My DH found mine for me - he asked the local sewing/vacuum repair shop to be on the lookout for one - he knew of a lady wanting to sell her mother's Featherweight (WHY WHY WHY?????). Anyway, DH bought it for way too much money when we really did not have it and he said it bought it for me to "SHUT ME UP". - he was tired of me telling him how much I wanted one. We brought it home, took it out of the case, plugged it in and it was threaded top and bottom with a scrap of fabric under the presser foot and it just purred like a kitten. I almost cried.

I got mine last month at a second hand store for $25. It needed a tune-up, some bobbins and I bought a LED light bulb for it so total for a working 221-1 about $105.

I bought both of mine from craigslist. The first one was a niece that had inherited it from her aunt. It was listed for $95 but by the time I called, a dealer had offered her $150 over the phone. I offered to match that and started talking about being a quilter and wanting it to take to classes, and she agreed to sell it to me instead of the dealer as she wanted it to be used, not resold for a profit. It was a black one from 1950, good shape and complete.

The second one is a 1948 model that was repainted purple (my avatar). It had been from a gift from her Mother who had wanted to get her interested in quilting. She moved to Portland to live with her Dad and go to school, decided she wasn't going to quilt, and listed it for $140. I saw the ad late at night since I was going to Portlnad the next day. I replied to the ad and got a call the next morning that I was the first to respond. You better believe I went right up there to get it. I felt almost like I should convince her to keep it and I am sure her Mom was mad when she found out, but If I didn't buy it the next one in line would, so I took it home. Also complete and awesome condition (had a tag that it had been serviced 6 months prior). Even had a 1/4" foot in the case that I am still using on it.

So the deals are still out there if you are patient.

My son bought a white FW for me 2-3 years ago for $50 (from Good Will) locally; He also bought a Singer 403A for $41 from the local Good Will store. IMHO, the FW's are priced, for the most part, way TOO HIGH! Also, since my son worked 14 years as a sewing machine mechanic, the machines he purchased were thoroughly checked out before he purchased them!

Jeanette

Bought mine from my sewing machine repairman for 200.00. It was all reconditioned and looked and sewed like new..

Finding Featherweights must have a lot to do with the area. I am in Florida and have had one posted for about a month and had zero responses. It is not unreasonably priced and I continue to repost but not even an inquiry. I have resigned myself to the fact that this might not be the right time to sell.

Agree with all the previous comments. It is just persistence. Our craigslist isn't very active and very few sewing machines come across. Usually the new ones "still in the box". I looked at all the thrift shops around here over several years. I made regular stops at all of them. I looked in Atlanta when I was there. Then one day, years later, yes, years, I went into an antique flea market in Opelika and a man was stocking cookbooks and said did I want one. No, I said, I'm looking for a singer featherweight. Come with me, he says. There was one in a booth, no case, but, bobbin case and worked fine. I paid about $150 for it. Love it. Never had a thread jam, cute little thing. That was several years ago. About two months ago I went to a thrift store near me and on the floor in a case that I recognized (and my heart began to thump) was an index card that said "sewing machine -$40). I swooped that thing up and opened it and it had a cute featherweight, lots of attachments, and bobbin case. I couldn't test it, but figured it would work. it is nice and clean. The lady said "let me carry that for you". No thanks! I hugged it while I paid and then all the way to the car. So now I have 2. But it was a very long process of searching and patience. I didn't want to go the eBay route. I wanted to just come across one. Maybe I will come across a 222 or white one. Here's hoping.

The lady said "let me carry that for you". No thanks! I hugged it while I paid and then all the way to the car.

LOL - just about spit out my coffee when I read this. Sounds like something I did years ago when I bought a brand new king sized feather comforter at a garage sale for $3 - when I asked the man of the house how much was the "feather comforter" he said "What feather comforter??? - "$3" - I whipped out my $3 so fast and ran to the car before his wife came out.

too funny Nikki!!!

It may be time to check the Craigslist ad again for mistakes that sneaked in while it was being reposted or the email spam folder for Craigslist answers. For any other kind of machine I would shrug and accept the quiet. Not a Featherweight though.