A few days off and not that great weather makes one productive. I wanted to sew a protective sleeve for the sewingbed of the featherweight. Searched the internet for a tutorial, measurments etc. but found zip. So I had to tackle that myself and while doing so, i thought other featherweight owners might want to sew a similar item...tadaa a tutorial by yours truly! Here's how I did it :First I wrapped the Feather in dressmaking paper, top and bottom Then I pulled out a piece of really ugly fabric to make a prototype I came up with this pattern eventually. I can't make pdf files, so you have to draw your own, with the measurements written on the pattern. Cut three: one outer fabric, one inner and add 1/4 " seam allowance and one fusible fleece without the seam allowance . The pattern is without seams!! Iron the fleece on the outer fabric. Flip one side up and sew this side Box the corner a tiny bit, 1/4 " is quite enough Repeat to the other side and sew the inner fabric the same way. You'll get two sleeves. Slide them inside eachother, right sides together and sew all around, leaving a gap on the upper side for turning. align the seams! Turn, topstitch and you're done! My sleeve has one longer flap and that's not just for protection You can slide it under your machine to use it as a threadcatcher, or to put your gear in, while sewing. I added some velcro so I can use it with my machine mat . The mat can be used with Sven too and since Sven is a lot heavier and bigger, I can't put the threadcather underneath him, hence the velcro... Questions? Something not explained clear enough? Feel free to ask :) Meanwhile I'm very pleased with my sleeve (and with myself i might add haha)

In this post, I'll show you how to clean and troubleshoot your new Singer Featherweight sewing machine to ensure that everything is in good working order.

Happy Thursday! I was actually planning on another adventures in thrifting post for this week, but I had a once in a lifetime find this weekend that deserves a post of it's own!! On Saturday I was on

I'm sure many of you have seen the decorative scrolled Featherweight faceplates, and one very common question we get here in the Featherweight Shop is,

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Last week I reviewed the popular Singer 221 . While the demand for 221 Featherweights is high, they are by no means rare, after all, these black beauties were in production for over 40 years! Throughout it's production lifetime, Singer manufactured over 2 million 221s. Just do a

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

In this post, I'll show you how to clean and troubleshoot your new Singer Featherweight sewing machine to ensure that everything is in good working order.

The Singer "Featherweight" became a classic sewing machine due to its portable nature and sturdy simplicity. Learn more about these popular vintage sewing machines.

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Singer Featherweight 221K portable sewing machines made in Kilbowie, Clydebank, Scotland. Information including description specification, images etc.

