What to do when the bobbin runs out of thread in mid-seam, and how to prevent it.

**jwygralak67** · 05-02-2016, 15:29

It has happened to me on a minor project (stuff sack) and I just reloaded the bobbin, and stitched over the end of the previous stitching for an inch or so and carried on.

I'm about to embark on a major project (underquilt) and I'd like to do the best work I can. I'm going to start with a full bobbin, obviously, but I don't have any idea how many linear inches of stitching I can expect to get from a full bobbin. I can check the bobbin periodically, but it's not like I can top it off if it's low. Swapping for a full bobbin means I now have a partially full bobbin that I still can't refill.

What to do?
How do they deal with this in real life?

**Tacblades** · 05-02-2016, 15:35

I just over stitch with a lock stitch like you.

I just finished a top quilt with double stitching all round and baffles etc used about 3/4 of a bobbin. Just check it before each long run if you want to be sure.

**captaincoupal** · 05-02-2016, 15:51

What to do? First, start with a gentle curse under your breath at the sewing project, the bobbin, and the world...

There are a couple of things that you can do to make it easier on yourself-
1. Prep additional bobbins, so that the change out time is quick.
2. Wind several inches of a different colored thread onto the starting point of your bobbin, tying it to your other thread with a small knot. This will give you warning when you're just about out and prevent you not noticing that you're out of bobbin thread.

**Eidson** · 05-02-2016, 16:04

Originally Posted by captaincoupal

2. Wind several inches of a different colored thread onto the starting point of your bobbin, tying it to your other thread with a small knot. This will give you warning when you're just about out and prevent you not noticing that you're out of bobbin thread.

An ingenious idea.

I can't count the number of times that I've been in a long stitch and due to my failure to check the bobbin beforehand, ran out and kept stitching for a considerable distance.

**calpal** · 05-02-2016, 18:06

Originally Posted by captaincoupal

What to do? First, start with a gentle curse under your breath at the sewing project, the bobbin, and the world...

There are a couple of things that you can do to make it easier on yourself-
1. Prep additional bobbins, so that the change out time is quick.
2. Wind several inches of a different colored thread onto the starting point of your bobbin, tying it to your other thread with a small knot. This will give you warning when you're just about out and prevent you not noticing that you're out of bobbin thread.

Does the small not jam up in the eye of the needle?

**captaincoupal** · 05-02-2016, 18:40

Great question. The thread coming out of the bobbin never goes through the needle of the thread. The thread from the needle actually goes all the way around the bobbin and catches the thread.

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**sr1355** · 05-02-2016, 18:48

Lock stitches are almost unavoidable, bobbin running out, bobbin thread breakage, needle thread breakage, all happen and a simple lock stitch will get you going again. I really love it when the bobbin runs out 4" from the end of a run.... LOTS-O-FUN!!!! You could seam rip it all out and sew again but all those little holes will be more annoying than a clean lock stitch.

**jwygralak67** · 05-02-2016, 19:41

Originally Posted by captaincoupal

Great question. The thread coming out of the bobbin never goes through the needle

It doesn't go through the eye of the needle, but it does go through some other tight spots. The tension spring on the bobbin case comes to mind.

I can't see the bobbin thread from the top of the work anyway.

It sounds like the optimal solution is
1) start with a full bobbin
2) check it periodically
3) don't worry, be happy

**jadekayak** · 05-03-2016, 01:19

Originally Posted by jwygralak67

It has happened to me on a minor project (stuff sack) and I just reloaded the bobbin, and stitched over the end of the previous stitching for an inch or so and carried on.

I'm about to embark on a major project (underquilt) and I'd like to do the best work I can. I'm going to start with a full bobbin, obviously, but I don't have any idea how many linear inches of stitching I can expect to get from a full bobbin. I can check the bobbin periodically, but it's not like I can top it off if it's low. Swapping for a full bobbin means I now have a partially full bobbin that I still can't refill.

What to do?
How do they deal with this in real life?

For anything with down you should only put as few holes as possible in anything your making as good down eventually finds its way out of the smallest holes.

Check the bobin,any doubts and strip the thread off and wind a full bobin.

We do this on multihead embroidery machines because one stop after another for bobins costs more in lost production than a cent or two of thread.

**xxl_hanger** · 05-03-2016, 06:44

What to do in real life? You can take a seam ripper and a sewing needle. Then try to make some lock stitches with the needle and finish the stitch line with invisible knots. The knot technique at the beginning and the end of a stitch line is one of the most important skills I had to learn myself. You can't see any thread ends in all my projects. Sometimes you can find little knots, if you investigate my stitch lines very carefully. But in most of the cases also the knots are invisible.
How to prevent it? Start longer sewing projects always with a full bobbin.