For all those in the know about FWs!!

I was in a 2nd hand store yesterday and saw an old sewing machine.

Yes to Singer, black, silver scrolly plates, gold design etc.

However, the FWs that have been shown here seem to have black square box cases.

This one has a wooden case. The top being like an upside down "U".

So is it another version?
or what is it?

Please? and Thanks!

Coffin case---could be anything in there......
FWs are LIGHT weight!

Does the bed to the left of the needle fold up? If not, it's not a FW. I have a 127 in a bentwood case.

I didn't know enough of what to look at ... honestly, I was taken by the case!

Bentwood, yes that'd be the term!

Are the model #s/names on the machines?
And where should I look?

Was it only the FWs that had the fold up bed? So is that a clear identifier?

Curious? how lightweight are the FWs ... as in pounds?

I didn't spend much time looking at it, as I really didn't know what to look for and was with a friend who was clearly not interested ... basically I got a "hrmpff" reaction!! :)

Please? and Thanks!
from this newbie to the FW world.

It's not the only singer that folds. If you do a search there are many pictures of FW's. I don't have one handy right now to post for you.

They weigh about 12 lbs.

FW's are really cute and small. They have the fold up side but so does the 301- different though and bigger machine.
Yes, 12 pounds is correct.
Most of the old Singers are fabulous!! Let us know what you get, if you get it :D

Thanks SueIsAllAboutQuilts ... I'm totally hesitant on getting one. Not the MrsFixIt sort ... would soon be productive with fabric and see results than to be frustrated should things go wrong.

I think I'll be watching for awhile and learning a lot more, before/if I take the plunge.

That's the beauty of Featherweights! They were made "so that the housewife could easily maintain them" as it's written in the FW book I have.
Not much to go wrong with them and there are so many sites, not to mention this board for help anytime. :D:D

You're welcome, friend!! :thumbup:

EDit to say:

Since you are in no rush I agree that you can familiarize yourself with them on the board and other sites. That's exactly what I did ( I forgot I did that lol) but now I'm totally addicted to them. :thumbup:

If it's cheap and a vintage singer buy it...

May be a Singer 201. My daughter just purchased one for $50 at an estate sale. Supposed to be as good as a 221 (typical Featherweight). Certainly light enough.

I believe the machine, built at the same time as the traditional Featherweight (judging from the serial number on my daughter's machine) was designed to go in a cabinet, but has the bentwood case in order to make it portable.

Congrats on a good find!

You're getting me intrigued ... I'm going to start inquiring as to the fix-it side of it all. That is, see if anyone in my area works on them as I'd want it to have a good go-over before I started.

Particularly the electrical part!!!

99s, 127s and 128s are 3/4 size machines, but are not lightweight. My 128 weighs 29 pounds. She does have a bentwood case. 301s have the flip up extension and weigh 16 pounds, but they look nothing like a little FW, nor would the case be bentwood. There isn't much to the maintenance if the electrical is good.

IrishRose ... So, are you saying all FWs would be in the black squarish case? where would I look for the model #?

http://www.singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html for the date of manufacture and model using the serial number.
I don't have a FW, but I know they have the model number, which will be 221 or 222( more rare), on a little plate on the pillar. The serial number for more info will be around somewhere - probably underneath like the 301. That's the one used for dating. My 128 has a plate embedded in the bed with the serial number visible from the front of the machine, but no model number anywhere.

I think all FWs except the white one came in a black case. The white FW's case is aqua.

Not all featherweights had the model number on them. Previous to about 1956 it was not included. My 1958 model has it while my 1950 featherweight does not. All black featherweights came in the black squarish suitcase type box with flip up hinges that lock. The white featherweights came in gray or turqoise heavy vinyl cases or two tone tan/green rectangular cases. Only featherweights and 301'a have flip up machine beds (to access the bobbin and store it in the case). The size of the machine, the case and the flip up bed are all sure fire ways to identify a featherweight. You may see them advertised as feather lites (no such thing) or old Singers in a suitcase.

If you're still in the beginning stages of FW mania, I recommend you get a copy of Nancy Johnson-Sebro's book Featherweight 221 The perfect portable. It has a lot of info including a chart of manufacturing dates and info about the different colors and manufacturing sites and "eras". There is basically a copy of the original book with how to use the accessories that are common such as the ruffler, edger, tucker, gatherer,binders, hemmers (wide and narrow) and also common issues like how to thread, how the bobbin loads, etc. I couldn't decide if my FW was a good deal, we bought this book the night we saw it, read it from cover to cover, went back and bought her. Never been sorry.

I would recommend Nancy's book as well. I have a white/green FW in the soft side case. I have never seen another one in that type of case. By the way, I bought it for $10 at a garage sale and $20 for the black one at the same sale. I gave them $40 for both.

If you go back and get the serial number off that machine (or call and have the shopkeeper get it for you), you can look it up on the singer site and find out just exactly which model it is... and the year it was made. It's possibly an even better machine than the 221 (Featherweight). The bentwood cases are lovely. Here is where you can look up the serial number:
http://www.singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html

If the case was domed shaped and it was a little smaller than a full size machine, it would probably have been a Singer 99 which is referred to as a 3/4 machine. It is much heavier than the Featherweight. Also the 128s came in those domed cases and some Model 27's. The domed wooden case was popular for many older Singer models. As far as I know, all black Featherweights were in the black boxed cases.

I saw one like yours in the picture at a local flea mkt, it has the case, and a table for $175. I thought it was too high of a price?