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Is your machine skipping stitches, or looping strangely after it was sewing just perfectly moments before? Most all stitch problems on a Singer Featherweight have to do with the way it is threaded. Unlike most modern machines and even a few older Singer models, the Featherweight 221 & 222K needle needs to face a certain direction, the thread gets inserted opposite of norm and the bobbin is counterclockwise. If I didn’t know any better I’d say everything is backward! Nevertheless, follow this tutorial and you’ll have perfect stitches in a matter of a few minutes. So, if your machine is already threaded, take it all out and let’s begin again……Suggested Products:1) Crosswound Spool of thread: Aurifil or Presencia2) Thread Stand or Thread Post3) Schmetz Needles4) Bobbins5) Thread Cutterz or Thread Snips6) Singer Featherweight Instruction Manual 221 or 222 ************************** How to Thread a Singer Featherweight 221 & 222K First, let’s start with the Bobbin and Bobbin Case: Hold the bobbin between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, with the thread on top drawing from right to left, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 With the left hand holding the bobbin case as shown in Fig. 1, the slot in the edge being at the top, place the bobbin into the bobbin case as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 Figure 3 Then pull the thread into the slot as shown in Fig. 2, and back under the tension spring into the slot at the end of the tension spring as shown in Fig. 3. Figure 4 Turn the balance wheel over toward you until the thread take-up lever (6) is raised to its highest position. Place the spool of thread on the spool pin at the top of the machine; pass the thread through the thread guide (1) at the left, down, under and from the right to the left between the tension discs (2). Hold the spool tightly with the right hand and with the left hand pull the thread up under the thread take-up spring (4) until it enters the retaining fork (3), then pass the thread up and back of the wire thread guide (5) and from the right to the left through the hole (6) in the end of the thread take-up lever, down into the eyelet (7), at the side of the face plate, into the lower wire thread guide (8), into the guide (9) in the needle clamp, then from right to left through the eye of the needle (10). Draw about two inches of thread through the eye of the needle with which to commence sewing. To Replace the Bobbin Case After threading, take the bobbin case by the latch, holding it between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. Fig. 5 Bobbin Case Threaded and Replaced Place the bobbin case on the center stud (A, Fig. 5) of the bobbin case base with the thread drawing from the top of the bobbin case. Release the latch and press the bobbin case back until the latch catches the groove near the end of the stud. Allow about three inches of thread to hang free from the bobbin case and turn down the bed extension. CAUTION — In case the throat plate is removed for cleaning the stitch-forming mechanism, etc., make certain, when replacing the throat plate, that the position finger (A2, Fig. 5) of the bobbin case base enters the notch (B2, Fig. 5) of the position plate attached to the underside of the throat plate. To Set the Needle Turn the balance wheel over toward you until the needle bar is at its highest position, and loosen the thumb screw (A Fig. 6) in the needle clamp. Figure 6. Positioning of Needle in Needle Clamp Have the flat side of the shank of the needle toward the left as shown above and put the needle up into the clamp as far as it will go. Then tighten the thumb screw. Threading the Machine Pull the thread from the spool and catch it on the thread guide then take it straight down into the tension unit being sure to catch it between the tension discs. Going clockwise, wind it around the tension unit until you get to the take-up spring. Resting the thread on your left index finger, pulling it taut, lift it up and over the spring wire to catch it on the retaining fork. Hook the thread around the back of the wire thread guide and go up to the hole of the thread take-up. Thread it from the right to the left. Pass the thread down through the eyelet on the side of the face plate into the lower wire thread guide and then into the guide in the needle clamp. See the following illustrations. When inserting a needle, make sure the needle’s flat side is facing the left. Thread the needle always from the right to the left on a Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and 301. After winding the bobbin, it will need to be placed in a position so that the thread is going counter-clockwise. Place it in the bobbin case this way. Hook the thread into the slot and back under the tension spring into the slot at the end of the tension spring. Be sure to leave enough thread hanging from the bobbin case so that the needle thread will catch it. Holding the thread in the left hand, turn the hand wheel towards you with your right hand – lowering the needle and thread, then raising it back up again. You should be able to somewhat feel it catch the bobbin thread below. Pull the thread with your left hand which will bring up the bobbin thread in a loop. Pull the bobbin thread out and let both threads go to the back of the presser foot as shown below. You are now ready to sew! Enjoy Sewing on your Singer Featherweight 221 or 222K!

