.
2321✽
by lucy1234 29 Jan 2015
+6✽
Thanks, Great idea
11700✽
by deegee 29 Jan 2015
+6✽
Excellent idea.
11566✽
by momac 29 Jan 2015
+6✽
Great hint thank you.
16529✽
by vickiannette 29 Jan 2015
+10✽
Very practical, but would I do it.....that's the next question!
1 comment
by asterixsew 29 Jan 2015
Oh what honesty
45918✽
by marianb 29 Jan 2015
+8✽
Thank you a great solution..
111422✽
by sdrise 29 Jan 2015
+7✽
great idea!!Suzanne
4475✽
by NancyBT10 29 Jan 2015
+8✽
Thank you for posting or reposting this wonderful idea. My bobbins misbehave so badly even in their little spaces in the bobbin box! Headed for Lowes! Hopefully, no more wrestling with those unruly threads ;-)
10550✽
by suziequee 29 Jan 2015
+7✽
Outstanding. Thanks
10494✽
by twee 29 Jan 2015
+6✽
Great Idea, thanks for sharing!
23163✽
by greysewist 29 Jan 2015
+6✽
Excellent idea. You can also use corrugated tubing that comes in packs intended for keeping cords together. Slit with scissors along the length and maybe even make another cut and take a narrow strip out to make it easier to slot your bobbins into the groove. You can cut to whatever length you like so you can for example keep 10 or so bobbins with similar colours together. I keep a couple of lengths with my 'work sewing' threads and more for my 'fun sewing' threads, so I know I'm reaching for the right ones -I have black, purple, red etc for my work and also might use those colours for personal sewing, but the work ones are a bit stronger thread, so the combination of colours tells me which are my own :)
2594✽
by bevinoz 30 Jan 2015
+7✽
Yes , this works well. I have been using it for a few years now. But one day when I searched for the little bit of tubing to put in a safe place where I could find it after the stitching finished I couldn't find it any where so I took another one out ready to use. Then when I took the bobbin out of the machine I found the plastic was still around the bobbin. Thank goodness it had not messed up the bobbin case! Cheers, Bev.
57491✽
by lindaavolio 30 Jan 2015
+6✽
Great Idea ... Thanks
29237✽
by bowlds 30 Jan 2015
+6✽
Great idea! I always use the teeny tiny stretch ponytail holders.
1 comment
by pacmp 03 Mar 2015
Thank You for posting this idea as I would not have thought of using those tiny rubber bands for my bobbins and I think that I would more likely use the small bands than the small bits of clear air hose that I would surely drop or lose while using the bobbin.
85✽
by flowers1 30 Jan 2015
+6✽
Thank you for the excellent idea!
385✽
by buttercup22 30 Jan 2015
+6✽
great ideal thanks
13243✽
by Sewmum1 25 Feb 2015
+7✽
Great idea and if you buy the wider diameter tubing, make a long slit down the length of it you can store the bobbins in that. A 12" long piece stores quite a few bobbins and sits nicely in front of the sewing machine.
2872✽
by seamripper40 25 Feb 2015
+6✽
I use a straw sometimes. works for me.
2340✽
by tamtam 25 Feb 2015
+8✽
I go to the store where everything is $1, & buy those little rubber bands for hair, they are the perfect size to fit a bobbin, & you get 500 of them in a package. If one breaks, you have lots more to replace it. I have been using them for years, & they work great for me! Have a great day, everyone!!! Tammy
2 comments
by pacmp 03 Mar 2015
I like this idea too! I would not have thought to use the tiny rubber bands , thanks for the idea!
by Gcope1 03 Mar 2015
I do that too! Can't believe what the dollar store has that I can use. Last year I bought a bunch of small plastic containers (2 per pack) that I use to put my buttons in.
6069✽
by jen15957 26 Feb 2015
+4✽
Thank you, Great Idea
41781✽
by lilylady 26 Feb 2015
+5✽
bought my when you put this on, just don't have it cut yet! Thanks for tip!
1993✽
by annie23 03 Mar 2015
+4✽
What a great idea. I will definitely get some of that tubing because I have hundreds of bobbins and they do come undone.
234614✽
by pennifold 03 Mar 2015
+4✽
Hi Kim,

I also use this plastic tubing for older machine embroidery threads that have become brittle. So when I place it on the spindle the plastic keeps it from cracking further! Love Chris
1 comment
by dragonflyer 03 Mar 2015
Thanks, Chris...
33641✽
by pennyhal2 07 Jan 2016
+4✽
I must be crazy but I have a love/hate relationship with my bobbins. I love how all the colors look when the end threads are sticking out and making a mess altogether. I hate trying to get a single bobbin out of the tangle. I can see where this would be a great solution for those who need it!
548✽
by spcekittrn 07 Jan 2016
+4✽
Good idea. I've been using the small knit pony tail rings. they are the ones in a huge multi pack. They work great too.
3902✽
by lucy12345 07 Jan 2016
+2✽
Good idea, thanks
10207✽
by Ossineu 07 Jan 2016
+2✽
Thank you Kim, good idea.
15626✽
by haleymax 08 Jan 2016
+3✽
Thanks.
2748✽
by Midnight1 08 Jan 2016
+4✽
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have tried several things. This looks the best I have seen-
178✽
by EBD108 08 Jan 2016
+3✽
Thank you--great idea!
629✽
by n2sewin 08 Jan 2016
+3✽
If you snug up the tail of thread between the spool and the thread it will stay. No need for anything else.
1 comment
by mi30kaja 09 Jan 2016
I have tried this but it doesn't always work for me.
29801✽
by mi30kaja 09 Jan 2016
+3✽
I have been struggling with this problem for so long and have come to the conclusion that this seem to be the best method if you use Bobbin cases. Which I do.
1 comment
by dragonflyer 09 Jan 2016
I hope it works for you...I love this for keeping the tails tidy...and the plastic tubing shapes to the amount of thread you have on the bobbin...so lots of thread or just a bit...the same piece works on all...
360672✽
by noah 09 Jan 2016
+3✽
when you want one thats in the middle of this how do u get it out without getting 19 others out to??
1 comment
by dragonflyer 09 Jan 2016
Carolyn...not sure I understand...each bobbin get its own little plastic tube guard...it does not interfere with the plastic bobbin..you pick up the bobbin just like you would normally..the little plastic tube just holds the pesky thread from unraveling..you just remove the plastic guard before you use the bobbin...
76409✽
by raels011 09 Jan 2016
+1✽
I use book binders to hold my Bobbins