How to Use a Bobbin in a Singer 717

Thread your bobbin properly to ensure snag-free sewing.

Most sewing machines stitch by crossing two threads -- an upper and a lower thread -- through the layers of fabric being sewn with each stitch. The top thread is usually drawn from a standard spool, which is mounted somewhere on the top of the machine. A bobbin wound with the same thread supplies the bottom thread; the bobbin is situated inside a bobbin case within the shuttle, located beneath the sewing platform, directly under the needle. Loading and threading the bobbin properly is essential to operating the sewing machine and producing a strong, even stitch. In a Singer 717, the process is similar to that of most other sewing machines.

Instructions

Winding the Bobbin

1. Place the spool of thread that you have chosen onto the spool pin of your machine and secure it in place with spool cap or pin holder.

2. Move the bobbin winder to the far left position.

3. Guide the thread end from the spool, around the front of the thread guide and then clockwise around the back of the thread guide so that the thread crosses over itself to the right of the guide. From this cross-over point, guide the thread over to the bobbin winder.

4. Thread the bobbin between the circular rims, through a hole in the bobbin rim, so that the thread end sticks out the top of the bobbin and the thread will be wound around the bobbin spool.

5. Place the bobbin on the winder pin and push the pin to the right.

6. Hold the thread end and depress the speed controller pedal; this turns the bobbin winder, winding the thread around the bobbin spool. Stop when you have loaded the bobbin with the desired amount of thread.

7. Cut the thread. Return the winder pin to the left and remove your full bobbin, trimming excess thread as necessary.

Load the Bobbin to the Machine

1. Open the cover where the bobbin case is located and remove the bobbin case from the shuttle. Make sure the needle is up and the foot is not engaged before you do this.

2. Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case, making sure that the thread runs counterclockwise. Grasp the thread end with your other hand so you can guide it into the correct place once the bobbin is in the case.

3. Plull lightly on the thread end, leaning it toward the bobbin case; light tension on the thread will guide it through the slit in the side of the bobbin case. Use this tension to manuever the thread from the slit to hole under the finger, which is located on the side of the bobbin case.

4. Open the hinged latch on the front of the bobbin case and hold the case by that latch as you load the bobbin case back into the shuttle.

Raise the Thread

1. Raise needle and presser foot, with the machine turned off. Make sure your top thread has been properly fed through your sewing machine and is threaded through the needle.

2. Hold the end of the top thread and and turn the hand wheel toward you. This will raise and lower the needle.

3. Pull this thread gently; this will catch and raise the bobbin thread.

4. Pull the loop of the bobbin thread open and find the bobbin thread end. Pull the ends of both threads, the bobbin thread and the needle thread. Your machine is now ready for sewing.

Tips & Warnings

• A clean, oiled sewing machine performs better and is easier to load.

• If you are sewing together two different colored fabrics, you can use different colored thread in your bobbin to match the fabric on the bottom. This way, the seam will be less visible because the threads will match the different colors of fabric.

• If your stitches come out loopy or uneven, one of your threads is probably not loaded correctly. Remove the spool and bobbin from the machine and rethread both completely; this simple task often solves the problem.

References

• Singer: Winding a Bobbin
• Singer: Insert Bobbin -- Front Load
• Singer: Raising Bobbin Thread