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Welcome to Part 1 of the Featherweight Case Restore Along! Today, Annette walks us through removing the old tolex, as well as what the finished product looks like! Earlier this year, we were overjoyed to cross paths with delightful Annette on our Singer Featherweight 221 & 222 Facebook Group, showcasing one of her beautiful Featherweight Case Restorations. We invited her to participate in a Restore Along series. She was kind enough to create a very informative journey of her restorative process. This will be so enjoyable to follow along!Products Used in Today's Case Restoration Part 1: White Vinegar Tray for White Vinegar Putty Knife Razor Knife Microfiber Cloth Sandpaper (80 - 100 grit used for the initial sanding of the the old tolex.220 grit sandpaper used for the second sanding to smooth the finish of the wood and any minimal remaining old tolex.) Woodworking glue (ex. Titebond), used for securing loose seams or joins. Additional Fabric Requirement Information: 1 1/2 Yards Main Fabric (exterior of the case)1/2 Yard of Coordinating Fabric (interior of the case)OR1 yard TOLEX, 54" wide (for restoring case to more of an original case appearance) Do you love Annette's fabric choices for restoring her Featherweight case? Shop the Rose & Violet's Garden by Miss Rose Sister Violet FADED ROSES SONGBIRD & PARTY BLUSH PARTY BLUSH Rose & Violet's Garden by Miss Rose Sister Violet FADED ROSES SONGBIRD Rose & Violet's Garden by Miss Rose Sister Violet Annette's Tip: She always purchases extra fabric since she likes to make sure she has extra for any mishaps! Annette has been sewing since she was in grade school, and started quilting in the late 1970s. Her favorite projects are the baby quilts that she has made throughout the years, although she has not attempted the "big quilts" since they intimidate her too much!Annette bought her first Featherweight about three years ago in 2019 and it was love at first stitch. She enjoys cleaning and performing maintenance on it too, in pursuit of that perfect seam. Some machines in her collection are more modern, but the Featherweight holds a special place in her heart.As many Featherweight first-timers discover, an original vintage case does not always smell like roses. A couple of her Featherweight cases smelled so bad, Annette decided that a full strip down and restoration was the only solution. Since then she has honed this process, which we are now pleased to present as Annette's Featherweight Case Restore-Along!Now, let's begin restoring our Featherweight case with Annette. Watch Part 1 of the Restore Along HERE: Towards the end of Annette's Case Restoration, Part 1, she shows her case with the old tolex removed and wood exposed and sanded. Restoring a case may or may not require any restorative gluing, but if it does, we have included some additional photos showing how you can secure the case while the glue dries. Before sanding, inspect the case to see if the bottom wood piece is separating from the sides and check for any loose or compromised finger joints. If needed, add glue, wipe clean, then clamp using one of the methods below. Follow glue instructions for recommended wood drying times. Option 1 - CLAMPS: Option 2 - MASKING TAPE: This method is one of Burl's techniques from his former trade of cabinet making. The case will need to be good and dry for the tape to adhere and hold. After applying glue, wipe clean, then stretch masking tape over the seam or joined area and tape every couple of inches. Follow glue's recommended drying times for wood. ************************************* IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CASE CLASPS AND LOCKS: We felt it was important to address this right at the beginning. Vintage case clasps (and the locks they latch into) are a very scarce commodity in the Singer Featherweight world. These particular vintage original parts only come available on our website a few times a year and they are gone within nano-seconds because of so many Featherweight owners wanting to replace the part. Regrettably, there is currently not a suitable replica that is an exact match and obtaining a manufacturer for the original design has proven very difficult. This is compounded due to the numerous clasp and lock styles that Singer incorporated into the design of the Featherweight 221 as well as the 222 case over the years. The only way, as it currently stands, to obtain replacement parts is to wait until a case is totally unsalvageable and then offer the hardware parts as they come available. With an increase in restoring original Featherweight cases, however (whether it be to an original style appearance with tolex or completely personalized with fabric such as the demonstration in this tutorial) demand for the part will increase while supply for vintage original case clasp and latch parts will decrease. A double-edged sword to be sure, but we wanted to address this question and answer so there would be no surprises as you proceed:Q: "Where can I get a clasp or latch for my case?"A: We carry the clasp part here, and the case latch/lock here, but they will show as out of stock until we have a fair number to make available for sale - about two or three times a year. You can sign up for the in-stock notification and you will be notified via email as soon as one is available. That said, do not delay when that notification email arrives because they are gone before you can even say "Singer Featherweight!". Otherwise, periodically check eBay or Etsy and be on the lookout for a totally unsalvageable case. Other Secure Case Alternatives: While you're waiting for a clasp, you can carry the machine in its vintage original case safely using a Case Tote Bag (available in a wide selection of colors). New, Singer Featherweight replica cases are available as well, at least until a clasp can be found for your original case. (No, the clasps and latches are not interchangeable on the new cases with the vintage original cases.) Another machine carrying option: The Travel Bag Available in Black or Red with room enough for just the machine & foot controller. We are all looking forward to CASE RESTORATION, PART 2, coming up March 19th, 2021! Please post photos of your progress in the comments below.

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Produced from the mid to late 1960's in Kilbowie Scotland, this machine was something fresh and new to the Singer Featherweight market. The official Singer color was called

There were many Singer Featherweight advertisements over the years and we hope to share quite a few of those with you here. If you happen to have a unique one that you do not see listed, please contact us, because we would like to feature it for all to enjoy in the Featherweight Community. Singer Featherweight 221 Advertising Leaflets Singer Featherweight 222K Advertising Leaflets Singer Featherweight 221J and 221K Advertising Leaflets This advertisement features the Tan Featherweight at the centerfold, including an originally advertised price of $132.50.

Learn about the various types of thread spools and why a Thread Stand is important for proper tension on a Singer Featherweight! In the original days of the Featherweight, the only thread spools available were the wooden

Isn't it darling?!! We are so excited to make this free pattern available to you! Click here to subscribe for the FREEDresden Spool Pin Plate PDF pattern Follow the link above to subscribe to our newsletter, because only subscribers will receive access to the bonus Featherweight material, patterns, etc, (including the free Mini Dresden Spool Pin Plate Pattern). Then come back here for the complete video tutorials (part 1 and part 2), using the Singer Buttonholer Attachment. You will learn how to make an eyelet hole - perfect for making this darling Mini Dresden Spool Pin Plate. (Same tutorial would apply if you only have the really small 5/16