Either of the flip up beds are excellent buys, the 221 and the 301's. They both have interchangable bobbin parts as well. I've bought a few 301's trying to find a bobbin race to replace on one of my 221's but they are such excellent machines that I can never cannibalize them to fix the 221 :).

A friend of mine worked for Singer a long time ago and told me that the Featherweights were made for stewardesses so they could take them on flights-I have not looked up much background on the featherweights so all this info is interesting to me. I, too, would love to have one, but have settled for a 301a-absolutely love it (and my friend who worked for Singer said the 301 was a much better machine and that I had made a better buy with the 301).

I love my 301's, they are a great and strong machine. But there's nothing quite like sewing on those little 221 Featherweights. There's just something "special" about them. They're a very good strong machine as well. :)

if it is in the original case--google some info, copy a picture of a 221 Featherweight and carry it with you. they are very distinctive--once you have seen them. beware of any whitish
looking areas on the metal--aluminum rot. best not to purchase if you do not want to get into MAJOR redo. the tan
221's came in a two-tone tan case. white (celery) in a turq case. Educate yourself so you won't be fooled. good luck !

I think it more likely that the popularity of Featherweights came about when pro quilting teachers started carrying them on flights to classes. then the fever quickly spread to all of us.

My avitar is a Featherweight. To become familiar with what they look like, go to Ebay and search "Singer Featherweight 221". You will see lots of pics. My FW weighs about 11-12 pounds. I have a Singer 201 hand crank in a beautiful bentwood case, but it weighs about 30 pounds. Not exactly portable like the FW. Good luck! A FW is great fun to sew with - a great little machine!

Are you still standing there

The FW always came in the hard square case, unless it had no case when purchased used. My White/green FW did not have a case when I bought it and I bought a soft-sided case from a company I think was called S. Lyle and Company.

Thanks for all the info ... I'm going to sit back and get my education, before/if I decide to jump into FW-mania! :)

The more I learn now the better ... then if one that is in tip-top shape jumps out at me, then I'll know somewhat about what I am seeing and will feel better in making a decision.

Eyes and ears are open ... and ready to continue to learn!

Thanks everyone!

from what I have seen only the featherweight - a 221 or 222 and the 301 or 301A have a tilt up table.

from what I have seen only the featherweight - a 221 or 222 and the 301 or 301A have a tilt up table in the singers.

Is it a rounded brown case. Singer also made these. I have a machine and that kind of case.

If you can find a post on any of the threads on the board from ChubbyBunny, in her avatar she has a pic. of a hot pink Featherweight. Her pic. should give you an idea of what you need to look for. The original fW's were mostly black, some white ones some tan ones and some green sort of olive green like. But most were black. They have a flip up piece to the left of the needle. Go to either of these sites and you can see some Featherweight RX.com or Desk Dave's.com at Desk Dave's he or someone else has refinished and repainted most of the featherweights he shows. very expensive, if I had extra funds I would jump on one of the purple or lilac ones or both, because I love the colors. These ARE NOT the original colors of the machines, but they are still FWS. The featherweights look like a child's toy really,and are so light weight. Good look, let us know what you get. If you can get a pic. of the machine you were looking at and post it on the board, we could tell you in a minute if it was a featherweight or not. You could also go to ebay and type in singer sewing machines or featherweights and see them. Someone always has one for sale on ther. If it doesn't say 221 for the pic. it isn't a real or the original featherweight. There is a 222k that has a lift up end for using the arm like modern machines do, but the 221 is the original featherweight. Hope we have helped you and not confused you.

QUILTE
I just went to the ebay site, and entered singerfeatherweight on the search, on their first page there are many. There is a featherweight primo that they have and down further on the page there is a white one and on down a black one with the extension liftedup. There is also two others listed a featherweight tanish brown 301 big sister and a very late model singer featherweight 118 shown - neither of these are the TRUE featherweights. Check this out and you can see the difference. Hope this helps you out.

Check out the little black machine that my pug is looking over, it is the shell of a stripped 221/Featherweight.:)

I inherited from my Mother a Singer Featherweight Model 222 complete with the wooden table it fits into. Also, have the black carrying case, the manual, several Singer attachments for doing various things like embroidery, darning, button holer, etc. 6 bobbins and a bobbin holder, 8 packages of needles to do various things on the sewing machine, the foot petal and other various singer items that I am not certain what they are for. The machine looks brand new cause my Mom took really good care of it. All of it looks brand new. I have had it appraised and was told it was a very rare sewing machine. I have no sentimental attachment to it and hope to find someone that would want it.

Check the bobbin. If a shuttle bobbin I would probably not get it regardless of the cost.

Here's a photo of my gorgeous FW. You can't mistake them - they're small! If you look just to the left of the presser foot, you can see where it folds up.

I enjoy learning about the history of vintage machines and am interested in what motivated Singer to introduce a half size light weight model when it did. I just have a hard time thinking that there were enough stewardesses in 1933 to be considered a viable market niche by Singer. I know that during the 30's the U.S. was becoming a more mobile society, which would mean there could have been more demand for portables. I wonder how the price of a FW in the 30's compared to other Singer portable models or cabinet models for that matter. I guess I could check the Singer records to see how many were manufactured over the years to see what happened after the war. It seems like most of the ones I see now are from the late 1940's or early 1950's. It is a fascinating subject!

Dayle

I agree with hobbykat. The vintage machines are simple to fix, and I am a klutz and dislexic (spelling ugh), and I have changed a belt, oiled it, cleaned out grease, and put on new feet. They are simple, excellently engineered for the homemaker.