Welcome to…
If you are just now joining us, check out the previous posts here.
Yesterday, I talked about the two main threads for machine embroidery, Rayon and Polyester.
Today, I want to talk about bobbin thread. You would, naturally, think that your bobbin thread should match your top thread.
But, that isn’t always the case. Consider you are stitching out a design that uses 6 different thread colors. Are you going to make 6 different bobbins?
Me either. The first question to ask about bobbin thread for embroidery machines is this:
What type of bobbin thread does this machine use?
My first embroidery machine (Babylock Ellure) used Finishing Touch thread. This is all I ever used in the bobbin when I was embroidering.
Notice how it comes in basic white and black. This is a 60 weight thread which means it is very light weight. Because it is polyester, it is very strong.
If you were to wind a full bobbin of this thread, it would go a long way.
When I upgraded to my Bernina, it used a different type of bobbin thread from OESD.
This is a 40 weight thread meaning it is slightly heavier than the Finishing Touch. This thread is great for denser designs and I’ve never had it break.
Superior Threads also has a great bobbin thread that works well with my Bernina and other manufacturers. It is called Bottom Line.
This is a lint-free thread that is very lightweight and very strong. It is currently what I use with most of my machine embroidery.
Babylock/Brother, Janome, Husqvarna, Singer, and Pfaff can all use pre-wound bobbins. Oh happy day!
Pre-wound bobbins are single use only. When the bobbin runs out, you toss the plastic (or paper) spool. When purchasing pre-wound bobbins, you MUST verify what type your machine takes.
Sadly, not all Bernina’s (like mine) can use pre-wounds. You may want to weigh this as an option when purchasing an embroidery machine.
Almost all of these bobbin threads can be purchased through a dealer. I recommend this because cheaper threads can ruin your design and create damaging lint. Watch for sales and stock up.
Tomorrow we leave the topic of threads and delve into the mysteries of needles.
Oooohhh!
If you are new to The Seasoned Homemaker, I would love for you to subscribe to my email updates or connect through 
Welcome, I'm Leslie. The Seasoned Homemaker is where I comment on all things delightfully domestic. To read more, click 
I am thoroughly enjoying your embroidery series. I found you while googling. I appreciate having all this info. in one spot! I am about to purchase my first embroidery machine and had a question. You keep mentioning dealers for supplies and I was wondering the best dealers to use. Also, is there a place to buy t-shirts, onesies, bibs, etc. at a wholesale price so I can resell and not loose money.
Thanks,
Jen
Thanks so much for reading. I’m glad you found the series and it is helping you with your decision. Since I don’t know where you live, I cannot recommend a specific dealer. Rather, visit all the dealers in your area. Things to look for are dealers who represent only one or two brands, like Babylock and Bernina.
Other dealers might carry Brother, Husqvarna, Pfaff, or Janome. These are all great brands. Sometimes these dealers are in a local fabric store like Joann’s or Hancock’s. If you walk into the store and they ignore you (I once had the owner tell me she didn’t know anything about the machines!!!) or worse, thank them and leave. A great dealer will offer classes, have sewing/embroidery clubs, and carry everything you need for your machine ~ like needles, specialty threads, feet, and stabilizers. If they are only interested in making a sale, then they aren’t going to be there when you have a question.
As far as blanks are concerned, there are lots of different online sellers of t-shirts, just google “discount t-shirt sellers” and a bunch will pop up. I usually get onsies, bibs, etc. at Hobby Lobby when I have a coupon. It usually works out cheaper because there is no shipping.