Gear guide
Best embroidery floss bobbins and bobbin winders
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Winding embroidery floss onto bobbins turns loose skeins into flat cards that file by color number in a storage box. The options look alike but differ in ways that matter. Plastic bobbins are reusable and do not bend; cardboard ones are easy to write on, though every listing found for this guide was plastic, acrylic or wood. Most plastic bobbins here measure about 1.5 x 1.4 in, some have a label area or a hanging hole, and packs run from 28 to 360. A hand-crank bobbin winder speeds up the winding: pin a bobbin into the slot, sit the winder on the edge of a bobbin box, catch the floss end in the bobbin's notch and turn the handle while guiding the thread from side to side. Floss drops are the no-winding alternative: the cut skein is looped through a hole and the drops hang on a ring. This guide compares bobbins, winders and floss drops by material, count per pack, size and what is included, using only what each listing states. Nothing was tested.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Type | Material | Count | Size | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Little Green Change plastic floss bobbins, 360 pcs | Bobbins | Plastic | 360 | 1.5 x 1.4 in | - | Amazon |
 DMC plastic floss bobbins, pack of 28 | Bobbins | Plastic | 28 | not stated | - | Amazon |
 yuntop 120 plastic floss bobbins with bobbin winder | Bobbins + winder | Plastic | 120 + 1 winder | not stated | - | Amazon |
 BEADNOVA floss bobbin winder, plastic, 1 pc | Hand winder | Plastic | 1 winder | 3.7 x 1 in | - | Amazon |
 DMC bobbin winder, hand crank, plastic | Hand winder | Plastic | 1 winder | not stated | - | Amazon |
 Nicunom wood floss drops with rings, 200 pcs | Floss drops | Wood | 200 + 2 rings | 1.9 x 1.3 in | - | Amazon |
 PH PandaHall clear acrylic floss drops, 30 pcs | Floss drops | Acrylic | 30 | 1.3 x 2 in | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobThe Little Green Change plastic floss bobbins, 360 pcsThe listing states 360 plastic bobbins in the set, enough for a large run of floss colors with spares.
- Most for the money on paperyuntop 120 plastic floss bobbins with bobbin winderThe package contains 120 plastic floss bobbins and 1 floss bobbin winder, so nothing else is needed to start winding.
- Most complete listingDMC plastic floss bobbins, pack of 28The pack holds 28 plastic bobbins, described in the listing as sturdy plastic embossed with the DMC logo.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · The Little Green Change
The Little Green Change plastic floss bobbins, 360 pcs
See price on AmazonA bulk pack of 360 white plastic floss bobbins, each 1.5 in long by 1.4 in wide. It suits a stitcher winding a large floss collection in one go, with a few bobbins to spare for partial skeins.
What the listing offers
- The listing states 360 plastic bobbins in the set, enough for a large run of floss colors with spares.
- Each bobbin measures 1.5 in long by 1.4 in wide, the size the listing says fits a thread box or drawer insert.
- Every bobbin has a hole at the top for a binder ring and a slit that the listing says is cut for standard 6-strand floss.
Limits to know
- No label area or number stickers are mentioned, so color numbers have to be written on the plastic yourself.
- No bobbin winder is included: this is bobbins only, in white only.
Pick 2 · DMC
DMC plastic floss bobbins, pack of 28
See price on AmazonDMC's own plastic floss bobbins in a pack of 28, each with a space for the floss color number. A fit for a single project's worth of colors or for topping up an existing bobbin box.
What the listing offers
- The pack holds 28 plastic bobbins, described in the listing as sturdy plastic embossed with the DMC logo.
- Each bobbin has a designated space for writing the floss color number or applying a floss number sticker.
- The listing states the bobbins are compatible with most floss organizers, rings and storage boxes.
Limits to know
- With one bobbin per skein, 28 covers only a small palette: a full floss collection needs many packs.
- The listing gives no bobbin dimensions, and no winder is included.
