Weaving bobbin winder

If you are a weaver you know you need to get that weft across the shed. There are all sorts of different types of shuttles for this purpose and some are better suited for particular looms.

I recently purchased a beautiful boat shuttle for my Ashford table loom.  I really wanted one that was narrow enough to fit through a narrow shed.  I settled on a Glimakia #8b 12 3/4” extra thin. It uses quills instead of plastic bobbins.  Think of a cardboard straw with little bumps all over it.

You can also purchase beautiful bobbin winders but these were just out of my price range.  I needed something that could turn the quill using one hand and the other hand to guide the thread onto the bobbin/quill.  I decided on an electric drill.

I have tried two different methods and both work very well.  1. using a drill bit that i could slide the bobbin onto.  It was a bit loose so i used a bit of masking tape to hold it in place.  2. instead of a drill bit i found a small dowel that was the perfect size for the bobbin and also fit nicely into the drill.

the drill i used can stand up on it’s own which is handy.  wrap the thread and overlap the end and you are off to the races! when winding on move your thread back and forth from one end to the other.