Whats so great about a Singer 301
#1
Whats so great about a Singer 301
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?
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,073
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.
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
Posts: 4,890
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
Rodney
#5
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
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
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.
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 169
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.
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.
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