You can also check that the finger of the hook assembly is at 12:00. It needs to be nestled between the 2 tabs on the needle plate.

Think the price is a little high, I have my great grandmother's and am attempting to sell my cousin's great grandmom's and grandmom's as she is not interested. I will be peddling them to the next quilt show this weekend and am only asking 400.00 for the pair in working order

Where are you pennysgal? With cash in hand, I would offer $225. Even $275 is not a bad price.

Where I live, any FW under $300 is a great price! I have 2 and paid $275 and $220. With the bobbin thread, it comes over the top to the left - if you hold the bobbin in front of you, it makes the letter P with the thread hanging down to make the lower part of the P. Does that make sense? So, everything goes to the left, toward the extension bed - the flat side of the needle, thread from right to left, bobbin thread over top of bobbin to the left.

You are all sooooooo smart. I don't know how I haven't figured this out, after all these years of sewing with a Singer. I broke three needles yesterday on my most favorite of all machines, a Singer of some kind that I have been using for all of my straight stitch sewing. I finally quit and went over to my Elna to finish out a job I was working on; and went to sleep last night trying to work out in my mind what I had done wrong with the Singer. So I guess I'll take all these thoughts out to my sewing room sometime today and try to get it back sewing. In answer to some of your questions, I think it is a 201, not sure though. Potted motor, almost whispers when running, big and HEAVY, stays in its cabinet and hasn't been moved in 5 years.

I think it probably is a threading issue and most of the repairs on FW are pretty easy to make, but I would use the fact that it won't sew properly right now to get a bigger reduction if you can. I bought mine that way and got them to come down an additional $50, I think because mine wouldn't sew either. After all, you can use the cost of a check up that you were given as additional ammo in the bargaining. I think the price is just about in the middle, you could take a look on Ebay and check some competed sale prices. Also, how many feet come with it, any extras like a buttonholer or monogrammer? Most of them came with about 6 or 7 additional feet, if that one only has one, you might also use that as a bargaining point.

I think this is a terrific book [h=1]Featherweight 221 - The Perfect Portable: And Its Stitches Across History, Expanded Third Edition [Paperback][/h]Nancy Johnson-Srebro (Author)

and will most likely tell you all you need to know and there are several websites
http://www.singer-featherweight.com/index.html,
http://www.april1930s.com/index.html
http://www.ismacs.net/condition.html

Please let us know what happens and how you do.

Ooo.k. so when i get a bee in my bonnet about wanting soething, i just gotta make it happen. This isnt to often, so this one hit hard.
i got aunt betty lou cor $240.00.
She is named after my neighbor who got me sewing at age three.
I always wanted to go back and thank her, but my mom says she probably passed about 20-30yrs. Ago.
when ican figure out how to post, i will.

Congratulations!!!

Lynnie,

If you can get them to drop it down more (whine about the possible "repairs"), I think you should do it! I bought mine at a garage sale for $150, it sewed like a dream and sold it for $325 a couple of years ago. If you need any help with it, Gailees site for FW has been around a LONG time and she has tons of good info on them there.
http://singerfeatherweight221.blogspot.com/ Good Luck!:thumbup:

Hi Lynnie, I just used my FW today, the needle threads right to left, make sure the bobbin is in right, make him a offer, maybe $200. if its meant to be, it will happen. Good luck