HELP just found a fw
 

went next door to an antique store, found a fw.
the price was $275, he'll take 240.
it comes with a box and accessories, no info booklet,
i don't know if i have it threaded wrong, but when it sews
it makes birds nests. the repair place wants $150 to look at it. Heart attack time.
soooooo, what am i doing wrong,
it looks good paint and all decals there. a few scratches.
should i buy it????? should i pass??????
what am i doing wrong.
my friend thinks ium crazy to buy it. i told her it's cute,
she thinks im nuts. what do all of you think?????
HELP

It probably is a threading issue. I think they are threaded left to right - not the other way around. You should be able to find a manual online to double check. I would try that, then re-try the machine if possible. Even at $240 and no repair it's more than I would spend for one, but I'm really cheap. Haven't paid more than $50 for any vintage machine yet. I have an electrified 66 Redeye, a FW and a 99 in a very nice table. Good luck.

I think Its worth It More than likly Its just not threaded right.

Yes. I paid $300 for mine several years ago. They are the sweetest!

Feather Weights thread backwards from most other machines.

The needles fits flat to the left and the thread goes from right to left.

Joe

thread is right to left. i personally would not buy it. i missed one at a garage sale in central islip for $100 mint condition w/book and feet. take your time. there is no rush.

Ro, 1... lets get tog
2... where did you see it, never saw one, ex ept at 112 singer in patchogue, she repainted it pink, and wanted alot more for it.
They also had an electrified treadle for$75 in a beautiful cabinet, and another old, old machine for $125.
Im cheap when it comes to buying things for myself, i dont need it, but i want it.

You will pay the most for your first FW- then they seem to come out of the wood work for a lot less. Not sure why it happens that way - kind of like finding out you are pregnant after you have adopted a baby.
Hope you find one soon.
The book isn't that big of a deal since they are on the internet for free. My guess is you have threaded the little machine wrong, and you may have the bobbin thread too. Those little details can drive you crazy.

Thanks all, im going tomorrow with a cellow qbmember...with cash in hand

Not a bad price, & yes, they thread right to left. I have a hard time threading mine without using a sheet of white paper so I can see the eye of the needle. Good luck with it :thumbup:

It may be that the bobbin case is not seated well.... or the wrong bobbin is in the case. I have 3 FW and one of them is a little touchy about the bobbin case. You should hear a 'click' when the case is set correctly.... and the bobbin goes in counterclockwise. Also, was the presser foot 'up' when you threaded it? The tension would be locked in at that point and the thread wouldn't slide between the plates like is supposed to happen.

I'm with the rest.... it is probably a threading glitch. When I bought my 1st one is went home and threaded it from left to right and it wouldn't make a stitch...... I had to look up on internet how to thread it. It's worked perfect ever since....threading correctly sure makes a difference. They are wonderful machines.

I took my featherweights to a local guy on Montauk Highway in Shirley (long island) when I got them just to give them a 'once over' and good cleaning. He charged me only $60 each. Well worth the piece of mind!! Remember to thread it right to left!!

I paid $300. for mine here in Canada & when I did research, the info was if I could a FW here for a minimum of $300 then it was a good deal as they can reach up to $500-600. & so I went ahead & bought it. It is in very good condition, case smells which seems to be a common problem, lots of accessories & I am happy I bought it.

I have .pdf files of the manuals or you can go to Singer.com and download a manual. PM me at [email protected] if you would like me to email the manual. Also, go to my website www.thequiltgal.com for accessories etc for the Featherweights.

I say if you can afford it, go for it. You'll figure the threading issues easily enough if you understand older machines. $240 is probably more than I would pay for it; but they do go for a lot more in some parts of the country. I have a friend who just paid $275 for one here in TN, and it had an issue with the light. She was able to talk the seller down from the asking price of $300, and all she had to do was bring it by for me to look at, and we changed the light bulb. She went home "one happy camper" with her FW purchase.

Lynnie,
The bobbin goes in with the thread coming over the top toward you.
I bought a FW a couple of years ago that also wouldn't sew; got it for $175. The needle was in wrong so of course it wouldn't sew, I didn't tell them. The machine is in beautiful condition, they were going to throw it out.
Sharon

Bitzy one put your little pinky behind the needle. You can see real good the eye.

Hi Lynnie,
Think I would hold off.. It seems a bit high. I past one up for $100. I didn't realize what they go for at the time
I went to the quilt store in on route 112. She was trying to sell me a FW for $345. I ended up buying scraps for $4/lb for trading squares in a swap.