Pick 3 · yuntop
yuntop 120 plastic floss bobbins with bobbin winder
See price on AmazonA starter set of 120 white plastic floss bobbins with one bobbin winder in the same pack. It suits someone moving from loose skeins to bobbins who owns neither part yet.
What the listing offers
- The package contains 120 plastic floss bobbins and 1 floss bobbin winder, so nothing else is needed to start winding.
- Each bobbin has two thread clips that hold the end of the floss in place, according to the listing.
- The listing says the bobbins can be labeled with a marker pen for finding a color again later.
Limits to know
- The visible listing text gives no dimensions for the bobbins and no description of the winder.
- The brand is little known, and the listing leans on general claims rather than specifications.
Pick 4 · BEADNOVA
BEADNOVA floss bobbin winder, plastic, 1 pc
See price on AmazonA single plastic floss bobbin winder about 92 mm long and 25 mm wide, with the steps for using it written out in the listing. It suits a first-time winder user who wants instructions.
What the listing offers
- The listing gives the winder's size: approximately 92 mm long and 25 mm wide, or 3.7 x 1 in.
- Use is explained step by step: remove the pin, insert a bobbin, align the holes, then reinsert the pin to secure it.
- The winder is described as sturdy plastic, and the pack is stated plainly as one bobbin winder.
Limits to know
- Bobbins are not included, so they have to be bought separately.
- A small pin holds the bobbin and has to be taken out and put back for every bobbin wound.
Pick 5 · DMC
DMC bobbin winder, hand crank, plastic
See price on AmazonDMC's plastic hand winder for putting floss onto cardboard or plastic bobbins. A simple pick for anyone who already owns bobbins and a box and only wants to wind faster than by hand.
What the listing offers
- The listing describes a plastic winder used to wind floss, ribbon, threads and yarns onto cardboard bobbins.
- It is also stated to work with plastic bobbins, so one winder covers both bobbin materials.
- The listing states the winder is made in France, and it comes from the same brand as the floss.
Limits to know
- No bobbins are included: the pack is the winder alone.
- The listing gives package dimensions only and does not explain how the winder mounts or holds a bobbin.
Pick 6 · Nicunom
Nicunom wood floss drops with rings, 200 pcs
See price on Amazon200 teardrop floss drops cut from wood, with 2 metal hinged rings to hang them on. The no-winding route: the floss is looped through the large hole instead of being wound onto a card.
What the listing offers
- The set includes 200 teardrop wood floss drops and 2 metal floss rings.
- Each drop measures 35 mm wide, 50 mm long and 2 mm thick, with two holes of 8 mm and 18 mm.
- The listing says the large hole holds the thread and the small hole holds working threads, and that the surface can be written on.
Limits to know
- Drops hang on rings: the listing says nothing about fitting the compartments of a bobbin storage box.
- Only 2 rings come with 200 drops, so a full set will need more rings.
Pick 7 · PH PandaHall
PH PandaHall clear acrylic floss drops, 30 pcs
See price on Amazon30 clear acrylic floss drops in a gourd shape, 1.3 x 2 in as titled. A small pack for keeping one project's colors on drops instead of winding them onto bobbins.
What the listing offers
- The pack holds 30 clear acrylic thread drops, described as reusable and easy to label with floss number stickers.
- Each drop has a hole at the top for hanging and a larger hole at the bottom for the floss.
- Because the acrylic is clear, the listing notes that writing or a symbol can be seen from either side.
Limits to know
- Thirty drops is a small pack: enough for one project's colors, not for a whole floss collection.
- The listing does not mention a ring, so one for hanging the drops has to be supplied separately.
Read before you buy
- How to store embroidery floss: bobbins, drops, bags and binders comparedFive ways to store embroidery floss compared: bobbins, floss drops, zip bags, binder pages and whole skeins, plus a simple inventory sheet by number.
- How to separate embroidery floss strands without tanglingSeparate embroidery floss in 7 steps: cut 18 in (50 cm), tap the end, pull one strand straight up, then recombine. No tangles and no tools.
More gear for the floss and strands stage
Hoop and Floss chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.