tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post448974570747631676..comments2024-03-16T10:55:36.539-04:00Comments on Rebecca Grace Quilting: Sewing Machine Review: The Iconic Singer Model 221 FeatherweightRebecca Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-49536788165396100452024-01-01T12:49:59.790-05:002024-01-01T12:49:59.790-05:00It’s worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay. Pr...It’s worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay. Prices vary wildly depending on demand and affluence in your area, as well as the condition and rarity of your particular machine and its features. Having the original unaltered carrying case with unbroken handles and latches, original bobbin case and accessories will command much higher prices than machines with missing case/accessories or a “restored” or refinished case. Scratches in the bed of the machine and worn decorative decals negatively impact resale value, and nonworking machines with heavy wear/damage will be most difficult to sell.Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05891097077543213720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-66178347571855301732024-01-01T12:37:47.730-05:002024-01-01T12:37:47.730-05:00How much is it worthHow much is it worthAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-10895167105191502182019-08-09T15:48:47.905-04:002019-08-09T15:48:47.905-04:00Thanks so much for this Featherweight blog. I was ...Thanks so much for this Featherweight blog. I was searching to find advice about the possibility of sewing stretch fabrics on my beloved 221. I appreciate your clarity. AND I just ordered a vintage cloth guide on your recommendation. Will help with my aging eyes and not so steady hands.Marjoriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16830607245404868884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-23203507798549643112018-01-05T10:19:15.519-05:002018-01-05T10:19:15.519-05:00I'm reading this great review of Featherweight...I'm reading this great review of Featherweight history and use for the second time in as many years. My Featherweight has been drafted into being my primary machine for the time being since my electronic babies are out of commission at the moment. Got to say you've covered it all and I only have two things to update/add. The first is that April's is now The Singer-Featherweight Shop.com (your existing links do re-direct to the new site)and they are still the great supplies and information resource that you identified them to be. <br /><br />I also highly recommend Dave McCallum's book "The Featherweight 221 and I" for those looking to maintain or put a machine that hasn't been used in a while back in service. It helped me get my 221 up and running two years ago and I am keeping it close by to refer to as I need to keep it running smoothly with the current daily use. Thanks again for a great and informative post. Going to check out your embroidered bag post next!Vivianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17845920248231910491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-36040571421193228002017-04-10T02:45:49.750-04:002017-04-10T02:45:49.750-04:00I have had my great grandmothers old singer 221 fo...I have had my great grandmothers old singer 221 for several years now and I have never gotten it out of the box until today. I had no idea how to use it or even how to thread it. I have many times thought about how handy it would be, what fun I could have with it, and imagined all the neat things I could make. It definitely was not going to be easy to find someone to teach me. As my mom nor grandma never sewed a stich in there life and I didn't know anyone who had. So what does one do in this predicament this day in age? Yup you got it. Ask Google. So that's what I did. Out of all the photos, articles, videos, and blogs about sewing machines I thought the photo you posted closest resembled my great grandmother's machine. So I clicked on it hoping only to learn how to thread it. I now have a new respect for that old singer. Your article taught me so much more than I ever even knew I wanted to know. Thanks for taking the time to help out us dumbies. I still don't know how to use it but I now know that I am for sure going to learn. And I no longer plan on imagining how awesome it would be. I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me to try something new. I'm super excited. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02912647926535482181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-49063823153062991162017-01-21T16:13:30.613-05:002017-01-21T16:13:30.613-05:00Debbie, the Featherweight attachments work on all ...Debbie, the Featherweight attachments work on all of the low, vertical shank Singer Sewing Machines (i.e. 15, 27, 28, 66, 99, 185, 127, 128, 192 Spartan, 201, 206, 221, 222, 237, 306, 319, 320, 328). If your 1928 machine is one of those models, you should be good to go. Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-68229470609034307172017-01-21T15:11:00.936-05:002017-01-21T15:11:00.936-05:00I have an older Singer machine from 1928 that no l...I have an older Singer machine from 1928 that no longer works but has lots of attachments. I recently purchased a 1948 Model 221 and was wondering if you know if Singer attachments are interchangeable. Or, if not, if you could tell me how I might find the answer to that question.Debby, crowefan0517https://www.blogger.com/profile/03173099763603663526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-45550688855574877172016-09-16T21:35:03.900-04:002016-09-16T21:35:03.900-04:00Excelente, gracias por compartirExcelente, gracias por compartirHortensia Gómezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08435180799905957648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-9339305215854731622016-07-19T15:01:12.091-04:002016-07-19T15:01:12.091-04:00Hi Deb...I hope more people stop by from Tuesday A...Hi Deb...I hope more people stop by from Tuesday Archives as your post is such an informative read!!! (Oh....how I'd love to have that little ladybug one!!!) :) :)Thank you for writing this post...I bookmarked it for future reference. :)Val's Quilting Studiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09451000559295763123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-51858956641159096092016-06-06T18:07:48.313-04:002016-06-06T18:07:48.313-04:00Hi, Deb. The Featherweight wouldn't be my own...Hi, Deb. The Featherweight wouldn't be my own first choice for a T-shirt quilt, only because T-shirts are knits. My modern Bernina machine has differential feed to reduce the chance of wavy, stretching seams. If you are stabilizing the T-shirts to prevent or reduce stretching, you might be okay piecing them on a Featherweight. A walking foot would help on a Featherweight, too. Thanks for stopping by!Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-28523892897696289392016-06-06T12:10:36.119-04:002016-06-06T12:10:36.119-04:00Thank you for all this information. I make t-shirt...Thank you for all this information. I make t-shirt quilts. Would a Featherweight work well for this?Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08205866852651391638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-82668407920191770182016-06-06T12:08:17.506-04:002016-06-06T12:08:17.506-04:00Thank you for all this information. I make t-shirt...Thank you for all this information. I make t-shirt quilts. Would a Featherweight work well for this?Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08205866852651391638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-40621598808814738542016-01-28T19:05:27.980-05:002016-01-28T19:05:27.980-05:00Hi, Kathy. It's hard to say without seeing yo...Hi, Kathy. It's hard to say without seeing your machine. If you're concerned, it's worth having a sewing machine technician take a look at it. Is it too late to return the machine, or to negotiate a discount due to the undisclosed damage/repair?Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-81621312964227364762016-01-28T16:15:04.832-05:002016-01-28T16:15:04.832-05:00I just purchased a featherweight.... I didn't ...I just purchased a featherweight.... I didn't see that the wheel had a gold like glue that was used it looks like to hold a broken bobbin winder or dropped or something... it seems to sew good... is this going to effect the machines performance?<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08285247822188033979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-47816000687147650312016-01-11T14:52:36.117-05:002016-01-11T14:52:36.117-05:00Well, I hate to say you CAN'T sew knits at all...Well, I hate to say you CAN'T sew knits at all on a Featherweight... It's a straight-stitch only machine, though, and a straight stitch doesn't stretch with a knit fabric. Having said that, there ARE vintage attachments that allow vintage Singer machines, including the Featherweights, to somehow sew zigzags and other decorative stitches. You can find them for sale on eBay sometimes, and sometimes April 1930s has them on her Featherweight site. I'm not personally familiar with these attachments, but they must work by moving your FABRIC from side to side during stitching rather than the needle moving from side to side, because the Featherweights are engineered in such a way that the needle cannot move sideways without striking the bobbin and hook race.Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-75638040040735118572016-01-11T14:36:46.453-05:002016-01-11T14:36:46.453-05:00You mentioned that I can't see knits on my fea...You mentioned that I can't see knits on my featherweight. Are there other fabrics I should avoid? I love my little machine!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-42835687005071729462015-12-15T23:16:40.820-05:002015-12-15T23:16:40.820-05:00What a great article. As a Featherweight collecto...What a great article. As a Featherweight collector I enjoy what other people have to say about them. Unfortunately I now have 27 sewing machines and still look for more. The Featherweights sew beautifully and are addictive. <br />Mary AnnMary Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13366579512306986284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-26980805586073381372015-12-08T20:50:13.242-05:002015-12-08T20:50:13.242-05:00My mother gave me a Featherweight for my 16th birt...My mother gave me a Featherweight for my 16th birthday (in 1980). She paid $25 for it. She bought it from a man whose wife had left him, and he was selling all her stuff. True story.Marcihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06167861641439480059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-74871540850839464722015-10-26T16:25:09.775-04:002015-10-26T16:25:09.775-04:00I've never tried sewing leather with my Feathe...I've never tried sewing leather with my Featherweights. Most home sewing machines can sew through very lightweight glove leather (using an appropriate leather needle), but it would take more of an industrial upholstery machine to stitch through thick handbag or upholstery leather. Sometimes I see sellers advertising the Singer Featherweight -- or pretty much ANY vintage machine as an "industrial machine," but that's not really the case. The Featherweight was primarily conceived and marketed for home seamstresses making clothing, never for industrial use. However, it shouldn't hurt to try. Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-56909780365473465882015-10-26T13:31:43.868-04:002015-10-26T13:31:43.868-04:00Quick question: Can a singer featherweight sew thr...Quick question: Can a singer featherweight sew through clothing leather?CNKusterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506098256464957779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-6756073734468956432015-06-30T20:43:31.294-04:002015-06-30T20:43:31.294-04:00Thanks for this review. You have taught me a lot ...Thanks for this review. You have taught me a lot about my machine - including the very critical information about the cloth guide - I had no idea what this was about. Thorough job and well written. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-79917292689098732572015-06-30T02:24:48.748-04:002015-06-30T02:24:48.748-04:00Singer actually made 4 colors of Featherweights. B...Singer actually made 4 colors of Featherweights. Besides the black, white and tan ones the rarest of them all is the crinkle or godzilla finish. They don't come up for sale very often and usually go for about the same amount as a 222.<br /><br />http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Singer+221&_sop=3<br /><br /><br />Cari PeaseAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12546332270876039960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-34970673170526518972015-03-28T23:55:38.244-04:002015-03-28T23:55:38.244-04:00Use Schmetz needles in your Featherweight for best...Use Schmetz needles in your Featherweight for best results. Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-50272642600260245332015-03-28T22:58:56.417-04:002015-03-28T22:58:56.417-04:00Can you tell me what needles the 221-1 feather wei...Can you tell me what needles the 221-1 feather weight uses? thanks!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-55905711817576647532015-03-08T18:18:01.309-04:002015-03-08T18:18:01.309-04:00Great article! I have had 6 Featherweights in the...Great article! I have had 6 Featherweights in the past and currently have a black, white, and a custom blue one with flames! I am interested in selling my precious white one named snowflake as I really don't need three; I have 3 Berninas as well-930, 440, and 820.<br />If you are interested, email me privately. This machine is in very good condition, recently serviced and comes with attachments. Only thing wrong is the handle on the case was missing when I bought it, so I looped a belt to compensate. colorquilterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14361565180887299129noreply@blogger.com