Need Featherweight Advice

[Barbara L.]

I own my Mom's old FW that she bought used in the early 40s. Mom is still going strong at 90. It is a wonderful machine, has all the original parts & manuals. I also take it with me on vacations. We are lucky to have a Mennonite dealer within an hour's drive who services all the FW & treadle machines. That man is a marvel. Folks send him machines from all over N America to be serviced. When he comes to the Guild to give a talk on the old machines it is standing room only.

[Lesley K.]

I got a Featherweight 221 for Mother's Day from my family and it just arrived this week. I don't know how to post an image here but there is one posted on my profile page. My husband got it on E-Bay and it's perfect and came in good working order with all the original accessories and manuals. He cleaned it and oiled it. We both love it! My machine is a 1949 model and there are no markings on the faceplate. I read online that there are quilting attachments (1/4" foot, walking, darning/free motion, and in the ditch feet) available for the 221 because it has a low shank. Has anyone used these for their machine?

[Coni P.]

I have used the 1/4 " foot, darning foot and the walking foot. All of these are availablr on e-bay also. Coni

[Coni P.]

I bought my Featherweight on eBay, and I also bought a couple others for friends on eBay. I really love my little workhorse. It keeps sewing, and sewing, and sewing. All you need to do is keep it cleaned and oiled. I have copied my little manual so that I have it in electronic format if something should happen to my original. There are alot of places to oil that you would not think about, and that manual shows where very clearly. Just oiling the bobbin case isn't enough. I go to quilt meetings frequently and taking my Featherweight keeps my other machines safe at home. The FW is easy to tote around and it has a consistent, nice stitch. It has been very reliable for me. I have several friends with Featherweights and my husband has held a maintenance workshop for the group to teach them how to keep their machine working smoothly.
I think that many Featherweights were forgotten for a long time, so being stored for an extended time in sometimes out of the way places can cause them to acquire a musty smell. I think they were rediscovered in the last few years and people are digging them out realizing they are worth something. If you want something lightweight that does fancier stitching, I challenge you to store it for 50 years and see if it can be brought back to life. Unless the machine has been badly abused, you can't buy a hardier little workhorse.
I think you can buy a Featherweight on eBay for around $300 or a little more... I actually got one for $150 for a friend and the only bad thing was her case wasn't in very good shape. You might not want to buy one from someone who has no history to look at.

[Coni P.]

I am having a problem with my Featherweight. After spending all morning trying to fix I have almost everything fixed but one more problem. The top thread and the bottom thread don't get along. They do not join together. I do not have a manal so its very difficut to fix the problem. Ordered the manual,waiting for it to come in. I don't know what it could be that is causing this
problem.[Norina

[Coni P.]

Hi,
This is a sentence from my manual. In case the throat plate is removed for cleaning the stitch-forming mechanism,etc.make certain, when replacing the throat plate, that the position finger of the bobbin case enters the notch of the position plate attached to the underside of the throat plate. There is a diagram I can scan and e-mail if that is possible.

[Margo C.]

Is it possible that you are using the wrong kind of needle? They take a Singer 15x1 size needle.
And be sure that it is inserted as far up into the shaft as it will go.

[Margo C.]

I have Singer Style 2045, Style 2020 so I don't know if they are ok. I did take the plate off and do have the
finger in the right place with the bobbin. That was a problem that took a few hours to figure out.


Just looked and the size is 90/14 and 11.

[Coni P.]

Do you have the flat side of the needle facing to the left so you would thread from right to left?

[Coni P.]

Yes, that is done....

[Coni P.]

This morning I changed the bobbin thread and the tension and it is working now. Thanks you for the
help that you have given me.
Its so nice to know that there is the Quilt Show that we can turn to for help. I am going
to the Ricky Tims show at the end of this month in Hyannis to see them.

[Margo C.]

You will absolutely LUV the SUPER SEMINAR! Have fun!!

[Margo C.]

Thanks! (the best part is I don't have to take a machine)

[Margo C.]

I have a suggestion for all you featherweight people out there. I recently ran across a terrific website that has more information about those great machines than any website (or book) I have ever read.

http://www.thefeatherweight221factory.com

It's so amazing I printed out most of it and had it bound so I could study it.
The more I learn about the featherweight the more I am impressed.

Nancy Johnson-Srebro's book and David McCallum's books are wonderful as well, but there is a lot of information on http://www.thefeatherweight221factory.com

[Coni P.]

http://forum/domestic-sewing-machine...rweight-advice
Vicki,
Thanks for the site. You are right , it is full of wonderful information.
Your featherweight cases are beautiful. I've wanted to take the cover off of mine but as yet have not been brave enough to try. It still has the "fragrence" inside also.