jmckerlie

What pumpkin patch said.
I have two of them.

minstrel

@MrsM...the reason to own another machine would be because the throat area is small, so unless you're doing a small quilt, you can't FMQ on one. They don't have any decorative stitches or zigzag stitch if you use them - but that's also the reason their straight stitch is so...straight! For piecing, however, you just can't beat 'em.

Annaquilts

It is very cute and portable. It will most likely out live all of us. It is a quality machine and great for piecing and taking along.

That said I own multiple vintage machines and I grab my Singer 301, Bernina 830, or green Elna before I would the Feather Weight. Some of those are not so portable though. LOL

My two Feather weights usually just stand there and look cute.

My apologies for how the machines look. those are pictures from when they came to live at my house and where not yet cleaned up.

As for why you would need an other machine? the Feather Weights and Singer 301 are straight stitch machines. they do one stitch that is why there is just a tiny hole the needle goes through instead of a side ways slit. For some modern machines you can buy a straight stitch plate, I did for my Janome 6500, just be sure to chenage the plate out when you do anything but a straight stitch. Also the troat opening is small for the Feather Weight but so it is for many modern machines with all the bells and wistles.

Scrap Happy

pumpkinpatch lists the great reasons to get a FW. I had only seen pics until buying one recently. When I saw this little FW I thought 'what a little cutie pie she is.' They look like baby sewing machines :-P They may be small & cute but they are tough and strong. They sew a fantastic straight stitch.

quiltsRfun

To illustrate why we might need another sewing machine, we don't have just one pot to do all our cooking. We use the one that fits the job at hand. Same with the featherweight. It's great for straight stitching and portability but sometimes we need the advantages of newer machines.

-Decorative/zig zag stitches
-Larger throat space
-Needle up/down
-Ability to move needle right or left

sewwhat85

great straight stitcher and great to take on the go lightweight

Char

They sew straight seams like a champ! Also great to take for classes, etc. because they are so light and come in a neat little case.

pumpkinpatchquilter

Well, for one they don't zig zag...this is why they eventually phased out the featherweight, they couldn't compete with those zig zaggin' machines. ;) You can't drop the feed on them either, though you CAN buy a plate that covers the feed so you can still free motion. I have a featherweight, two treadles, a 1950's Singer cabinet machine, and White that my Mother gave me that I use as a back up machine, and a very economical Simplicity Quilter's Classic. I would LOVE some day to get a fancy fancy machine like a Pfaff or a Bernina because of all the bells and whistles...like the stitch regulation that I REALLY wish I had but don't. Also they usually have a bazillion computerized features that aren't available even on my modern machine.

Quilters are nuts about featherweights above all for nostalgia and because we do a lot of piecing...it's a very practical machine to have set up full time as your "piecing" machine or to take with you to classes or sewing groups...I would still want another machine for the "fun" stuff but I will always use my featherweight. ;)

plainpat

Compared to the machine I use now, they're as light as a feather LOL

Others here say they are lightweight?

pattypurple

The FW will sew through anything you can get under the presser foot. I've sewed everything from my wedding dress to upholstery for 2 antique cars.
The stitch is great and like others have said they are great for taking to classes.

Pat