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

Are you using the right motor grease and lubricant for your Singer Featherweight? There are old, original tubes, new tubes and even some new kinds on the market... but are they properly suited for the Singer Featherweight? How would you know? Watch the video tutorial above and our old one below from 2015 or scroll down to read through Carmon Henry's 1st video tutorial in text format. PART 1 from 2015, showing other grease comparisons above. *We have now updated our Featherweight Shop Motor & Gear Lubricant video tutorial with a

If you are a member of the Singer Featherweight 221 & 222K Sewing Machines Facebook group then chances are you've seen some of the clever ideas for restoring a Featherweight case. Now, we aren't meaning an easy case refurbish, but rather a complete case restoration. A complete case restoration could be an option for those cases that would otherwise need to be thrown to the trash heap due to compromised stability or having been so overtaken by mold or mildew. Some restorations are easier than others, but we hope you will find inspiration from the Featherweight community and their creative ideas! *Note: Some cases may be too far gone or have a weaker construction that inhibits doing some of these restorations. Proceed at your own risk when restoring your case. 1.) Decoupage case photo from Barbara L. This particular case is decoupaged with Cavallini decorative papers. I love the colors on this one! Barbara was even so kind as to type out her own instructions to the process she used. We have included it as a free PDF download by clicking here. 2.) Paint & Decoupage by Iaci F. (first name is pronounced ē-aw-seé, by the way) The shabby chic paint and decoupage paperie details are quite lovely and feminine! Iaci provided a collage photo of the steps she took to make her case match her pretty pink machine that she had repainted. (Here's a link to some of the individuals we know who repaint machines.) 3.) Lynda C. has a lovely case that was restored to the bare wood, stained then varnished. The wood underneath some of the Featherweight cases is just beautiful! 4.) Stacey T. had a White Featherweight case that was in bad shape and needed restoring. She sent us a few photos showing her restoration process. You will notice in the last photographs that her talented husband hand-tooled a leather decorative piece for the top of her case. Isn't it gorgeous? I asked Stacey if her husband had a special leather tool to create that Featherweight and she said he carved it by hand! Extremely talented, I'll say! 5.) Kristianne S. had a case that was so rotten from water damage that covering it was her only option. She used fabric to decoupage her case and we thought it was so darling in the black and white retro prints. Restoring and decoupaging a case can be quite intricate and detailed, but Kristianne offers her services to do this process for you. Please feel free to contact her directly for more details. Prices vary depending on the case, type of restoration and time involved... but she is quite talented! 6.) Karen C. had a tan featherweight case that was musty, moldy and peeling inside. Taking her time, she worked on one side at a time to recover it with scrapbook paper. Karen used Elmer's glue to glue it down and then finished off the outside with a poly. 7.) Using a NEW Replica Featherweight case,

Congratulations to the 2022 Holiday Singer Featherweight"Sugar Plum Fairy Pink" Giveaway Winner: Mary Houseman from Virginia! Shop New Release Here "It's a magic place a lovely sight, pure delight!" ~ Dance of the Sugar Plum FairyFully restored and ready to sew right out of the case, this "Pink Frosting" Singer Featherweight 221 is a beautifully sweet color, perfect to adorn your sewing room! Visions of sweet little sugar plum fairies dancing down "chocolate streets and licorice lanes," listening to the Nutcracker soundtrack as you sew your holiday quilt on your sweet Pink Frosting Featherweight. You look out the window as it gently snows brilliantly in the night sky. Be sure to click on any image above to view the beauty of this machine. Each one of our restored and repainted machines receive hours of personal care in their disassembly, painting process, reassembly, stitch sampling and overall Featherweight preparation. This machine is also fitted with an original 110v motor that has been rewound to work at optimum speed and torque, so you can plug it in and begin sewing here in the USA. $2400.00 value! Included: Replica Case Basic Attachments:(Ruffler, Narrow Hemmer, Adjustable Hemmer, Shirrer, Binder, and Edge Stitcher) Replica Manual Schmetz Microtex Needles Small Spool of Aurifil Thread Oil Bottle Motor Lubricant Red Felt Five (5) Extra Bobbins Large & Small Screwdrivers Stitch Sample from your machine assuring you of a quality stitch Thread Post Maintenance Log Book Case Tote Bag *No purchase required. This giveaway is open to the legal residents of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the United Kingdom; void where prohibited by law. All entries are collected securely and only at https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/blog/featherweight-shop-holiday-giveaway-2022. After information is entered in the secure giveaway entry portal above, no additional steps are necessary to enter giveaway. No additional information or entry will be requested before or after the giveaway is closed on December 12th, 2022. The Featherweight Shop Facebook profile @featherweightshop, Instagram profile @featherweightshop and Telegram profile @featherweightshop are the official profiles for the "December 2022 Sugar Plum Fairy Pink Custom Painted Singer Featherweight 221 Giveaway". We will not request personal information through any social media profiles. All official giveaway entries will only be collected through this giveaway page on our official website. You may enter only once per day and you must fill in the information requested.

