mountainwoman

Thanks! I will definitely look at the Featherweights now!

mamagrande

I have a 1936 FW and love the great stitch I also bought a 1/4 foot for it and use quite often. My 27 year granddaughter loves vintage so she is getting this machine. I told her she could have it whenever she wants it. I do take it apart and clean/oil it at least once a year...depending on how much I use it. I also have my regular Kenmore machine in the sewing room and a 301 and a singer treadle.

WDW69

I have a Singer Featherweight C240 which I purchased on Amazon Canada for $300.00 plus shipping. I am having trouble just getting it to sew with the foot control. I start using it then when I resume it won't work...I have to use the button to sew. I could be doing something wrong...just don't know what. I called Sew Mastery in US which have great tutorials on various machines...this one included but he said I needed to talk to a dealer and that it was a great machine.. So far I would like to put it in the driveway and run over it!!! I am very frustrated with this machine as I don't like sewing with the button.

WDW69

Pfaff feet fit these machines so check them out. It's amazing when you do a search to find feet compatible with your machine.

Snooze2978

Just checked Amazon and its less the $400 now, something like $385.

hobbykat1955

I have to disagree re: repro Featherweight...I bought the first anniversary one a few yrs ago the 160 black and I Love it. It's a work horse and I've never had any issues with it. Stitches great and straight, easy threading etc...I got it thru Amazon at that time for 249. Only complaint I do have it's got no needle down which is annoying when we're so use to that. You have to do that by hand wheel.
I also have several vintage singers I love...can't kill those...3-301's and a 1901 Red Head. I also recently bought one of their emb machines which was discounted and discontinued for 199 just as a bkup to my good machines and again can't complain.
Guess it's the luck of the draw like any other brand.
I love and would only buy Husq Viking machines and others only buy Bernina's etc......it's what you get use too.
But my advise is do your research as I do before I buy any machine...Read reviews online.

Lee in Richmond

I have this same Brother, purchased from Walmart with all accessories for an incredibly low price. I sew every day and this little trooper never lets me down (more than 3 years so far).

BonnieJP

One tip I learned from the Feather Weight Shop to eliminate birds nests is to Always hold the tails (top & bobbin thread ends) when beginning to sew a seam. It works like a charm - it eliminated the thread ends getting pulled down into the bobbin assembly. The Featherweight Shop also has other tips to eliminate skipped stitches and birds nests that I've found helpful.

https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/troubleshooting-stitch-problems

tranum

I’m surprised Singer doesn’t fire up the factory and resume making FWs in metal that look like the old version. I believe they would sell.

nanna-up-north

I see that there are a lot of opinions about the 'new' featherweight, some good some not so good. I first saw them at the Madison Quilt Extravaganza a couple of years ago and I was not impressed. The Singer company is not the same as 50 years ago and quality is no longer there. There are some Singers that work well but I have yet to find one that sounds as wonderfully quiet as a vintage FW.

I currently teach all kinds of classes to take care of FWs and I currently own 12 that I have purchased in various conditions and restored them all. One thing about the vintage FWs is that you can work on them yourself and there's no secrets because most anything you need to do can be seen in a video at the featherweight shop.

I just made a FW dust cover last week that had to have 1/4" seams (yes, there are 1/4" feet that work amazingly well), walking foot seams and free motion quilting. The FW 221 doesn't allow you to drop the feed dogs but you can find the sweet spot between forward and backward and cover the feed dog with some painters tape. It works great. Why would you want any other machine? Yes, I own a big Viking with all the bells and whistles but it's the FW that I sew on every day. Here's my dust cover, 100% done on my FW.