Can someone please explain the fascination with these small vintage Singer sewing machines? They seem to go for astronomical sums for what they are and have a cult following.
Singer "Featherweight" Sewing Machines
- Thread starter launderess
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Launderess,
They are popular with quilter's because of the compact size and lightweight, with virtually the same performance of a regular size Singer sewing machine. This makes these machines easy to take away from home for quilting get togethers. They are built with excellent quality.
Eddie
They are popular with quilter's because of the compact size and lightweight, with virtually the same performance of a regular size Singer sewing machine. This makes these machines easy to take away from home for quilting get togethers. They are built with excellent quality.
Eddie
I would bet that their smaller size and lighter weight also makes them inherently easier to collect, easier to buy/sell/ship, easier to forget about, and more likely to have survived.
I have my mother's "Feather weight" there is nothing feather weight about it. It's a basic straight stitch machine, quite simple, but very well constructed. She had all kinds of add-ons buttonholer, ruffler and so on.
A little lubrication and it will run forever.
A little lubrication and it will run forever.
Same quality stitching of the big boys with smaller compactness and portability. They still weigh a ton by todays standards.
My mother is collector and I drove out to Tracy to get her a white one around 2015 (she had a couple of black ones already) as a surprise. The sellers wife died and he was liquidating her collection. I could have got 6 more for $30 a piece, all with their original cases, working, and perfect condition but one has to draw the line somewhere. Back then, I didn't think they would have exploded in price. Still worth every penny, even at todays prices.
There's a 222K model that does free motion. Those are difficult to find and cost a pretty penny.
singer-featherweight.com
[this post was last edited: 6/6/2023-23:07]
My mother is collector and I drove out to Tracy to get her a white one around 2015 (she had a couple of black ones already) as a surprise. The sellers wife died and he was liquidating her collection. I could have got 6 more for $30 a piece, all with their original cases, working, and perfect condition but one has to draw the line somewhere. Back then, I didn't think they would have exploded in price. Still worth every penny, even at todays prices.
There's a 222K model that does free motion. Those are difficult to find and cost a pretty penny.
The Free-Arm Featherweight 222K and How It Differs From the Featherweight 221
The Singer Featherweight 222K Sewing Machine has quite a few differences from the Model 221. This page will outline and show you many photos for reference.
singer-featherweight.com
[this post was last edited: 6/6/2023-23:07]
Several years ago the house across the street had a dumpster and right on top was a featherweight case with the machine and instructions. It’s a later white one. I immediately picked it up and laughed. Works like a charm too.
These Singer machines are ALWAYS popular at the GReenville Sew&vac.Yes-for quilters.Perfect for those quilting "feild jobs"!Despite being simple to work on these go for premium prices here.
I was told this is a feather weight
It was my great grandmothers model 15
She traded a cow for it LOL
Works perfect. Tons of attachments
It was my great grandmothers model 15
She traded a cow for it LOL
Works perfect. Tons of attachments
Stan,
I have something very similar to that treadle machine. I helped a friend back in the 1970's clean out his grandparent's house. He gifted me that machine. In turn I gave it to my mom, and she used it for decades. When she passed, I acquired it again, and it's been sitting in my bedroom ever since.
AFAIK, the "feather weight" Singer only has one stitch, adjustable for stitch length.
I have something very similar to that treadle machine. I helped a friend back in the 1970's clean out his grandparent's house. He gifted me that machine. In turn I gave it to my mom, and she used it for decades. When she passed, I acquired it again, and it's been sitting in my bedroom ever since.
AFAIK, the "feather weight" Singer only has one stitch, adjustable for stitch length.
Singer, featherweight, portable sewing machines
I got one from a great aunt. She bought it in the late 50s when she went into a retirement home and didn’t want to take the big machine, unfortunately, her eyesight got so bad she never used it.
My mother ended up using it for quite a few years, and now I have it
They are considerably lighter than the old machines the one you have Stan it’s not a featherweight it’s made of cast-iron. The featherweights were made of aluminum.
It’s a good little machine. I haven’t used it in a long time, however
I haven’t looked lately, but they usually went for about $400 , you should’ve bought all those Dan you could’ve made some money on them at 30 bucks apiece.
John
I got one from a great aunt. She bought it in the late 50s when she went into a retirement home and didn’t want to take the big machine, unfortunately, her eyesight got so bad she never used it.
My mother ended up using it for quite a few years, and now I have it
They are considerably lighter than the old machines the one you have Stan it’s not a featherweight it’s made of cast-iron. The featherweights were made of aluminum.