Easy to clean and easy to polish! Have you ever wondered how some Featherweight machines look polished and beautiful while others look dull or oily? Watch the video tutorial below all the way through and learn how to take your average looking Featherweight and turn it into something beautifully reflective. Cleaning attachments and the shiny parts of the machine are addressed as well.

Singer tables were what any 1940s homemaker would have wanted to accompany her machine: an adaptable table for sewing or hosting! Below is a cute ad from Singer, marketing the different ways one of their tables could be used... Pinochle anyone? Today, some of the most collectible sewing machine tables and cabinets are the ones for the Featherweight. Below are the various options that can still be found at antique shops, flea markets or even the occasional yard sale -- don't forget to look at what the garage sale goods are "sitting upon", or take a peek under the tablecloth of the cashier's table! Brown Rimmed Table and Extension The first tables in production were painted a milk-chocolate brown on the tabletop rim and legs. The brown top rims were also metal rather than wood compared to the black painted table rims. A two-legged Table Extension with brown metal legs was also manufactured to accompany the brown-legged table, but they seem to be much more difficult to find than the black style. Black Rimmed Table and Extension The most common Featherweight tables are the ones with the black painted table rim and legs. They came with black painted wooden legs or metal legs. When the metal leg style was in production, Singer also produced the two-legged Table Extension which provided an even greater surface area for sewing, serving or card party gathering. These Table Extension additions are very hard to find, presumably because the two-legged table gets separated from the original and "who needs a table with just two legs?" We've known a few of them to be rescued, so keep your eye out for them! Wood Legs Metal Legs 68 Cabinet Singer also made a maple wood cabinet for the Featherweight in an "early American" furniture style, common in the 1950s. It is very scarce to find and highly sought after because of its smaller and concealing nature. The cabinet keeps the controller, attachment and other accessories out of view while the machine is not in use. It is also smaller than the table and can easily be displayed as a household piece of furniture until the machine is ready to be used again. Cabinet with Lift The rarest of all the Featherweight Furniture would be the 68 cabinets with the lift. The lift raises and lowers the machine in and out of the cabinet. For the tidy home sewist, a cabinet like this would be the quintessential accessory. Photo courtesy of Nedora J. Photo courtesy of Carol C. Photo courtesy of Nedora J. Table FAQs: What years were the tables made; does the serial number indicate the commission date? Unfortunately, there are no known records with serial number lists or dates for the Featherweight tables and cabinets. We do know that the tables first appeared in the Featherweight manuals in 1938, and the cabinets can be seen in Singer ads as early as 1946. The serial numbers on the tables and table inserts are simply used to coordinate them together so that the right insert can go with the right table. However, there are no records available to determine when or where the table was made. Does the original white 221K Featherweight fit in the table or cabinet? No, because the white Featherweight has a shorter bed, it will not fit properly in either the tables or the 68 cabinets. Does the 222K fit in the table or cabinet? The 222K Featherweight does fit in both the table and the cabinet, but the 222 free-arm model is a slightly taller machine than the 221. Because it is a little taller, the bed of the 222 machine will rise above the table surface about 1/2". April uses her 222 in her table and cabinet regularly, so this minimal added height is really insignificant compared to the practical use of the extra sewing surface. The 222 Featherweight will not fit in the table or the cabinet if the machine bed extension is removed. (The 222 bed extension must be in place for it to be held securely in either the table or the cabinet.) I found a table that looks similar to the ones in the photos, but why won't my Featherweight fit in the table's machine opening? When searching for a Featherweight table, keep in mind that Singer made the same size table for other vintage machines, too, including tables for the Singer 301. The machine opening on these other tables is a different size, but you can refer to the next question for the dimensions of the opening when trying to find one specific for the Singer Featherweight. What are the dimensions of the table insert? Why does the table leg not latch? If the table leg is not latching, it is likely that the latch spring is broken or missing. Click here to order a replacement spring. I cannot seem to find a table like this, but I would like to have a larger surface area to sew. Is there a modern-day table that would accommodate this? Yes, there is a modern-day acrylic table that even has the little notch for an easy lift of the Featherweight bed extension. It's called a Sew Steady Table. It's a table-top table, lightweight, easily portable, comes with a carrying bag and very economical. Click here to order.