$240 for a FW is a good price around here. My daughter paid twice that for mine - because she wanted it now and from my birth year. She bought one for herself for waaaaaaaay more than that. Even tho I have one I'd buy one for $240 if I found it close by.

Joe is right...most people would put the needle in backwards and thread it wrong.

You can also check that the finger of the hook assembly is at 12:00. It needs to be nestled between the 2 tabs on the needle plate.

Think the price is a little high, I have my great grandmother's and am attempting to sell my cousin's great grandmom's and grandmom's as she is not interested. I will be peddling them to the next quilt show this weekend and am only asking 400.00 for the pair in working order

Where are you pennysgal? With cash in hand, I would offer $225. Even $275 is not a bad price.

Where I live, any FW under $300 is a great price! I have 2 and paid $275 and $220. With the bobbin thread, it comes over the top to the left - if you hold the bobbin in front of you, it makes the letter P with the thread hanging down to make the lower part of the P. Does that make sense? So, everything goes to the left, toward the extension bed - the flat side of the needle, thread from right to left, bobbin thread over top of bobbin to the left.

You are all sooooooo smart. I don't know how I haven't figured this out, after all these years of sewing with a Singer. I broke three needles yesterday on my most favorite of all machines, a Singer of some kind that I have been using for all of my straight stitch sewing. I finally quit and went over to my Elna to finish out a job I was working on; and went to sleep last night trying to work out in my mind what I had done wrong with the Singer. So I guess I'll take all these thoughts out to my sewing room sometime today and try to get it back sewing. In answer to some of your questions, I think it is a 201, not sure though. Potted motor, almost whispers when running, big and HEAVY, stays in its cabinet and hasn't been moved in 5 years.

I think it probably is a threading issue and most of the repairs on FW are pretty easy to make, but I would use the fact that it won't sew properly right now to get a bigger reduction if you can. I bought mine that way and got them to come down an additional $50, I think because mine wouldn't sew either. After all, you can use the cost of a check up that you were given as additional ammo in the bargaining. I think the price is just about in the middle, you could take a look on Ebay and check some competed sale prices. Also, how many feet come with it, any extras like a buttonholer or monogrammer? Most of them came with about 6 or 7 additional feet, if that one only has one, you might also use that as a bargaining point.

I think this is a terrific book [h=1]Featherweight 221 - The Perfect Portable: And Its Stitches Across History, Expanded Third Edition [Paperback][/h]Nancy Johnson-Srebro (Author)

and will most likely tell you all you need to know and there are several websites
http://www.singer-featherweight.com/index.html,
http://www.april1930s.com/index.html
http://www.ismacs.net/condition.html

Please let us know what happens and how you do.

Ooo.k. so when i get a bee in my bonnet about wanting soething, i just gotta make it happen. This isnt to often, so this one hit hard.
i got aunt betty lou cor $240.00.
She is named after my neighbor who got me sewing at age three.
I always wanted to go back and thank her, but my mom says she probably passed about 20-30yrs. Ago.
when ican figure out how to post, i will.

Congratulations!!!

Lynnie,

If you can get them to drop it down more (whine about the possible "repairs"), I think you should do it! I bought mine at a garage sale for $150, it sewed like a dream and sold it for $325 a couple of years ago. If you need any help with it, Gailees site for FW has been around a LONG time and she has tons of good info on them there.
http://singerfeatherweight221.blogspot.com/ Good Luck!:thumbup:

Hi Lynnie, I just used my FW today, the needle threads right to left, make sure the bobbin is in right, make him a offer, maybe $200. if its meant to be, it will happen. Good luck

I have just purchased my first few 221 it cost me£140 . It is immaculate and an early white. It has only come with 2 feet. The one on the machine and a quilting foot. How many feet are there for the FW ? I'm so pleased at it is very cheap for England.

Check this website
http://www.april1930s.com/html/common_basics.html
And look around for more attachments on it. She's got a penguin walking foot for sale and also a fagotteer, both pretty rare and expensive. But I think almost all of the machines came with the basics.

congratulations!!! it's like having a new baby - so very exciting! i think the price seems to vary depending on where you live. around here, anything under $300 is a great buy. the immaculate ones go for $500 or more on craigslist. Enjoy your new girl!

I think it's a good deal. Just take a deep breath, find a manual online and follow all the directions. That's how I learned and am pretty good at cleaning up a machine and getting it running - I've bought 8 - some unseen, and they are all worth the price. I paid anywhere from FREE to $275 for the white one that had never been out of the case.