It’s a good little machine. I haven’t used it in a long time, however
I haven’t looked lately, but they usually went for about $400 , you should’ve bought all those Dan you could’ve made some money on them at 30 bucks apiece.
John
I've bought a couple of these over the years for my mother, a prolific quilter of 30 years. A few of her friends had them and she wanted to give one a try. The first one she bought from a friend 20 years ago, had it serviced at the Singer shop and it worked OK. It was in minty, like-new condition but gave her all sorts of trouble while using. She ended up selling it after I came across an estate sale of a sewing machine collector and bought another FW for less than $50. The house had roughly 150 sewing machines, parts, manuals, etc. By the last day of the sale, they were giving sewing machines away if you'd take them. The FW had been serviced but I cleaned it up and mom gave it another go. It seemed to work ok but she missed some of the features found on newer electronic machines (needle-down stop, etc.) and eventually went with a 3/4 size Pfaff portable and last year bought a Bernina 300 series for retreats, classes, etc. She's had Berninas since 1976 and is a loyal customer, her last 750 QE had >5 million stitches logged.
A number of her quilting friends still have FW machines, but most don't use them regularly other than for the occasional nostalgic value.
221
The Featherweight is a model 221. It was manufactured from 1933-1968. It is a 3/4 size machine and, unlike similar earlier machines, the body was made from cast aluminum instead of cast iron. It's size and portability is one reason quilters love it.
It only does a straight stitch, but the stitching is beautiful.
I have a 99K. It also had a long production run. Like the 221, it is a portable 3/4 sized model. It only does a straight stitch and, like the Featherweight, the stitch is beautiful. It has a cast iron body. Despite it also being a 3/4 sized machine, it weighs a ton compared to the FW.
I have just been gifted a FW in mint condition and am considering replacing my 99K with it for a daily driver. I also have a 501 Rocketeer that has gorgeous space age styling and does zig zag and more stitches. It was produced between 1961-63.
The 501 and 99K use the same bobbin which tempts me to stick with my 99. I've had the FW serviced, but I haven't used it yet. The 99 and 501 have drop in bobbins and the 221 has a bobbin cassette. I think there is a small learning curve for using the cassette, and I haven't had time to do it yet.
The Featherweight is a model 221. It was manufactured from 1933-1968. It is a 3/4 size machine and, unlike similar earlier machines, the body was made from cast aluminum instead of cast iron. It's size and portability is one reason quilters love it.
It only does a straight stitch, but the stitching is beautiful.
I have a 99K. It also had a long production run. Like the 221, it is a portable 3/4 sized model. It only does a straight stitch and, like the Featherweight, the stitch is beautiful. It has a cast iron body. Despite it also being a 3/4 sized machine, it weighs a ton compared to the FW.
I have just been gifted a FW in mint condition and am considering replacing my 99K with it for a daily driver. I also have a 501 Rocketeer that has gorgeous space age styling and does zig zag and more stitches. It was produced between 1961-63.
The 501 and 99K use the same bobbin which tempts me to stick with my 99. I've had the FW serviced, but I haven't used it yet. The 99 and 501 have drop in bobbins and the 221 has a bobbin cassette. I think there is a small learning curve for using the cassette, and I haven't had time to do it yet.
R: #7
Stan,
Your Singer Treadle sewing machine is just like the one both of my Grandma’s owned. My paternal Grandma owned a dry cleaning business in El Cerrito, Calif and she also did alterations on her Singer Treadle machine in the store.
My maternal Grandma got her Singer Treadle machine in 1919 as a wedding gift. She sewed the clothing for her four daughters on that machine and during the Depression sewed clothing for people in Cullison, Kansas where they lived. When the family left Kansas in May of 1935 during the Dust Bowl, after Black Sunday, one of the worst dust storms, Grandpa told her that there wasn’t enough room in the little trailer he’d built to pull behind their ‘29 Chrysler. Grandma said, ‘Well if the Singer isn’t goin to California then neither am I!” So grandpa found room for the Singer.
When they moved into a mobile home in ‘64 Mom got the Singer. I learned how to use a sewing machine on that Singer Treadle machine. It is the best sewing machine that I ever used and I wish that Mom hadn’t gotten rid of it. When the leather belt broke and couldn’t be repaired anymore I fashioned a makeshift belt for it using old tennis shoelaces tied together and by God that worked. Necessity is the Mother of invention as they say.
Eddie
Stan,
Your Singer Treadle sewing machine is just like the one both of my Grandma’s owned. My paternal Grandma owned a dry cleaning business in El Cerrito, Calif and she also did alterations on her Singer Treadle machine in the store.
