A bobbin thread winder for sewing machine includes a thread winding shaft to which a bobbin is detachably set, a thread winding shaft gear attached to the shaft and having a gear portion, a gear mounted integrally on a timing pulley so as to be mesh-engageable with the gear portion, and a torque limiter mechanism transmitting rotation of the shaft gear to the shaft when load exerted on the shaft is below a predetermined value. The mechanism cuts off transmission of shaft gear rotation so that the shaft gear rotation is prevented from transmission to the shaft when the load is not less than the value. The mechanism includes a closely wound portion on a shaft periphery and a coil spring engaged with the shaft gear. The shaft gear rotation is transmitted to the shaft by frictional force of the closely wound portion when the load is below the value.