Scrap Busting: DIY Bobbins

Bobbins made out of my Route 66 tapestry scraps...

Thought you'd seen the last of my Route 66 tapestry remnants?

Well, this is seriously the end of them. All that's left are small pieces that become smaller the more I handle them.

Thankfully, this actual project does not require finicky tapestry remnants. Regular fabric from your scrap pile will do.

What you'll end up with is something more useful than you might expect. I've been wanting to make these for some time and don't quite know what's taken me so long to get to it. (The idea came from seeing some plastic ones for embroidery floss.)

What exactly are these for?

Well, we all have short lengths of thread rescued from almost empty bobbins that are set aside for basting and hand sewing. Until now, I've wound my leftover thread around small pieces of cardboard. This is definitely a more stylish and effective way of thread management.

An effective way of managing small lengths of thread for future use...

Unlike the smooth surface of cardboard, the textured fabric surface of this bobbin helps keeps loose thread ends under control.

If you also have remnants of bias binding that need to be organized, this is also the perfect solution for that.

Keep your bias binding from straying...

These can be made in any size to fit your scraps and your specific needs. My templates — imperfect as they are — can be downloaded from here if you're interested. They are about 3" and 2 5/8" high as is, but of course, you can enlarge them.

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Making these bobbins couldn't be easier. Once you have a suitably sized template, simply trace it onto some single sided fusible Peltex and cut out the shape.

Trace shapes onto Peltex...

If you want, you can go ahead and use the Peltex piece to cut similar sized pieces from your fabric scraps.

Because I was dealing with the loosely woven tapestry and had to handle it more carefully, I fused a scrap onto the Peltex first. After it cooled, I cut around it.

Fuse onto one scrap and cut out a second scrap to fit... 

Next, I applied some glue (just used a common glue stick) to the other side of the Peltex and affixed a second rectangular scrap of matching size, trimming away the excess fabric afterwards.

Second piece of fabric glued on...

A tight zigzag stitch around the perimeter is all that's needed to complete the project.

Clean up the edges and it's done!

Snip away any loose threads that might be sticking out, and the bobbin is ready for use.

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Here are my tapestry bobbins at work.

My Route 66 scrappy bobbins...

These bobbins are made out of quilting cotton scraps. (Note that even though all of these were made with both sides matching, there's no reason you can't use a different fabric on each side.)

Bobbins made out of quilting cotton scraps...

A couple feature a Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric. They were remnants from my fabric match box; remember that? Here it is with my bobbins inside.

Bobbins wound with bias tape in my fabric match box...

I haven't tried it, but instead of Peltex, one could interface both fabric pieces with something that's less stiff. (Our scraps of medium weight interfacing are often more plentiful than Peltex.)

My hand-sewing threads are now neatly organized...

To keep your bobbins together, you could punch a hole at the top of each and install a small eyelet.

Add an eyelet and  you can keep your bobbins together on a chain...

By the way, if you stick a needle into the mix, one of these bobbins could easily be turned into an emergency sewing kit.

Hmmm... that gives me an idea.