I have mixed feelings about my cute little featherweight. She is a beauty....but I relate to the technology of my Epic. I do not like the plain straight stitch. I have a tiny little brother to take to classes or in the RV. So, I clean her and admire her periodically...then put her in her box. Sometimes I think I should sell her to someone who will use her.

I also purchased a Featherweight also that never gets used. I don't mind old machines and absolutely love my trusty old Bernina 1030. It sews like a ballerina. I also have a modern machine(Janome Horizon) with all the bells and whistles that I don't exactly love but enjoy some of the features such as the automatic thread cutter.

I love using my FW! I will get it out to use unless I'm needing to do some fancy stitches. I use my Davis Vertical Feed treadle for sewing on bindings. The FW is so nice to take with me to guild, classes, etc.

The machine I don't like is my computer!!

Not too sure which bells and whistles you are missing. It is basically a piecing machine, attaching 2 pieces of fabric to each other, what bells would you need? A well balanced oiled machine that sews straight.

I'm happy with my 401 since the day I bought it. DH really likes using it. We had some major storms go through this week and the first thing DH did was to unplug the machines. He grew up with a 401 and a New Home treadle. He says it's like getting back on a bike. You don't forget how to ride. I have a 2662 and I like it also. It has a few bells and whistles but I don't need much.

I love my Featherweight for piecing, it makes such a beautiful straight stitch and it's easy to get an accurate quarter to much seam. However, I got a Singer 301 because everyone in the vintage world raved about it, but we never bonded, and I was happy to sell it. I love my fancy modern machine for all the bells and whistles, but sometimes mess a vintage machine is better for certain sewing jobs, especially the ruffler foot!

In that vein of thinking......why a car? The horse got us there, or why switch on a light just carry a candle...

we live in a world of bells/whistles...altho some have decided to eliminate as many as they have chosen to.
Or collected, and I am guilty of this, things that don't mean anything to others.........to each his own

I thank the original poster for this thread. I thought I was the only one who had to have that cute thing, until I got it and realized how much I really didn't need/want it's simplicity....
i finally sold it this last weekend at an indoor garage sale...did get my purchase price back...hopefully the new owner will use it...now back to my hobby with my choice if bells and whistles, just saying......

I bought a Featherweight with the same birth year as me for my birthday a couple of years ago. I got it serviced and kept it in its box in a closet. It doesn't have a knee lift like my Bernina.

Someone in my guild asked if anyone knew of one for sale. I sold it to her for the amount that I had in it. I immediately had seller's remorse.

Soon afterwards I bought another Featherweight that was born 22 days after me. This time I researched how to maintain, oil, and lubricate the thing myself. I spent a day doing that, sewed a block on it, and put it back in the closet.

This week I had a brilliant idea. I was piecing and needed some seams with light thread and some with dark thread. Instead of changing thread constantly, I set up my Featherweight with black thread and the Bernina with beige thread in an "L" shape. Now all I have to do is swivel my chair to change thread, and I get to look at the Featherweight cuteness all of the time. :)

I bought an Elna Supermatic mostly because I somehow ended up with a bunch of cams for decorative stitches. I tracked down a machine to go with it and thought, "Hoo wee, now I can sew all kinds of stitches!" Well, I have yet to figure out how to use the cams. I've completely lost interest, and it all sits in the closet. I hope someday to come across someone who knows this machine and would LOVE to have it, and that would make me feel better about moving it along...