Bobbins, Bobbins Everywhere! Does It Matter? Should I care?

With sew many different types of bobbins out there, knowing which one is right for your machine can be a little confusing. In fact, there are over 60 different styles of bobbins! The good news is that there are only three bobbins that are most commonly used. So, unless you have a beloved vintage machine or a specialized “industrial type” machine you should be able to use one of the three bobbins listed below.

Class 15 bobbin: (also know as a Style A bobbin) is the standard bobbin for most modern sewing machines. They measure approximately 13/16 inches in diameter (about the size of a nickel) and 7/16 inches in height. The top and bottom of this bobbin are flat.

Class L bobbin: is often used in specialty machines such as embroidery only machines, and straight-stitch only machines. This is a shorter bobbin measuring approximately 11/32 inches tall and 13/16 inches in diameter (about the size of a nickel).

Class M bobbin: is an extra-large bobbin that is typically used in longarm quilting machines and some heavy-duty industrial type sewing machines. It is approximately 1 inch in diameter (about the size of a quarter) and 7/16 inches tall.

These bobbins are all made of either plastic or metal. Consult your user’s manual to see which one the manufacturer recommends for your machine. You do not want to use metal bobbins in a machine that requires plastic ones. Using the wrong bobbin can cause issues with your machine such as thread jams, bad stitch quality, and even damage to your machine.

Happy sewing and may your bobbin aways be full!