Singer

The Various Featherweight Manuals Throughout the years that Featherweights were produced, the Singer company produced some manual variations. The principal handbooks given with machines are shown here. Above Left: This manual is the standard handbook supplied with US-built Featherweight Machines.(This particular one has a copyright date of 1941.) Above Right: This manual-style was supplied with UK-built Featherweight Machines. It was also printed in the UK. If your manual is like those two above, you can determine the date of your manual by looking in the upper left corner. The number in parentheses is indicative of a month and year. That date corresponds to the last date the manual was revised. Sometimes they were revised for machine style illustrations, parts and attachments included. Above: A Rarely-found version of the standard US manual. This was printed in 1954. Above: Rarely found a version for the Tan Featherweight - printed in Great Britain in 1961. Above: First version of the green/white 221 manual - printed in the UK in 1964. Above: Second version of the white/green machines - printed in the UK in 1967. Above: The only manual offered with the 222 Freearm machine is not dated but was printed in the UK. Above: 221 Singer Featherweight Manuals Above: 221K French Manuals Above: 221K Manuals Above: 221K Swedish Manuals Above: Late 221 Manuals Above: Late 221K Manuals Above: Tan Featherweight Manuals

This is rather strange looking attachment, wouldn’t you say? I likened it to a preying mantis because of how the thread arms reach out and the bottom arms crisscross… Nevertheless, this is a very, very scarce attachment to find indeed! We know this attachment is expensive. It is quite a collector’s item not just because of how scarce it is to find one (in complete condition with attachment, both spool arms, original box, manual, and tiny thumb screw), but also one that is working and functional! In fact, several years ago we quit buying this particular attachment unless we could personally sample and test it before selling. After having several come in the shop at high prices that ended up not working properly because of some minute error in precision, we have been leery about buying them untested. I wish they all worked as well as this one! It is imperative that each upper and lower clamp grip precisely over the thread crossing arms like you see in the photograph above. The Two-Thread Embroidery Attachment varied in color over the years. Sometimes they would be chromium and sometimes they would have a blackside finish. You can see the differences in the finishes in the images above. Some were even a partial with a blackside attachment and chromium arms or vice versa. You can see in the antique baby garment how a similar effect was accomplished. As you can see in all the samples above that you can use the standard thumb screw, however, it does make it easier (the thread is less likely to get caught) if you have the original teeny tiny thumb screw that would have been included originally with the attachment. It is so tiny that they were not thought to be a thumb screw when tossed into a sewing cabinet drawer. Who knows how many of them have been tossed over the years. Be sure to watch the video below to see what the original thumb screw looks like. The best thread that I have found to work with is the Sulky 12wt thread. It’s a bit thicker than normal thread, but still lightweight enough that the threads actually criss-cross to achieve the decorative effect the Two-Thread Embroidery Attachment is so famous for. If you are blessed enough to stumble upon one of these at a local estate sale, etc. and it works — be sure to use a stabilizer with your fabric when you test it, just like all machine embroidery work. Read through the instructions and work very, very slowly and begin by practicing with straight lines. As you gain more confidence, use a traced design and work with curves and points. You can experiment with different threads to make one side stand out from the other.

Is your Featherweight a bit sluggish or does the belt slip when you sew? This quick tip for how to adjust the belt will help you remedy the problem in no time at all. The first thing you will want to do is remove the spool of thread as well as the bobbin case from the machine. Next, using a long screwdriver, loosen the screw on the motor bracket as shown in the photos below: With the belt on the motor pulley and the handwheel, depress the foot controller to full power and raise and lower the motor until the needle is going up and down at full speed, making only a small adjustment as needed to raise and lower the motor to achieve the optimum speed. Then while the motor is still running at full speed, tighten down the screw that holds the motor onto the motor bracket The belt is meant to be as loose as possible without slipping on either the motor pulley or the handwheel. So, if you find that while sewing with the resistance of fabric, the belt is slipping on either the motor pulley or the handwheel, you may have to loosen the motor bracket screw again. Move the motor down just a little bit to add slightly more tension on the belt until there is no more slipping, even while sewing with actual fabric. If, after adjusting your belt, you find that it still will not hold a good rotation or is otherwise falling apart, then new belts can be purchased below. If you have further questions, contact us anytime. Buy Belt, Black V-Belt 17 1/2 inch (Featherweight)

