The embrodiery machine shuttle, preferably made of plastic, has two main components, namely a base plate and a housing which can be fastened on the base plate. The base plate forms the slide face of the shuttle. For this reason the elements required for thread tension are placed in the interior of the shuttle. A bobbin is maintained in the correct position by a bobbin mounting and a part thereof forms a rear thread guide element. The thread is drawn off the bobbin and routed to a thread hole through and around the thread guide element between an upper pressure plate and a lower counterpressure spring. The thread tension can be easily adjusted from the outside with a slide. The shuttle according to the present invention is suited, together with a corresponding shuttle processing machine, for automatic emptying, cleaning, filling with a fresh bobbin, threading and setting the thread tension.