Redsquirrel

If anyone here uses a singer 301, can you tell me why you like it so much. I know they are slant shank, but do they have zig zag? or fashion disks? Do they have droppable feed dogs?

Daylesewblessed

I love the 301 and use it a lot. It is lightweight, and the slant needle gives great visibility. Stitch quality is good, and they are "low maintenance" machines. Yes, the feed dogs drop, but there is no zigzag capability and there are no fashion disks.

mlmack

The 301 is a straight stitch, no fashion disk machine, though you can use a zig zag attachment with it. Feed dogs are droppable.

Rodney

They're a 3/4 size machine so sized in between a full size machine and a featherweight. They're popular with quilters as a portable machine because they look good, have an aluminum body so they're lightweight-around 16 lbs, and have a vertical bobbin so (at least in theory) are better than drop in bobbin machines for free motion quilting. Singer featherweights are the other popular vintage machine for quilters, they weigh about 11 lbs, use the same bobbin arrangement and have a much smaller harp than the 301. They also usually cost substantially more. Given a choice between a featherweight and a 301 for the same amount of money, I'd take the 301.
Rodney

Cathieinut

Good comments ^ it's sort of like a big sister to the Featherweight (Singer 221) with a bit more modern styling and more powerful than the Featherweight although I haven't noticed much difference when I am sewing. As said popular with many quilters and therefore prices have been rising. I bought mine at a thrift/charity shop about 10 years ago and paid $60 but no manual or accessories now I see they are going for $200 plus which is more than I paid for my Featherweight around the same time

sewnsewsue

They stitch beautifully and are not fussy about thread. You cannot throw off timing as they have gears. They need only oil and grease,no service bills.

Redsquirrel

so would $75 be too much for a shortbed black one in a cabinet?

Marianne81

I think that is a great price ,especially if it looks good.

miriam

The bobbin area is something to examine when you buy. Look for the little arm to be in the groove. Look for thread tangles around the bobbin shaft. Be sure it has a bobbin case. The needle goes in flat side out and it threads right to left. $75 for a black short bed is good unserviced - if in doubt do a national CL search for Singer 301.

lswan

Why do I have 4 301s?
best straight stitch
perfect FMQ: visibility due to slant needle, unscrew feed dogs to drop, use metal FMQ foot
gear, not belt driven
does not need cabinet
easily portable to classes, retreats
strong, no skipping through heavy layers
aluminum body, all metal, no plastic
easy to maintain, oil, adjust

for zig zag, I use a 401. I have paid over $200 for a couple of them in absolute mint shape and I am not sorry. I leave one with a small quilt on it to sew, one with a bed size on it, and one for piecing, one for classes. Still less than the horrible Pfaff creative expression I bought new 3 years ago and had to get rid of due to inability to keep tension right in FMQ.