Economists know there is a distinctive difference between rare and scarce. One is limited quantities and the other is limited available resources with which to obtain ... so in all honesty, this Singer Featherweight falls into both categories! At the 1939 and 1940 World's Fair held in San Francisco, California, very few Singer Featherweight machines were promotionally badged with the Golden Gate emblem. As you'll see at first glance it looks very, very similar to the Centennial badge frequently seen but has the engraved title

We made it to the Featherweight Collection destination this afternoon and it was completely worth the wait. We are still sorting through all of the Featherweight machines that have been collected for nearly 20 years. A quiet hotel corner lobby provided a nice place to examine each one. It took nearly three hours. Truly an amazing collection with several in very nice original condition! Here are a couple sneak peek photos: We will be unpacking these over the next several weeks, so stay tuned to our blog here as we share more about each one. These machines are a piece of history!

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied, so do not be surprised if you find some subtle changes from machine to machine within this first batch. The first 200 machines (approximately) had these distinctions: Photo Courtesy of Rob Andre' Stevens 0.6 amp foot controllers different bobbin case positioning plate bracket (throat plate) bud decal on the bed of the machine The thread take-up lever had a straighter arm. The back arm decal was different in size and design. The front handwheel decal was incomplete. The upper handwheel decal had one additional loop on the end of the decal. The font lettering was thinner on the "The Singer Manufacturing Co." decal. After the first 1500 machines (approximately), the bed stop was removed. The bed stop prevented the bed from hitting the thumb screw on the faceplate. Serial number placement was moved from under the drip pan tray to the bottom exterior so that it could be seen on the bottom end closest to the bed extension without removing the bottom tray. However, the serial number block underneath remained in the mold until 1937. After the first 2000 machines (approximately) the drip pan color changed from silver to the common black. Also after the first 3000 machines (approximately) the arm decal behind the motor is eliminated. The case changed from Type I to Type II case. It still had the green interior of Type I, but it did not have the bracket to hold down the machine or the hanger for the foot controller.Type I: Type II: In late 1933 the hook assembly style changed. 1934: The Singer Featherweight makes its debut to the public at the Chicago World's Fair, featuring a specialty badge "Century of Progress Chicago 1934". Late 1934, the case changed from Type II to Type III, which has D-Ring Case Handle and a black interior. The latchesalso changed. 1935: Corduroy Case Lid Insert was introduced. It is now referred to as the Type I Case Lid Insert and is the most difficult to find of the two types. You can compare this one with Type II Case Lid Insert which came out in 1939.Photo Courtesy of Jane Lynch The needle guide at the bottom of the faceplate was changed from a loop to a slight bend with the thread entering in the opposite direction. June of 1935, the bobbin winder tension bracket changes from school bell style to a black, flat front mounting style. (This allowed them to use the same base mold.) 1936: Teeny tiny number references were added to the motor band. Specialty Badged machine "Texas Centennial Exposition 1836 - 1936" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Texas Centennial Exposition, a World's Fair commemorating Texas' independence from Mexico. In mid-1936, bobbin winder tension bracket was modified and mounted to the top of the base rather than the front side of the machine. The bobbin winder wheel was changed from being flat (unmarked) to "cupped". The base mold was modified from being split (aka: "split base") under the electrical terminal to being solid. This kept the terminal more secure and protected. Foot controller was changed from metal to bakelite (an early type of plastic) with slots on the top. In late 1936, foot controller was changed to a solid bakelite - the most common type found with old Singers today. 1937: In late-1937 the faceplate changed slightly in the scrollwork design. Along the thread guides, it went from being shiny chrome to having scroll work added to match the rest of the faceplate. The bed decal that wrapped around the light switch corner was changed to stop at the bobbin winder tension bracket. Original 1933 serial number block (inside, under the drip pan tray) was removed from the mold. Late 1937, numbered dial tension units were issued with all Featherweights and continued as standard. This took theguesswork out of tension adjustments. 1939: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1939" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's first year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). Around this era, there were some Featherweights that had the Singer decal on the top of the machine instead of on the light housing. It is not guaranteed that a particular number or set of machines were like this, but most AF38**** serial number Featherweights have the decal placed here, indicating that it was not simply a one-time accidental placement. Another Corduroy Case Lid insert was introduced. This one is referred to now as Type II. Compare this style with the earlier one from 1935. December 1939 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), which included the matching wrinkle faceplate. 