How to Wind a Bobbin on a Grace Qnique Longarm
I’ve been getting lots of very basic questions on things like how to wind bobbins so I figured it’s time to go back to the basics and cover each of these topics with a short video. Learn how to wind a bobbin on the Grace Qnique 15R /14+ and the Grace Qnique 21 in this video:
Click Here to learn more about the Grace Qnique 15R / 14+. I’ve set up this machine on my Q-Zone Hoop Frame in a corner of my office because it only takes up 4 1/2-feet of space!
Click Here to learn more about the Grace Qnique 21. This larger longarm is only compatible with the larger Continuum Quilting Frame which is available in 8 foot, 10 foot, and 12 foot lengths.
A very frequent question is – are longarm bobbins cross compatible? Can you use the M bobbins from one machine in another longarm machine?
NO! I’ve personally tested this and wasted about $100 on bobbins. They really are brand specific so only buy bobbins for your brand of machine. Click Here to find bobbins for Grace Qnique Longarms.
Tips for Winding Bobbins on a Grace Qnique Longarm
The key to winding a bobbin on either longarm machine is threading the machine correctly. I pull out my thread from the thread guides and completely re-thread the machine from the back in the case of the Qnique 15/14+ or the side for the Qnique 21.
Make sure – double and triple check – your threading is correct because this can effect the tension on your bobbin and how evenly thread winds on it.
Grace longarm bobbins do not have holes in them, which can make them tricky to get the thread to hold in place and not unwind when the bobbin starts spinning. To get it to stick, first wind the thread around the bobbin 2-3 times in a clockwise direction. Then pass the thread tail underneath the thread feeding onto the bobbin and give the thread tail a tug.
Overlapping the thread is the key to getting the bobbin started smoothly.
This will make the thread overlap and lock it in place so you can begin winding.
Incidentally, this overlapping thread trick has helped me wind so many other bobbins, including the long shuttle bobbins for my treadle machines!
I hope you enjoyed this video and will refer back to it whenever you need a reminder of how to wind bobbins on your Grace Qnique longarm machine. Click Here to find Grace Company frames, machines, and accessories from LeahDay.com!
Let’s go quilt.
Leah Day
More Frame Quilting Friday Videos
How to Baste a Quilt on a Longarm
7 Reasons Why I DO Want and Need a Longarm
First Stitches on the Grace Qnique 21
Picked up a winding tip from your great video!
Have you tried winding mono poly thread on the bobbin as I understand thread should be run very slowly as mono poly thread stretches when run too tightly. Question is if there’s a way to wind bobbin slowly without adjustment to tensioner—hold thread as it’s being wound? Your thoughts?
I’ll be honest Sandy – I really hate plastic thread. My best advice is to loosen the tension considerably when winding a monopoly bobbin or yes, run it through your fingers only. I really don’t know much about that stuff because I’m just not a fan.
Leah Day, Is there a book on Q’nique 15R. The machine came with little instruction booklet. Like yesterday I was quilting and it was fine, but when I change thread and bobbin of different color my machine was not working right, like it was skipping stitches when I was doing sideway movement and ok with up and down. Any recommenations.
Nope, there isn’t a book written specifically about the Qnique 15, though that is a good idea! Most likely the issue is the bobbin itself. Some bobbins might be slightly bent or if it ever got dropped, it might not spin as evenly as another bobbin. You should always stop and do a tension test off your quilt after changing the bobbin. As for the skipped stitches – this is most likely a threading error. I’d re-thread the machine completely from the beginning and count each guide as you go to make sure both the top and bobbin are threaded properly. Test stitch and if it’s not fixed, check your needle. A dull or slightly bent needle causes all sorts of skipped stitching issues.
Have a Qnique 21. Today winding bobbins after the second one the bobbin winder quit. Tried shutting the machine off and turning it back on. Googled the web and have no solution. The machine is less than a year old.
Hi Roberta – You’ll need to contact Grace Company for help with this! They will sort it out and get you back up and running again quickly.
I have a Qnique 15r my bobbin winder was working fine yesterday , went to rewind more bobbins and the bobbin is not filling up, only about 1/2 way , I follow all the steps on threading to my bobbin winder , any suggestions ,
Is there a spec on how much tension the bobbin winder should have? Our Qnique 19 has an adjustment for setting the thread tension on the winder, but I haven’t found any kind of info on that. I can only find mention of the bobbin case tension