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Sewing machines only come with a few bobbins, so at some point, you’re going to want to buy more. Unfortunately, you can’t just run to the craft store and pick up the first pack of bobbins you see. They are NOT universal.
A friend called me a couple of weeks ago to come take a look at her sewing machine. The thread kept on getting tangled underneath, and it was driving her crazy. I quickly discovered she was not using the right type of bobbin. You could literally hear it bouncing around in the bobbin case. Her sewing machine would only form a few stitches before birdnesting. I changed out the bobbin and the problem was fixed!
Types of Bobbins
There are over 60 different kinds of bobbins. If you use the wrong one, your sewing machine may not form stitches properly, or work at all. Using the wrong bobbin could even damage your machine… I can’t emphasize enough the importance of making sure you get the right ones!
The only way to know what type of bobbin to use with your sewing machine is to check your manual. However, the most common type is Class 15, followed by L Style and M Style.
- Class 15 (A Style): This style of bobbin has flat sides and a diameter of 20.3mm (approximately the size of a nickel). The width is 11.7mm. Both my Brother CS7000x and Bernette b79 machines use this size bobbin. It is the most common type. If you have this type, you’re lucky because it will be easy to find bobbins.
- L Style: This is another common type of bobbin used in domestic sewing machines. They are the same diameter as the Class 15 bobbins and also have flat sides. The difference between Class 15 bobbins and L Style bobbins is the width. L Style bobbins are narrower, at approximately 8.9mm. It’s hard to tell the difference without looking at them side by side.
- M Style: This style of bobbin is less common, but a range of sewing machines still use it, including many longarm quilting machines and industrial sewing machines. M Style bobbins are about the size of a quarter, with a diameter of around 24.9mm. They have a width of 10.7mm and flat sides.
How Do I Find Bobbins That Fit My Machine?
The best place to buy bobbins for your sewing machine is directly from the manufacturer. This is the only way to ensure your bobbins will be high quality and fit your machine. If you’re looking to save money, you can find some generic bobbins, though. You can even buy a bulk pack of Class 15 bobbins from Madam Sew. They have worked for me without trouble. I’ve bought other generic bobbins and had to throw some away because they were visibly warped, so be careful.
Some of the bobbin types come in both metal and plastic versions. However, just because the bobbins are the same size doesn’t mean you can get a metal bobbin if you’ve been using a plastic bobbin or vice versa. In most cases, it’s not a good idea to switch to a different bobbin material than the one your sewing machine manual recommends. Using the wrong bobbin material may result in your lower thread tension being off, wearing out the bobbins too quickly, or the “thread low” sensor in your machine not working.
Just know that whether you are using metal or plastic bobbins, you are not losing any functionality. Both types of bobbins work very well, and plastic bobbins are actually quite durable and will last for many years, just like metal bobbins.
Also Read: How to Wind a Bobbin
How Many Bobbins Do I Need?
In my opinion, you can never have too many bobbins! I personally have about 100.
If you’ve always got a free bobbin on hand, you won’t have to worry about pulling the thread off a wound bobbin when you need to switch to a new color. You can even get some handy bobbin clamps and holders to keep your thread and bobbins organized together.
While your sewing machine probably came with a few bobbins, I would highly recommend purchasing at least a couple more to make your sewing life easier! How many bobbins do you recommend? Let us know in the comments below.
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