Is this normal?
03-26-2025, 04:44 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Posts: 1,228
Is this normal?
I have a Singer Featherweight 221. It works perfect for piecing fabric together and making garments. But I've noticed that it tends to get stuck when I have more layers with the fabric, like if I'm sewing a binding on for a quilt. Usually the needle stops, and I have to use the hand wheel to eventually get through the fabric, until it finds that it's easy to sew again. Is this normal for the Featherweight? I'd like to purchase a walking foot, but I'm wonder if it would be worth it if my machine doesn't like thicker fabric?
03-26-2025, 05:52 PM
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 27,271
Remember it's only a belt-driven machine, so not quite as strong penetrating the fabrics as a gear driven motor. It's probably only happy doing your piecing, and not your thicker work.
The best penetrators would be any machine with an internal (often called "potted") motor. They have no belt and are completely gear driven. Very strong. I have a couple I could recommend: The Singer 301, 401, 500, and the Juki TL2010Q. You can hem jeans on these.
The best penetrators would be any machine with an internal (often called "potted") motor. They have no belt and are completely gear driven. Very strong. I have a couple I could recommend: The Singer 301, 401, 500, and the Juki TL2010Q. You can hem jeans on these.
03-27-2025, 02:17 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 474
Don't forget the vintage Singer 201 and 99 15. The 301 is a great machine as it's easier to carry due to it's being lightweight. If you really plan on sewing heavier fabric and want a newer machine with many designs, go to your sewing machine dealer and tell them you need a machine to sew heavy fabrics. I got an Elnita ef72 I am happy with because it has more designs than I'll ever need and has performed well on heavy fabrics.
03-27-2025, 05:52 AM
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 862
I can't tell you if that is normal for a Featherweight. Is the belt slipping on the motor? Check belt tension. Is the inside of the belt glossy, meaning it would be slick? Try a new belt. Are you using the proper needle for multiple layers? There are different points on needles at the sharp end, chisel, ball, "universal", etc. You want something that will be able to cut through multiple layers.
03-27-2025, 06:38 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,810
I have a FW. Mine will balk at thickness, doesn't matter what sharp needle I'm using. Every once in a while the belt will slip at first stitches. I use it for piecing at retreats. It does that perfectly.
03-27-2025, 08:54 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,650
There was someone on another board that used the FW to make a carrying case for it. Used a blanket, canvas and fabric scraps for lining. It also had webbing for the handles.
The Featherweight did do a pretty good job getting through the thick material. There was a part where I was going through three layers of webbing as well as 4 layers of canvas to do a box stitch for the shoulder strap D rings. Here I had to turn the wheel by hand and it did skip the occasional stitch. For the sake of comparison I did the second D ring box stitch with my 201 and it sailed through it flawlessly.
03-29-2025, 04:48 PM
#10
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Join Date: Nov 2021
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio
Posts: 66
Checking the belt
I want to echo what JoeJr said about the belt. I had an original belt on my mother's machine and I noticed it bogged down. I bought a generic aftermarket belt. The poor machine wouldn't even turn! The belt was too hard and stiff. I found the Featherweight Shop online was advertising "super belts" I got one of those and was amazed the difference. Their belts are soft and grip well. I have used nothing else since.
I've used my featherweight to sew binding on a quilt. About 4 layers? I will admit that my 301 works better for this though.
I've used my featherweight to sew binding on a quilt. About 4 layers? I will admit that my 301 works better for this though.
