Bobbin Thread for Machine Embroidery: Weight, Pre-Wound Bobbins and Color

Why embroidery needs its own bobbin thread

bernette’s b59 manual describes embroidery bobbin thread as “an especially soft and light polyester thread”, and says it “ensures a steady thread tension and an optimal intertwining of the upper and bobbin thread.”¹

How much will you use? Madeira, writing about its industrial range, gives a rough rule: “you always need at least half of the length of the top thread for the matching bobbin thread.”¹¹

For the top thread, see our embroidery thread guide.

Bobbin thread weight for embroidery, machine by machine

There is no universal weight. Here is what each maker writes for the models we read:

Bobbin thread each maker names, by machine

Machine	Bobbin thread the maker names
Brother SE600, SE625, SE630, SE700, SE725	“embroidery 60 weight bobbin thread”, with 40-50 weight on top2
Brother SE2000	“the included 60 weight embroidery bobbin thread or recommended 60 weight embroidery bobbin thread”3
Brother PE545	90 weight4
Brother XP1, XP2, XP3	“embroidery 90 weight bobbin thread”, with 40-50 weight on top5
Brother PR1055X, PR1060W (10-needle)	Pre-wound Fil-Tec bobbins or the machine’s metal bobbins; to wind your own, cotton or spun polyester bobbin thread10
Janome Memory Craft 500E LE	“Janome bobbin thread for embroidery”; special high-tension bobbin holder for any other bobbin thread6
bernette b59	Embroidery bobbin thread, “soft and light polyester”; no weight given1

So a Brother bobbin thread for embroidery is 60 weight on some models and 90 weight on others. If your model is not in the table, the weight is in the manual’s thread or bobbin section.

Pre-wound bobbins: when they are safe

Pre-wound bobbins save winding time, but two things can go wrong: the wrong size, and the wrong sides.

The size. Thread makers sell them by style. Sulky’s A style is for “Janome: All Models”, “Brother: Most Newer Models” and “Singer: Most Models”, and its L style for a long list of other machines, with this warning: “Before using Sulky Prewound Bobbins, check your machine’s specific bobbin for compatibility.”¹² Take that warning seriously: the same Sulky chart also puts “Brother: Most Models” under L style, while the Brother home manuals we read, such as the SE700’s, name a Class 15 type bobbin (SA156).¹³ Our bobbin size guide lists what each manual says.

The sides. Four manuals, from three makers, warn against paper-sided pre-wound bobbins:

• Janome MC8900 and 500E LE: use Janome’s plastic bobbins marked “J”; other bobbins, “such as pre-wound paper bobbins, may cause stitching problems and/ or damage to the bobbin holder.”^6,7
• JUKI HZL-L series: the same sentence, for its “designated plastic bobbins”.⁸
• bernette b38: the same sentence again.⁹

These manuals name only their own bobbins, so a plastic-sided pre-wound bobbin is not approved by them either: it is your call.

The tension. Brother’s PR1060W manual notes that “the tension of the bobbin thread may differ” with the thread type and with pre-wound bobbins, and asks you to check it when you replace one.¹⁰ Our bobbin tension guide explains how.

Bobbin threads and pre-wound bobbins, by need

We have not tested these. Each one is here for a stated use that matches a need above.

60 weight on a spool

Sulky 60 Wt. Bobbin Thread

Weight

60 wt

Fiber

lightweight spun polyester

Spool

1,100 yd, white (882-0015)

Strengths

• Sulky: won’t fray, fuzz, or shrink
• Large spool for winding many bobbins

Drawbacks

• Sulky pairs it with its own rayon and metallic threads; no machine list
• Only the white spool was read

Good fit: your manual asks for 60 weight bobbin thread and you wind your own bobbins.
Skip it if: your manual asks for 90 weight, as the Brother PE545's does.

Sulky describes it as “a lightweight spun polyester thread to use in the bobbin with Sulky Rayon Thread or Sulky Metallic Thread on top.”¹⁴

Brother’s own 60 weight, in black

Brother SAEBT999

Weight

60 weight

Color

black

Box

5 spools of 1,100 m

Strengths

• Brother: gauged for Brother machine embroidery tension
• Black, for dark fabric

Drawbacks

• Five spools at once
• Not found on Amazon.com

Good fit: you own a Brother that takes 60 weight and embroider dark items.
Skip it if: your Brother manual names 90 weight.

Brother calls it “black 60 weight machine embroidery bobbin thread gauged for Brother machine embroidery tension.”¹⁵ The white version, SAEBT, is on our embroidery thread page.

