Bobbing along...... (Motivational Monday)

Happy Monday morning!  How motivated are we all in this summer??  I'm getting loads done just not on those UFO projects - well only in bits and pieces.  But my little deadline book is working just great.  Now that I have a list, there is no need to panic - well at least not as much!

I haven't had a chance to unpack all my stuff from the great weekend adventure. But I did unpack a couple of things and one thing led to another and well - today is all about bobbins. You can get a whole lot more done if things are organised.  

By the way, I think my pictures have a fuzzy feel to them.  The graphics team was messing with my camera the other day and they must have changed a setting!  What setting?  Going to have to ask as I don't know.

Here's one items that I bought and this started a domino effect in my studio. These are called Spool Huggers.  I've seen them around, but never bought them.  They happened to be by the cash as I was checking out at one store and I grabbed a package.

Spool Huggers

The reason I bought them is because my spool box with my go to threads can be a mess sometimes. I have invisible threads and several colors of cotton, all on different type of spools. While some spools have little caps that open or notches or a slot to put the thread end in, some do not. I keep saying that I should clean up the box and from time to time I do, but then I never do anything about those loose thread and bingo - I'm back tidying up once again!

Spools with the spool huggers

 Hm - I think I like my way better. Here's how one of my spools in the thread box looks.

A different way to wrap the spools

I think my biggest problem in this thread box is the bobbins. There is no way to catch the threads on the bobbins and they can make a huge mess.  So I tried the Spool Huggers on the bobbins.

Spool Huggers on the bobbins

Everything in the thread box is neat and tidy!

Four long bobbin racks

OK - I'm liking these things a whole lot better on my bobbins, and hopefully it won't be a problem to see which color/type of thread is one each bobbin as the tops of the bobbins are clear plastic.












Oh god - here's where the domino effect happened. I decided that I wasn't happy with the Spool Huggers on my bobbins after all.  Remember, this is personal choice - there is nothing wrong with them. I'm just super picky!


 I wish I could get a short bobbin rack. I have the longer ones - about six inches, but a short one at 3 inches would be perfect to fit in my box. I know there are all kinds of other methods of holding those bobbins.




Let's side track back to my spool of thread.

Here's what I use for my thread wrappers.  I use a very lightweight vinyl tablecloth. You can buy it by the yard at chain fabric stores.  Cut it into strips about 1" by 7".  Then wrap around your spool, keeping a bit of tension on the vinyl so it sticks to itself. Voila - perfect and inexpensive thread wrap.  It's boring, but functional.

Lightweight vinyl table cloth

Since I was trying to clean up the box, that's what I did instead of finishing to unpack.  I cut a few more vinyl strips and wrapped each of the spools of thread that needed to be wrapped.  All of them are wrapped and neat and tidy in the thread box.

Threads are wrapped!

I also put the Spool Hugged bobbins in there. I do have a few other bobbins that need to be tamed, but no more Spool Huggers.

I love when things are neat and tidy. So much easier to grab things when they are not messy and tangled, etc.

I'm sorry, today's post is a bit disjointed as I attempted to write this the day before and I don't have a lot of time today.

Here is a photo of ONE of those bobbin holders which I wish was half this length.

Single bobbin holder

Then I dug out the drawer that holds all my bobbin supplies.

Bobbin supply drawer

I also found this bobbin container, but again it's too big for what I want.

One more bobbin container

I also found these things for keeping the bobbin with the specific spool of thread - which I never do.

Handi Bobs for keeping bobbins with a spool of thread

I decided to get creative and I remembered this little tin that I picked up at Market.

Gutermann tin from market

It was a freebie and came with a spool of thread which is now with the other threads.

Contents of the tin

I loaded up my loose bobbins that I'm using at the sewing machine and they fit perfectly into the tin.

Bobbins fit perfectly into the tin

Now my bobbins are in an enclosed tin. No more loose and tangled threads.  The spools have all been controlled with the vinyl. My thread/bobbin box by the sewing machine is super neat!!!  I'm happy!

Neat thread box!

We need to arrange a review. There are so many tips and tricks to this problem and so many solutions and I suppose each one has it merits and we all have our opinions.  Wouldn't that be cool.   So if you have a tip for taming spools of thread and bobbins, let me know and I'll try to assemble a post after reviewing these items. Cause you now know that there are several that I don't like!

So the Spool Huggers and the Handi Bobs went into my giveaway bag.  I'm of the mindset now that if I've tried something or found a solution that I like, there's no sense in keeping what I don't like!

More time for sewing with two less items to manage!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!