My maternal Grandma got her Singer Treadle machine in 1919 as a wedding gift. She sewed the clothing for her four daughters on that machine and during the Depression sewed clothing for people in Cullison, Kansas where they lived. When the family left Kansas in May of 1935 during the Dust Bowl, after Black Sunday, one of the worst dust storms, Grandpa told her that there wasn’t enough room in the little trailer he’d built to pull behind their ‘29 Chrysler. Grandma said, ‘Well if the Singer isn’t goin to California then neither am I!” So grandpa found room for the Singer.
When they moved into a mobile home in ‘64 Mom got the Singer. I learned how to use a sewing machine on that Singer Treadle machine. It is the best sewing machine that I ever used and I wish that Mom hadn’t gotten rid of it. When the leather belt broke and couldn’t be repaired anymore I fashioned a makeshift belt for it using old tennis shoelaces tied together and by God that worked. Necessity is the Mother of invention as they say.
Eddie
bradfordwhite
Well-known member
The idea that anyone would do something so ...old fashion like making a blanket when one can buy wonderful professional robot made linens is a tribute to how willingly we people will regress to things previous generations knew.
Like owning a dog or
having candles or
recalling acts that are no longer acceptable or needed.
Like owning a dog or
having candles or
recalling acts that are no longer acceptable or needed.
Singer Treadle
Eddie, I agree with you on the Singer Treadle. My Grandma had one and I learned how to operate it. The treadle made it very easy to start a stitch because you could rock that treadle and get it started easily. Once you got going you could just sew right along. I have a very old sewing machine with electric motor and I like having electric for most sewing jobs. My sister collects the Singer Lightweights.
Eddie, I agree with you on the Singer Treadle. My Grandma had one and I learned how to operate it. The treadle made it very easy to start a stitch because you could rock that treadle and get it started easily. Once you got going you could just sew right along. I have a very old sewing machine with electric motor and I like having electric for most sewing jobs. My sister collects the Singer Lightweights.
Nothing beats a Singer Treadle machine for sewing thru multiple layers of heavy fabric like denim. I also believe that the stitches are tighter and smoother too. They may not reverse and you have to turn the fabric to back-tack, and there’s no zig zag, but the trade off is straight stitch perfection.
Eddie
Eddie
polkanut
Well-known member
My great-aunt Ella had a Featherweight because she mostly lived in apartments most of her adult life and this was a more compact option for her. When she passed in 1989 my Grandma Baumann took it with big ideas of using it instead of her Singer treadle machine. Well, that never happened. I think she was intimidated by it because it had an electric motor and she probably thought that she wouldn't be able to control it as easily as her big machine. It sat unused by anyone until March of 2020 when I gifted it to a friend of mine who sews handbags. All Judy needed to do was give it a bit of a spa treatment and oil it. It is one of her best performers. This is the 7th one she now has. If memory serves me correctly, she said the serial number dates it to 1948.
I want one, but $$
I've been watching them on and off for a few years but as stated they are priced like they are gold.
I don't have any significant need for a sewing machine, but a Featherweight (the one that John has from our Aunt) was the first sewing machine I ever used so nostalgia in my case.
Being that they will last forever and they are small, I can see merit having one in the closet.
I've been watching them on and off for a few years but as stated they are priced like they are gold.
I don't have any significant need for a sewing machine, but a Featherweight (the one that John has from our Aunt) was the first sewing machine I ever used so nostalgia in my case.
Being that they will last forever and they are small, I can see merit having one in the closet.
bradfordwhite
Well-known member
I just saw this lame commercial. check the 0:13 mark. Don't think I've ever seen a linens commercial that found it necessary to show us the (supposed) sewing machine their product was made on.
Obviously, a mass marketer isn't going to such an outdated machine.
Implying that they are is like using the worn out term "Hand made" or "Home made" LOL. After which, of course, we ask WHO's home said product has been made in and why is that relevant?
Never heard of this company before and am wondering if it was created just to hype these ridiculous sewing machines by default. lol
God the crap people try and sell these days. From crypto currency to NFT scams and now to cotton sheets made with "organic" threads that are "slow spun". LOL.
Obviously, a mass marketer isn't going to such an outdated machine.
Implying that they are is like using the worn out term "Hand made" or "Home made" LOL. After which, of course, we ask WHO's home said product has been made in and why is that relevant?
Never heard of this company before and am wondering if it was created just to hype these ridiculous sewing machines by default. lol
God the crap people try and sell these days. From crypto currency to NFT scams and now to cotton sheets made with "organic" threads that are "slow spun". LOL.