1940: Specialty Badged machine "Golden Gate Exposition San Francisco 1940" was issued to a select few Featherweight machines and sold at the Exposition's second year, which commemorated San Francisco's two new bridges (Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge). The "SINGER" decal on the light housing was positioned lower and more on the front, and the font remained the same for one batch before being changed to the bolder lettering. The Stitch length indicator, which had always been chrome plated, was now painted black with silver-colored numbers. The contrast made it a bit easier to read. August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate. 1941: By 1941, the chromed handwheel had been replaced with the solid black, japanned finish. July 1941, a handful of machines in this batch are distributed with blackened parts due to the moratorium on chromium for war efforts. The faceplate, presser bar lever, and stitch length indicator are the most notable parts that make the machines in this category distinctive, but even they can sometimes vary. These novelty machines are now known as "Blackside" Featherweights and are a bit elusive. Serial numbers are not consecutive so it is difficult to pinpoint the distribution of various blackened parts. Foot controllers were changed again from bakelite to metal. The cord came out of the controller from the left side, rather than the right like its earlier version from 1933-1936. 1942-1944: No Featherweights (as well as other family sewing machines) were produced during this time period due to the Limitation Order L-98, which was issued by the War Production Board. The Singer Manufacturing Company was one of many manufacturers ordered by the US Government to convert parts of their factories for war production materials. 1945 September 1945, a second batch of machines included a few "Blackside" Featherweights (like they did in 1941). Again, serial numbers are not consecutive, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact distribution of the various blackened parts. 1946 Mid-1946, Singer returned to issuing the solid bakelite foot controllers with all Featherweights. 1947 The modern, sleek-designed striated faceplate is introduced and the scrolled faceplate is no longer issued on the USA made Featherweights.*The scrolled faceplates continued until about 1951 on the Featherweights that were made in the UK. Type IV Case was issued, which had a C-shaped leather handle and was attached to the lid with pins rather than D-rings. An "M.R." decal, abbreviated for "Marcas Registrar" began appearing on a few machines. If a Featherweight has this extra decal it will be found under the front oval badge and under the decal on the back arm of the machine. M.R. is the Spanish equivalent to ® or TM in that it was given for exclusive rights to a product, name, slogan, etc. for Latin-American countries, but some machines with this decal never left the USA. Bobbin Winder was changed from the cupped version to the beveled style. August 1947, Featherweight production begins in the United Kingdom (Kilbowie, Scotland) at what was then Singer's largest factory. 1950 Specialty Badges "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" were issued to a vast number of Featherweight machines (and other Singer models) to commemorate Singer Manufacturing Company's 100-year anniversary. Machines were given this specialty badge until 1952. The exact number of these badged Featherweights is not known but it could be 200,000 or more. 1951 Singer changed to a Type V case in the USA. The top tray design of the older cases was removed for a more compact compartment tray on the left side. The lid now held a bracket for the foot controller to slide in and out of easily. Light switch changed from the bed of the machine to the top of the lamp on 221K machines and continued with this style for the 222K as well. 1952 Graduated Throat Plate replaced the traditional plate which did not have any seam guide markings. The Featherweight badge changed from the centennial series to one with a black ring. 1953 July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961. About midway through 1953 Singer added the small "221-" emblem below the main badge. Singer changed to a Type VI case for the USA made machines. The case handle was now secured to the lid in conjunction with the foot controller bracket. The clasp style also changed. 1954 The classic "Egyptian Scroll" or "Celtic" decals were replaced with what is now referred to as the "Paperclip" or "Prism" design. Bobbin winder was changed from the beveled to the solid stamped wheel. The manual style changed from the classic vertical green to the horizontal dark blue style but was only seen with some Featherweights. All others had the classic version. 1959 "Red S" Singer Logo was added to the badge, replacing the traditional vibrating shuttle logo. The "Red S Badge" continued through 1961. These are found on Featherweights made in the UK. 1961 Production ceased for black Singer Featherweights. 1961-1969 Two new colors of Featherweights were on the scene. Color #1 -- The Tan Featherweight was more like a black Featherweight with the longer bed extension and internal gear driven mechanism. This color Featherweight was manufactured mostly at the St. John's Factory in Quebec, Canada. Color #2 -- Officially called "Pale Turquoise" and often referred to as "celery green", but more commonly known now as a "White Featherweight". The case was mint green and ivory or light blue and navy. The White Featherweight had many cosmetic differences in addition to an internal belt drive. Save