Pre-wound, plastic-sided, A style

Sulky A Style pre-wound bobbins

Thread

60 wt continuous filament polyester

Tube

4 bobbins, white (884-1001)

Sides

plastic

Strengths

• Plastic-sided, not paper
• Purple label on the tube, to tell it from the L style

Drawbacks

• Sulky’s chart says most, not all, Brother and Singer models
• Yardage differs between Sulky’s page (110 yd) and its sheet (131 yd)
• Not found on Amazon.com

Good fit: your machine takes the A style and you want to skip winding.
Skip it if: your manual tells you to use only the maker’s own bobbins.

Pre-wound, plastic-sided, L style

Sulky L Style pre-wound bobbins

Thread

60 wt continuous filament polyester

Tube

5 bobbins (883-1011, steel color)

Sides

plastic

Strengths

• Sulky: virtually lint free
• Blue label on the tube

Drawbacks

• Sulky’s chart conflicts with Brother’s home manuals
• Yardage differs between Sulky’s page (91 yd) and its sheet (120 yd)
• Not found on Amazon.com

Good fit: your manual or dealer confirms an L style bobbin.
Skip it if: you own a Brother home machine: the manuals we read name a Class 15 type bobbin, despite Sulky’s chart.

Magnetic-core pre-wound bobbins

Fil-Tec Magna-Glide Classic, Style L

Thread

No. 60 filament polyester

Styles

L and M/Jumbo only

Yardage

Style L white: 135 yd

Strengths

• Fil-Tec: the magnetic core gives consistent delivery through the whole bobbin
• Fil-Tec: prevents backlash or overspin

Drawbacks

• A box of 100 bobbins
• L and M only

Good fit: you run a multi-needle or other machine that takes Style L and use a lot of bobbins.
Skip it if: your machine takes Class 15 bobbins: Fil-Tec lists no Class 15 in this line.

Fil-Tec says its “patented magnetic-core creates consistent delivery throughout the entire bobbin.”¹⁶ Brother’s PR1055X/PR1060W manual asks for “prewound bobbins (Fil-Tec/TRU-SEW POLYESTER “Filaments”) or metal bobbins designed specifically for this machine”, without naming this line or a style: confirm the style with the manual or your dealer.¹⁰ The Amazon button goes to the box of 100 white Style L bobbins.

Plastic-sided pre-wound, Class 15/A or L

Fil-Tec Clear-Glide

Thread

No. 60 filament polyester

Styles

Class 15/A and Style L

Colors

white or black

Strengths

• Fil-Tec: the ideal bobbin for domestic machines
• Plastic sides are not affected by humidity or oils, says Fil-Tec

Drawbacks

• Sold by the gross on a wholesale site
• Not found on Amazon.com

Good fit: you want plastic-sided pre-wound bobbins in quantity for a home machine.
Skip it if: you need a few bobbins: Fil-Tec’s site sells them by the gross to account holders.

90 weight on a spool

Fil-Tec Bobbin Line 90

Weight

No. 90 spun polyester

Length

1,015 m

Colors

white or black

Strengths

• Fil-Tec: runs cleanly with minimal lint
• 90 weight, on Fil-Tec’s own page

Drawbacks

• Fil-Tec’s site is wholesale: an account is needed to order
• Not found on Amazon.com

Good fit: your manual asks for 90 weight bobbin thread.
Skip it if: your manual asks for 60 weight, as the Brother SE700’s and SE2000’s do.

Fil-Tec writes that this thread “is recommended by Brother for their embroidery machine line”, and lists older models such as the PE770.¹⁷ That is Fil-Tec’s statement: we did not find it in a Brother document.

Pre-wound for sewing, not embroidery

SINGER Class 15 threaded bobbins

Style

Class 15

Thread

100% spun polyester, 50 yd per bobbin

Pack

6 black and 6 white, with a case

Strengths

• Black and white in one case
• SINGER: for SINGER and other makers’ machines

Drawbacks

• No thread weight given
• Only 50 yards per bobbin
• Not found on SINGER’s Canadian store or on Amazon.com

Good fit: you want ready-wound black and white bobbins for ordinary sewing on a Class 15 machine.
Skip it if: you embroider: SINGER gives no thread weight and does not mention embroidery.

SINGER adds: “Consult your machine’s manual to ensure correct bobbin size.”¹⁸ We list it because it shows up in searches for pre-wound bobbins; for embroidery, pick a thread whose weight is stated.

Buying in Canada

• Sulky: its shipping page gives international rates without naming Canada.¹⁹
• Brother: Brother Canada has a page for the SAEBT999, but we could not tell from it whether it can be ordered.²⁰
• Fil-Tec: no page we read mentions Canada.²¹

Our Amazon links go to Amazon.com. From Canada, check delivery and import fees on each listing before you order.