Let me lead up to this in a round about fashion...
Years ago, I remember seeing commercials for a 'hand held blender' -- a whizzer thingie that you held in your hand and dunked up and down in the large container of whatever food item being pureed.
I thought it was the silliest kitchen gadget I'd ever seen.
But about a year ago, I had a gift card for Bed, Bath and Beyond, and a coupon and, well, I went in looking for something to use the two items on and came out with a hand-held blender. I wasn't really sure why, other than there really wasn't anything in the store that day that looked like an urgent need, and the coupon was about to expire.
It is one of the most used appliances in my kitchen. I LOVE that thing.
Now, when Simplicity came out with the little bobbin winder gadget, I thought, 'That is the silliest sewing gizmo I've ever seen.' Since the spool of thread had to go on the winder, I could not see how it could possibly be that much of an improvement over the machine's own bobbin winder.
You guessed it...I got one (actually, the Dritz version) for Christmas.
And I do see a picture on the side of the box showing it operating with thread still on the sewing machine, so I am withholding judgment and trying to keep an open mind. Perhaps it will be the sewing room equivalent of the hand-held blender.
Um, yeah. Maybe.
So...here's a question...do any of my blog buddies have a bobbin winder? Do you use it? Any opinions to share?
I'm listening... ;)
No bobbin winder yet, but I LOVE my immersion blender - I didn't want one at first either - good thing DH doesn't listen to me !
ReplyDeleteI thought about the bobbin winder 'cos I'm apparently not bright enough to realize that a big project will need more than one bobbin and I should wind at least a couple before I start - LOL. Let us know how it works.
Happy New Year to you and your family :-)
But...if you're winding bobbins before you start, I don't see that the bobbin winder saves any time; you could wind them on the sewing machine in the conventional manner (maybe it depends on the sewing machine? Mine winds bobbins in the same fashion as a bobbin winder...).
ReplyDeleteIt may be the weekend before I get a chance to get into my sewing room and give it a go; I'll certainly report back on how it works! ;)
I don't have one personally, but my friend has one and swears it's the neatest thing next to sliced bread! She quilts so she uses alot of bobbins and she likes that it can work by battery too for taking to classes.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a bobbin winder but I do have hand blender, which I also thought we wouldn't use but we do.
ReplyDeleteTo me the bobbin winder seems like an unecessary notion. I've been tempted to buy one just because it's about the only notion I don't have. Since you received it as a gift, consider that the gift giver was thinking about how you like to sew and perhaps thought you would appreciate it. I've heard that it works well so use it and think of the person who gave it to you.
I have one and I love it. I just feel like it says a lot of wear and tear on my sewing machine it's self. And honestly, I don't keep a lot of bobbin's on hand to begin with some I'm all the time winding them. I LOVE MINE, love love loove it. can't wait to see if you like it as much or not. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the hand held mixers too. who would have ever guessed that little thing would become so important and handy.
Yeah, Lori, I'm thinking about the person who picked it out; she really did think it'd be something I'd like. So I'm trying to overcome my pre-judgment and give it an honest go. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have one. I had to buy it. It was pink! However the jury is out on its usefulness. Mine has two speeds - off & on - so it winds bobbins at full speed which is not what you're supposed to do, right? The only time I've used it in 12 months was when I needed some wound bobbins to take to the Aust Sewing Guild conference.
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced that they save time but perhaps they do save wear and tear on the machine. Coincidentally, my bobbin winder on my $$ machine died suddenly the other day. But those winders don't work for my machine's bobbins so even if I had one, it wouldn't have saved my sewing the other night.
ReplyDelete