kapatt

I haven't bought one of the metal, original free motion feet for my series 400. I believe that I have a free motion foot for my singer 301 that should work for the 400 series but I think that the hoop is plastic. (The 301 is also a slant foot and I've heard that it can use the same feet as the machines in the 400 series.)

I do have one guy on ebay that I check with first. He is a retired firefighter that worked on sewing machines in his spare time. The service from him has been good and fast. I haven't had any complaints. Sometimes he will send his own instructions with the attachment that I buy from him to make sure that I will know how to use it. If I was looking for the attachment, I would probably check out his items first.

His name on ebay is:
iblawson

I've also heard good things about
stitchesintime (who is also on ebay) I've never bought from her.

There is a very good yahoo group that I would recommend for anyone with vintage singer machines.... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/
They are the experts!!! I'm just a hobbyist.

I read their message board every day. I love singer sewing machines. I have several vintage machines (I've stopped collecting machines and I'm looking for cabinets now. The funny thing is...the last cabinet that I bought had a singer sewing machine in it.... :oops:
It was a Singer 404 which is another straight stitch machine (but it has the slant foot like the 401,403 and 301.) I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. I thought I could clean it up and give it away but I've already inundated my family members with machines and they say they don't want anymore. (What could be wrong with them?) laughing...maybe it is because I'm the only one in the family that likes to sew except for my daughter and she already has 3 older machines that I've given her.

kapatt

You're welcome. I love these old machines. I love working on them. I've learned a lot from talking to other people who like old machines.

The yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/
has a lot of good tips for working on your singer vintage machines. They have great resources in their files and photo folders. They have a lot of tips about cleaning out old oil and grease. Things you can use to get rid of it and things that you should not use.

They do ask that people first do a search before asking questions simply because they will end up getting the same question asked over and over again when all the people have to do is use the search function at their website.

Enjoy!

kapatt

[I have the 301 also, it's such a little work horse. I don't use it very often, but I would be hard pressed to get rid of it.]

There is a website that has more information on the 301. You may already know about the website but just in case, here is the link-

http://pages.suddenlink.net/joyof301s/index.htm

(I know there is another good link, but I can't think of what the name is.)

kapatt

[Do you know where I might find a darning or free motion foot for the 401.]

I was going through my sewing machine bookmarks and I found a link to a darning foot that will work on slant shank machines. I want to say that I've never used this foot nor bought from this link so I don't know how well it works or if it is a good website.
http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/pd60-384037.php

Olivia's Grammy

Thank you for the 301 site. There is everything out there, isn't there. This is the best, friendlist, and giving board I've ever been on. You guys/ladies are the best.

Wings

Well Kapatt I was fascinated to learn what my 401 was worth in today's terms when it was made, I have a new respect for my "Ida" (I name all my machines). Thanks for all those tips, and I will join that Singer group. See what you started here Gilla - a whole machine chatter. I am thrilled to find that I am not an oddity with my old machines and I don't feel quite so guilty about having so many now!!! I was going to sell some but have now changed my mind. I particularly love the ones from fifties and sixties, their design lines remind me of that time, I was born in 48, and they take me back to another time. In fact I decided this morning to hunt out another 401 so I always have one!! I shall tell my husband it is Gilla's fault :)

kapatt

[I am thrilled to find that I am not an oddity with my old machines and I don't feel quite so guilty about having so many now!!! ]

laughing....my friends think I'm crazy but that is okay. It is a harmless addiction.

I've always loved the black Singers...I have 6 black ones (one is a treadle, one is a handcrank, one is a Singer 66, one is a black featherweight and two black 301). I have one white one (another featherweight) and I have the three in the 400 series.... one 401, one 403, and the 404 (which came in the cabinet that I wanted for my 403). Then I have my youngest machine (all mechanical of course) which is a New Home Limited. I've had it for about 20 years but I did buy it new at the time. (laughing) It has done a great job.

To bring this back to quilting...I wanted the 401 not only because it did the older style embroidery stitch but because I could move the needle towards the right. That way, I can place the needle at the perfect 1/4 seam allowance and not have to worry about my seam allowance again.

I have to confess that I have several 1/4 feet to go with my machines. I have one for the New Home, one for the featherweights and the treadle machine, and one for the 301 machines. Do you know...I have the hardest time getting that 1/4 seam allowance to be consistent no matter how much I try with the 1/4 foot. That is why I like the 401 and 403. I can set the needle at the right spot and it is consistent every time and I don't need a 1/4 foot.

Gilla

I tried to make some flannel pillow cases for my littlest grandson. I used the 401 to do the straight stitching for the border. Then tried to use my Serger to do the side seams and the two needles literally fell out (dropped down in the hole). I have never had that happen. That Serger is a bear to thread. I then decided to finish the seams with the Singer CXL and write his name on the border. The thread had a knot in the middle of the name and broke off.. I had to rethread the machine and try to pick up the name where it left off.. Well .... I got close. My grandson won't notice the difference, but my son, the perfectionist, will. There will be one big discussion if he even brings it up.

What's the saying "Some days the sun shines, and other days it rains." My day today. well.....

Gilla

Gilla

Okay, I have a broad back, but currently a short fuse. LOL

Gilla

Wings

I have a Featherweight too, she nearly electrocuted me so had her rewired ("Dotty") also a 328P which I think was made only here in Oz, and heaps of others, but I lust after a Rocketeer, but have only seen one once here on eBay and it sold on my birthday and I had not noticed it - till after it was gone - drat!!!! I agree re the quilting and also you can get your hands in to thread them and you can actually SEE what you are sewing!! Much quicker to move the dial for widths and lengths than the computer ones too. I hate changing feet on Janome quilter as it is too low for hands and I go nuts! I think we have hijacked Gilla's page here, come on Gilla, where are you today :) This is your page, we want to hear from you! Have you sewn on your new baby yet?? If so how does it feel?
Was your machine serviced when you got it or do you have some work to do on it?