KyKaren1949

I absolutely adored my first Featherweight. Adored it so much that I bought five more of them. I have the Janome 6600 for my home machine, but it's much too large and heavy to haul places. I take my FW with me to retreats, workshops, classes, vacation, etc. I use them all the time. Sometimes I just sew on it because it's fun to use! I love them. I've worked at getting all the accessories, feet etc. that came with the original machine too. I consider mine an investment that will either stay the same or grow in value. My answer is Yes, you do need one if you even think you might like it. I've used them several times as a back up when my Janome was on the fritz too. I just love them. I have the card table and the #68 cabinet Singer made for a short time. Makes me happy happy happy!

qwkslver

I use mine every day. My newest machine sits lonely in the corner. I have 2 featherweights and an old Singer 66, those are my machines of choice. My granddaughter recently decided to learn to sew and she is in love with the Featherweight. There is no real harm in trying one if you can afford it, you can always sell it for what you have in it, or maybe even more. They are in demand. I love mine, but that's just me.

citruscountyquilter

I have three Featherweight machines and two houses. I keep one at each house and the third one travels between the two. Two are inherited from grandmothers which makes them special and the third I stumbled on in a resale shop for a price too good to pass up. I use them all the time. They are my go-to machines for piecing and general sewing. I take one along on vacations when we are going to be staying in one place for a week. I have great joy using them. For FMQ and zig zag I use my heavier Viking machine so I would not want my Featherweight to be my only machine but it is definitely the one most used.

1screech

Absolutely yes you do. I love piecing on mine.

craftynell

Everyone needs a Featherweight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

suern3

Since you asked, this will be the first time I can admit that I bought a Featherweight that I thought I just had to have a couple of years ago. I paid top dollar for it on Ebay because it was from my birth year and has a beautiful scroll plate on the front. Came with all the books and accessories, it is beautiful and I have never used it. I've carried it with me to Texas for the winter where I thought I would take the time to learn to use it but I also took my Pfaff. Turns out that the Pfaff is so easy to use that I never did get it out. So, my point is, I have no advice for you. Good luck with your decision. Although, I don't want to get rid of it either, but I do feel kind of guilty about the whole thing. I had a friend who loved hers and used it in her motor home. Please let us know what you decide.

beateannkeith

I'm teaching my grand-children to sew on a Featherweight machine.

cricket_iscute

When I need precision piecing or am going to a class, I turn to the Featherweight. I have a quilt cut out now that will need precision and I'll do it on the Featherweight. But for everyday sewing or string quilts, I turn to my Singer 301 and/or other machines. I always have at least one machine set up and dedicated to piecing.

The Featherweight has a good stitch and the feed dogs allow more precision, I think. The 301 has gears rather than belts as a Featherweight does, and is therefore more powerful. The 301 also free motion quilts like a dream, and I would never again do that on a Featherweight, which wasn't made for fmq. Trying to do so was an exercise in frustration. The Singer 221 Featherweight is a joy to use as a piecing machine, and really only that. It is not all that versatile, but it is lightweight and good for traveling or in an RV, I would think. I wouldn't give mine up.

If you set yours up and left it up for piecing, I think you would get a lot of use out of it and would be glad you got it. It is a wonderfully engineered machine.

Grannyh67

I have one, seldom use it but it sews great. I pull it out ever so often and sew on it but never start a project with it. I guess I like all the modern things that come with the new ones. But if you want it get it, they are cute and they are real good machines but as far as using it you probably won't.

Debbie C

I have three FW's - do I want, need, use them? YES!!! I often have several projects going on at once and they're all set up like 'ducks in a row' !!