DonnaMiller

That's incredible. I sure got a bargain on mine then. Love that machine.

Blackberry

I have a centennial Singer 201 that is in very nice condition and in a nice case. It also comes with lots of accessories. I think I have the whole set. I paid $10 for mine. Maybe I should try and sell it and collect a few pennies.

J Miller

Go here: { http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...ist/index.html }, find the 201 listings and read up on the differences.


Joe

nlpakk

Carol, No I don't have the original manual for my 201 but I did download one from the internet. I bought the machine at a yard sale and eventually got the cover (Bentwood?) although they didn't want to sell that at first. I don't know why they would have wanted to keep it since I had the machine. Also no attachments with it but I have ordered a FMQ foot, 1/4" foot and new bobbin cover plate that had the markings on it. The owners said they had bought an old house and this machine was in the house so have no idea how long it had been sitting. We oiled it good and have been using it a lot ever since. Only problem I have is "these old eyes" have a hard time threading the needle!

nlpakk

Thanks Joe. I did go and read the difference but I'm still a little confused. It said that the 201 had an "internal motor", mine is attached on the backside of the machine. Is that the same thing? I think it said the 201-2 had a potted motor attached on the back which makes me wonder if mine is a 201-2.

manicmike

The internal motor is directly attached to the hand wheel and there's no belt, so if you can't see a belt, it's a 201-2. If you can, it's a 201-3. 201-1 is a treadle, 201-4 is hand crank.

Nearly all motorised 201s sold in the U.S. are 201-2s. I've never seen one because all the 201s here (Australia) are from Scotland, where potted motors were never fitted.

Wintersewer

I agree with you, Joe. There is one born every minute and they all shop on ebay.

oreo1912

I was gifted a 201 in a rough cabinet but I wouldn't trade it for anything it is great for fmq except for the small bobbin size and is so quiet and smooth.

manicmike

That's a little surprising. I thought free motion work was the 201s one failing: They're said to have tension problems due to the thread path of the horizontal bobbin.
I thought the vertical bobbin machines (particularly 15-88 to 15-91) were the preferred machine for FMQ.

Am I incorrect? Have to admit I didn't bother trying this with my 201s because of what I'd read, but very happy to be corrected as it would mean the 201 is great at everything except sleeves (where I need a free arm machine).