How to Wind and Insert a Bobbin into a Singer Tradition Sewing Machine

In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn step by step how to wind a bobbin and insert it into a Singer Tradition 2277 sewing machine. A correctly wound bobbin is key to successfully using your sewing machine. It’s also vital that you know how to correctly insert it into your machine. Winding and inserting a bobbin into this machine is super easy and once you learn these steps, you’ll be able to spend more time sewing and less time referring to the user’s manual! (PS: If you need a copy of the user’s manual, you can find it here!)

Today’s tutorial includes an in-depth photo tutorial, but if you prefer a video tutorial, check out my YouTube video below.

Before we get started, you’ll need a spool of thread. You can use nearly any type of thread in this machine whether it’s cotton, polyester, or a blend. I always recommend using a high-quality brand like Aurifil, Gutermann, or Coats & Clark. If you’re planning to make a quilt with this machine, I highly recommend using a spool of 50wt 100% cotton Aurifil thread for piecing and quilting. My favorite color to use is Dove! You can shop my favorite Aurifil thread here.

HELPFUL TIP: Use the same type of thread at the top and bottom of your machine. Using the same thread throughout your machine will give you the best sewing results.

How to Wind a Bobbin

Step 1: Place your spool of thread horizontally on the spool pin. The spool pin lifts up at an angle to help you easily place the spool.

HELPFUL TIP: Before you put your spool of thread on the spool pin, find the beginning of the thread. You’ll need this piece of thread easily available. If you are using Aurifil thread, you can pull off the orange bottom of the spool to find the end, and then reattach the bottom. (yes, really!)

Step 2; Place the spool cap on the end of the spool pin. If you’re using a smaller spool of thread, you can put the cap on so the small side is against your spool. If your spool of thread is larger, place the larger side of the cap against your spool.

Slide the cap on so it’s snug against the spool of thread. The spool cap will prevent your thread from tangling and help give your machine an even feed of thread.

Step 3: Place the thread through the upper thread guide of the machine. Make sure it is in between your machine and the top of the metal guide.

Step 4: Pull the thread counterclockwise through the tension discs. This step is labeled as step one on your sewing machine and includes a helpful graphic.

Step 5: Thread your bobbin by running the thread through the hole in the top of the bobbin. Make sure you run it through just one of the holes, not both. Hold onto the end of the thread so it doesn’t become unthreaded.

Step 6: Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder. You may need to apply some pressure to get the bobbin on the bobbin winder. Keep holding onto the end of the thread.

Step 7: To engage the bobbin winder, push the entire bobbin winder to the right. This tells your machine to wind the bobbin instead of moving the needle. Keep holding onto the end of the thread.

Step 8: Continue to hold the end of the thread as you press on the sewing machine pedal. When you press the pedal, the bobbin winder will begin to spin and wind the bobbin. Hold onto the thread through this entire process, or until the end of the thread has spun into itself enough to where it won’t get caught in the thread that is winding.

Step 9: Wind your bobbin as full as possible to ensure it is wound evenly. You will know it is time to stop winding your bobbin when it starts to wind slowly or stops winding. The mechanism on the right prevents the bobbin from getting larger than its intended size.

Step 10: After your bobbin is fully wound, shift the bobbin winder back to the left. Take the bobbin off of the winder and cut the thread between the spool of thread and the bobbin.

Trim the thread that you were holding onto when the bobbin was winding, pictured below.

Now your bobbin is fully wound and ready to be inserted into your sewing machine.

HELPFUL TIP: If you are starting a large project, it can be helpful to wind several bobbins before you start your project. That way, when your bobbin runs out, you don’t have to take time to re-wind your bobbin.

How to Insert a Bobbin into your Sewing Machine

Step 1: To access your bobbin case, remove the extension table and open the hinged door. This is what your bobbin case looks like when it is in your machine.

Step 2: To remove the bobbin case from your sewing machine, lift up the tab on the front of the bobbin case and pull the bobbin case out of the machine.

Step 3: Place your bobbin into your bobbin case. Be sure that your thread will rotate clockwise. In other words, make sure that the tail of your thread is on the right side of your bobbin before you place it in the bobbin case. Pull a six-inch tail of thread out of the bobbin.

Step 4: Now we need to thread our bobbin case. First, pull the thread up through the slot on the bobbin case. Next, pull the thread forward and under the metal plate.

Step 5: After you’ve pulled your thread under the metal plate, make sure the thread is in between both metal arms of the bobbin case. Your bobbin case should look the same as the photo below.

Step 6: This is what your threaded bobbin case should look like before you place it into your sewing machine. The thread should be hanging down to the right of the bobbin case.

Helpful Tip: Before you remove or insert your bobbin case, double-check that your machine is off and unplugged. This quick step will eliminate any risk of accidentally operating your machine.

Step 7: To place your bobbin case back into your machine, pull up the tab on the bobbin case in the same way that you did to remove it from your machine. Place it back into the machine, lining up the large metal arm of the bobbin case with the notch at the top of the bobbin case holder.

Step 8: Now that your bobbin is threaded and in your machine, you can close the hinged door and re-attach the extension table.

How to Thread the Bottom of your Singer Tradition

We have one more step before we can start sewing. We need to finish threading our machine.

If you need to learn how to thread the top of your sewing machine, read this post.

The top of your machine should be threaded before you thread the bottom of your sewing machine.

Step 1: Pull the end of your thread from the top of your machine so that there is slight tension on the thread.

Step 2: Turn the sewing machine handwheel counterclockwise to lower your needle. Continue to turn the handwheel until your needle has gone all the way down and all the way back up.

Step 3: When your needle is back up to its highest position, you’ll be able to see the bottom thread looped onto the top thread. Grab onto the bobbin thread and pull it all the way out.

Step 4: Once the bobbin thread is pulled out, you’ll be able to hold both threads together. Now your machine is ready to start sewing!

HELPFUL TIP: Before you start your first stitch, hold your thread tails behind your machine. This will create some tension and help make sure that your thread doesn’t get pulled out of your needle before your first stitch goes through your fabric. 

Bobbin Tension Troubleshooting

Tension troubles will always be a part of your sewing journey. I’ll share with you a few of my tips to ensure that your bobbin is properly wound and inserted into your machine.

If you’re having tension troubles, try these two tips:

The first tip is to check that your bobbin case is tightened properly. To do this, you’ll need to remove your bobbin case from your machine and suspend the bobbin case its thread. Give the thread a quick tug and the bobbin case should slide down one or two inches.

If the bobbin case slides down without you tugging the thread, your bobbin case is too loose.

If the bobbin case doesn’t slide down after you tug the thread, your bobbin case is too tight.

To loosen or tighten the bobbin case, locate the bobbin screw on the side of the case. Use the metal key that came with your machine to adjust the bobbin screw. Adjust the bobbin screw in small increments because it doesn’t take much to change the tension.

The second tip is all about your bobbin. If you start sewing and realize that your thread is tangling, double-check that your bobbin is wound properly. If the bobbin is not would evenly, you may run into tension issues with your machine.

The easiest way to prevent your bobbin from being would unevenly is to make sure that you are fully winding each bobbin. If you only wind your bobbin halfway, it may not be wound evenly. It’s okay to use a bobbin that is not completely full as long as it was fully wound at some point in the past.

Now you have everything you need to learn how to wind a bobbin, insert your bobbin into your machine and thread the bottom half of your machine. Happy sewing!

Pin this tutorial so you can refer back to it the next time you need to re-thread your machine!

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xo, Hailey

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How to Thread a Singer Tradition Sewing Machine
Singer Tradition 2277 Beginner Sewing Machine Review