fktsewing

Well, not everyone pays that much. I found mine at a garage sale for $15.00. I did not get mine to go along with the fad--I got mine because my Granny had one and when she passed, my cousin got it. I learned to sew thanks to Granny and that machine was more my size when I started sewing. I named her Anna after Granny and she is the best one to piece on.

Sewnoma

Do you remember what it looked like? Any idea what the brand might have been?

I couldn't remember exactly what my grandmother's machine was (the one I learned to sew on) but I remembered it was a Pfaff and I had very clear memories of what it looked like, so with some help from Google Image searches, I figured out exactly what model it was! Some day I want to get one.

miriam

Karamarie,
Chances are it was an old black machine in that treadle cabinet. Then you have Singer machines or not. Do you remember if it had any pretty decals? I remember my Grandma had a treadle and it had a Singer in it but I don't remember any decals. I think I tried to use it once and Grandma pitched a fit because I couldn't get the hang of the treadling. She went out and bought a green electric Kenmore for me to sew on - she should have sent me down to my great aunt's house. She had a green Elna... now THAT I do remember. I wouldn't know what to get if I was going to try to match up with Grandma's machine. I can tell you that about any old black machine would be fun for you to play with if it is in working order and all there.

Rodney

I've only treadled a few test stitches so far. It IS fun and surprisingly easy to run the machine. Easy enough that I can see why it took so long for electric machines to dominate the market. I'm still learning starting and stopping.

Sorry for the hijack. Back to featherweights. You can buy a bunch of treadle machines for the cost of 1 featherweight. They're harder to carry around though.
Rodney

quiltinglady-1

I can't 'splain why it is, Joe, but I have to agree with you. It's the same with the 301's. If I had not bought my featherweight with money I inherited from my mother, I still would not have one and I certainly can't afford a 301 since we are now living on social security checks.

Patsy48

i have 6 featherweights. 3 i'm keeping and 3 i'm selling. i just love how they sew. i use mine for piecing. the least i paid for one is $120 and the most $200.00. i got them all at weekly local flea market. i don't know what it is about those little gems, i just can't pass them up

mom-6

My featherweight was the first vintage machine I purchased. And yes I may have paid "too much" for her, but she's still my favorite and the one I use all the time. So to me it has been well worth it. Sure beats buying a new plastic wonder every two or three years!

At some point I do want to get something larger to use for free motion (if I ever get good enough on practice pieces to warrant it). Of course I probably already have a couple that I could use, I just haven't finished getting them refurbed and in a position for use as something other than the cabinet serving as another flat surface. Lol!

misseva

Another thing about FWs - I think part of their cuteness is that they are small plus they look old - like the old treadles. The 301s look modern to me. Just my opinion.

miriam

I had an ad up and down on CL - no action. I don't think it was the price - maybe it was the time of year.
SSSSOOOOOO out of the blue, I got a call from a lady. She swore I was advertising a featherweight. Well I told her I had it listed as a Singer 201 and a featherweight was a 221. She hung up then called back and said you are right your ad says it is a 201. But you should take that ad down since it is not a Featherweight.
HUH?
Oh and don't worry there isn't any ad anymore but I didn't take it down because of her....

oldtnquiltinglady

LOL, Miriam. Remind me to stay out of your way when you advertise on CL. And speaking of that, did you sell the 201? Is it a potted motor 201? And when will you be coming down I-65 toward Alabama again? Not to hijack the FW subject here, I have four (if I remember correctly); one was given to me, my son found one from the year of my birth at a yard sale for $25, one was bought for something like $150, and the last one DH bought for me down in Alabama in an antique mall for $275 (wayyyyyy too much for me to pay) because we had been looking for one for such a long time and when he saw that one he wasn't going to pass it up. I love the stitches and ease of use, my granddaughter loves them so she'll be getting one as a gift sometime soon.