Need Featherweight Advice

[Paula D.]

I'm thinking about buying a vintage Featherweight to take to classes, retreats, vacation, etc. Any Featherweight owners out there? What should I look for? What should I avoid? Has anyone purchased one from an eBay auction?

Please share your Featherweight knowledge.

Also, does anyone own a Kenmore Mini Ultra (or maybe it's Ultra Mini?). I'd like to know more about this machine as well.

Thanks!

[Paula D.]

Hi I did get my featherweight from ebay a few years ago and have not been disappointed. I would caution you to know a little more about ebay than I did it was my first ever ebay bid and I won I was really concerned but if you know how to judge the seller go for it. I take it to classes and really enjoy using it There was a learning curve and they do like to have the basic maintenence (oil, cleaning etc.) on a regular basis The only expense I've incurred was a general servicing when I first got the machine ( it was such an impulse bid that I wanted to have a professional check it out.) I have been doing the maintenece since then.
I don't know anything about the other machine you asked about
Good luck

[Paula D.]

I may not be a true featherwght afficionado...mine is a reproduction made by alpha sew. it looks totally original and sews like a dream...it accepts all feet and accessories of an authentic 221. and it was affordable.
also.you can get a home video of how to maintain your little beauty from English's sew n vac in paducah ky.

[Paula D.]

I have a 1938 Featherweight that I bought from a sew and vac store about 9 years ago and absolutely love it. I take it to classes and use it in our motorhome when we travel. I bought the quarter inch foot and throatplate for it. I have only had it serviced once and it runs like a charm. I'd love to get another for my daughter, but the $600 price vs the $300 I paid has me stopped. I saw a number of people in Houston this year with very small Janome's who loved their machines for classes also.

[Paula D.]

I bought mine off of eBay last summer, and had a fabulous transaction. Unfortunately, that seller doesn't have any up at the moment. (He's a retired attorney whose wife quilts; his hobby had been to acquire machines at estate sales and flea markets, peak and tweak 'em, and turn around on eBay.) I have about a thousand transactions, both buying and selling, and screened potential suppliers carefully; he didn't have a lot of feedback, but it was all positive, and my purchase would've been protected by PayPal. I also was patient, and investigated auctions and other websites for months. The end result was a gorgeous machine in its originally, nearly flawless case, lovingly cleaned and serviced, and packed with a bunch of notions... all for under $300 (including shipping.)

The deals are out there; just know what you want (I am anal, so a "pretty" and clean-looking machine was important to me), what you're willing to spend, and don't rush to buy too quickly. :wink:

Good luck!

[Paula D.]

hey im new to this forum just wander what site on ebay do you go to for the featherweight sewing machines ? what do you need to look for and about what is the weight of machine is piecing all you can do on this small machine i am interestred in one for our rv when we travel thanks ollie1shoe

[Paula D.]

hey im new to this forum just wander what site on ebay do you go to for the featherweight sewing machines ? what do you need to look for and about what is the weight of machine is piecing all you can do on this small machine i am interestred in one for our rv when we travel thanks ollie1shoe

Just type in "Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine" in the search box on eBay and you should see several listings.

[Paula D.]

I bought a featherweight and a 301 off of ebay. They are both very good machines and I got them at good prices. There is one word of caution I can give you... My featherweight smells old and moldy and the smell doesn't go away, I've had it for 3 or 4 years now. I first had it serviced and cleaned. Then I dumped the case and I've tried the charcol and the soap and just about anything anyone suggested. If I were to buy another I don't think I would buy from ebay for that reason.

[Paula D.]

If your machine still has an odor even without the case, I suspect that the fiber gasket lining the bottom pan of the machine may be the cause. You should be able to get a piece of gasket material from a car parts place and cut it to fit in your machine, using the old one to make a pattern.

Pat in Rockport, TX who has some Featherweights, including one of the Free-arm models, and also has one of the oval wood cabinets made for Featherweights.

[Paula D.]

Thanks Pat, I'll look into that.

[Paula D.]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/feathe...yguid=23824750

Try this group They are very helpful

[Barbara C.]

I have two black 50's era Featherweights and a white Featherweight. All work and I got them off of e-bay.

Look for paypal auctions, good pictures of the machine, read the reviews on the seller, and make sure the machine runs.

Be mindful when you are sewing on a Featherweight...... Grease can show up on your fabric!

Here is a site that is good for supplies and parts.
http://www.221parts.com/

[Barbara C.]

I bought mine off of eBay last summer, and had a fabulous transaction. Unfortunately, that seller doesn't have any up at the moment. (He's a retired attorney whose wife quilts; his hobby had been to acquire machines at estate sales and flea markets, peak and tweak 'em, and turn around on eBay.) I have about a thousand transactions, both buying and selling, and screened potential suppliers carefully; he didn't have a lot of feedback, but it was all positive, and my purchase would've been protected by PayPal. I also was patient, and investigated auctions and other websites for months. The end result was a gorgeous machine in its originally, nearly flawless case, lovingly cleaned and serviced, and packed with a bunch of notions... all for under $300 (including shipping.)

The deals are out there; just know what you want (I am anal, so a "pretty" and clean-looking machine was important to me), what you're
willing to spend, and don't rush to buy too quickly. :wink
Good luck!

Would you be willing to share your resource for this reliable FW source? I am in the market for some of these baby machines for myself and a quilter friend. I recently got one off E-Bay and I like it very much. I am just getting to know it. Oil in the bobbin area helped tremenously with the awful clicking sound I kept hearing. I knew that didn't sound right, but a small drop of oil cured it right away.

Thanks also to the person that wrote about the video that is available from the sewing store in Paducah. I will be looking into that because my machine came without a manual.

Anybody out there with some more hints for those lovely old featherweights?
Kathy

[Barbara C.]

Hi,

I am an English quilter, I have had 2 of these wnderful little machines, the first I bought from a shop the second I bid for on ebay, it was a very unusual machine in that it had an attachment with it that moved the fabric from side to side and produced a zigzag effect.

The first one a friend bought, the second one I sold on ebay just this year as we were having to downsize and I did not have the room for more than one machine and my Janome 4800 won..........I do miss that lovely little machine though especially when I want tp go to workshops or a little machine to take on holiday with me....................

[Barbara C.]

I'm thinking about buying a vintage Featherweight to take to classes, retreats, vacation, etc. Any Featherweight owners out there? What should I look for? What should I avoid? Has anyone purchased one from an eBay auction?

Please share your Featherweight knowledge.

Also, does anyone own a Kenmore Mini Ultra (or maybe it's Ultra Mini?). I'd like to know more about this machine as well.

Thanks!

I bought my Featherweight at a flea market in Fort Worth, TX, and I enjoyed using it. I took it to a Singer dealer who checked it out and got a bobbin case for it since it was missing. I enjoyed using it alot; however, I decided that I wanted a small machine for travel purposes that had more features. I bought the little Brother 720D machine at Walmart, and I absolutely love it. I like it much better than the Featherweight, and it only weighs 11 pounds. I am also a Bernina owner and I'm more impressed at the features of the Brother than the Featherweight. I'm sure Janome has a good small machine also.