A bobbin winder and a fringe twister are two items on my wish list! For now, I use an electric drill with a wooden knitting needle and rubber bands to hold the bobbin in place, works like a charm!
I now weave on a Saori, so have a beautiful built in bobbin winder, but when I was using rigid heddle looms, I wound my bobbins on an old manual film editing machine that has two arm winders [for reel to reel] I modified to wind bobbins. I use a rubber band wound around the slightly too narrow winding rods so my bobbins don't wobble off as I wound. It's just heavy enough to be stable on a table, not needing clamping. We're all digital for film in my household now and I was going to toss the old editor [with its burned out specialty light] but am so glad my imagination clicked first as I looked it over.
I actually have a sort of vertical lazy kate (flat bottom with pegs spaced on it) that a friend made for me years ago for plying spun yarn. I've been using that to hold my yarn cones when winding bobbins or at the warping board. Silly I know but I already had the thing so why not . :)
Hi Mary!! Thank you so much! Interesting idea! My guess is that the weaving bobbin wouldn't fit securely on the sewing machine making it difficult to stabilize while you wind it. But I've never tried it! Let me know if you give it a go!
Chris, I started out several years ago winding bobbins using a variable speed electric drill. Since then my husband made me an electric bobbin winder using an old sewing machine motor and mounted it to a wooden base. Works great, and it was free! I always end up with extra bobbins of weft at the end of a project....and need more empty ones for the next project...any solutions? Denise
Hi Denise! What a fabulous husband you have! As for using up your extra weft, I like to earmark some inches at the end of my project to play. And that's where I used up all the little bits leftover from other projects. This also gives me ideas for future color combinations, since you never know what might appeal to you! I hope that helps!
I have and old Schact winder I got super cheap on ebay of all places. The drive wheel is smaller than yours and I don't have a drive band so I use a rubber band. I also have a small battery operated electric screwdriver that I put a drill bit on to wind pirns. I cannot imagine people actually wind bobbins by hand.
I love this top, super cute! Getting a true bobbin winder is on my wish list; but until then, I’m pretty good at using my electric drill. 😆
You're so clever, my friend!!
Great tip about using a heavy-duty paper cylinder to stabilize the wobbling!
A bobbin winder and a fringe twister are two items on my wish list! For now, I use an electric drill with a
wooden knitting needle and rubber bands to hold the bobbin in place, works like a charm!
Look how clever you are!!
Thanks!
I now weave on a Saori, so have a beautiful built in bobbin winder, but when I was using rigid heddle looms, I wound my bobbins on an old manual film editing machine that has two arm winders [for reel to reel] I modified to wind bobbins. I use a rubber band wound around the slightly too narrow winding rods so my bobbins don't wobble off as I wound. It's just heavy enough to be stable on a table, not needing clamping. We're all digital for film in my household now and I was going to toss the old editor [with its burned out specialty light] but am so glad my imagination clicked first as I looked it over.
Wow!! That's some incredible ingenuity!! I'm so impressed!!!
I actually have a sort of vertical lazy kate (flat bottom with pegs spaced on it) that a friend made for me years ago for plying spun yarn. I've been using that to hold my yarn cones when winding bobbins or at the warping board. Silly I know but I already had the thing so why not . :)
So clever!! I'm all in favor of using what you have!!
It's not silly at all. I have been using a handmade Lazy Kate for a while. Weaving hacks rock!
Great videos! Ive been binging all day!
Any chance a sewing machine bobbin winder would or wouldnt work?
Cheers!
Hi Mary!! Thank you so much! Interesting idea! My guess is that the weaving bobbin wouldn't fit securely on the sewing machine making it difficult to stabilize while you wind it. But I've never tried it! Let me know if you give it a go!
I swiped my hubby’s Dremel drill lol
Smart!!!
Chris,
I started out several years ago winding bobbins using a variable speed electric drill. Since then my husband made me an electric bobbin winder using an old sewing machine motor and mounted it to a wooden base. Works great, and it was free!
I always end up with extra bobbins of weft at the end of a project....and need more empty ones for the next project...any solutions?
Denise
Hi Denise! What a fabulous husband you have!
As for using up your extra weft, I like to earmark some inches at the end of my project to play. And that's where I used up all the little bits leftover from other projects. This also gives me ideas for future color combinations, since you never know what might appeal to you!
I hope that helps!
I have and old Schact winder I got super cheap on ebay of all places. The drive wheel is smaller than yours and I don't have a drive band so I use a rubber band. I also have a small battery operated electric screwdriver that I put a drill bit on to wind pirns. I cannot imagine people actually wind bobbins by hand.
Excellent!! Sounds like you have a great set-up!