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.

Today, in part 4 of the Getting To Know Your Featherweight Series, you will learn how to thread a Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine from start to finish.Suggested Products:1) Crosswound Spool of thread: Aurifil or Presencia2) Thread Stand or Thread Post3) Schmetz Needles4) Thread Cutterz or Thread Snips5) Super Easy Machine Needle Threader6) Singer Featherweight Instruction Manual 221 or 222 To begin, you will need to turn the handwheel (which is technically called a “balance wheel”) towards you until the thread take-up lever is at its highest position. Turning the handwheel in the proper direction is something important to remember! You always, always, always want to turn the handwheel towards you and not away from you. Even if you are sewing in reverse, the handwheel will still be turned toward you – in the same direction and manner as in the video tutorial. If you ever turn the handwheel away from you it causes the thread to catch incorrectly around the bobbin assembly and can result in a thread jam…. But not to worry if that happens accidentally, because there is a video tutorial (from the Featherweight Schoolhouse page) to help with removing the jammed thread. Now you will need to determine what kind of thread spool you are using. Is it a stacked spool or a cross-wound spool? A stacked spool has thread that is wound round and round stacking the thread strands one on top of the other. A cross-wound spool has thread that wound on the spool in a crisscross pattern. If you are using a stacked spool of thread then place the spool on the spool pin. Your thread will go directly from the spool to the first upper thread guide... Like this: If using an Aurifil cross-wound spool then it helps to remove the bottom orange disk so the thread doesn’t get caught on the bottom and will unwind smoothly as it goes to the needle. With a cross-wound spool then it is highly recommended that you use a Thread Stand or Thread Post that is designed specifically for the Featherweight. There is has an excellent video tutorial on the Featherweight Schoolhouse on the importance of using a Thread Stand. Shop Thread Stand for Singer Featherweight 221 or 222 HereShop Thread Post for Vintage Singer Sewing Machines Here Cross-wound spools require the thread to be lifted off the spool, versus pulled from the side (which causes a wobble of the spool). Bring the thread strand first to the stand’s upper guide then back down through the hole at the base of the shaft, then directly over to the first upper thread guide on the machine. NEW, Updated Thread Path! Now your thread won't slip out of the Thread Stand guide whether you use it for a spool on the top of the machine or with a cone at the back! Simply thread the hole through the base of the shaft before going to the first thread guide on the machine. Like this.... When using larger cones - you simply adjust the placement of the Thread Stand to accommodate front to back, which allows the thread to flow easily off of the cone from the table as shown below. The remaining steps for threading the machine will be the same for all spool types. Place your right hand on the thread to hold it taut for the next couple of steps….. Using your left hand, grab the thread and bring it straight down and slip it between the tension disks. Make sure it’s between the disks and not in front or behind them. Bring the thread around and under the take-up spring, continuing on around. The take-up spring should raise up as the thread is brought all the way around and into the retaining fork on the tension unit. Then direct the thread behind the wire thread guide (directly above the tension unit). Next, go up and through the take-up lever from right to left. Bring the thread down and into the eyelet on the faceplate. Usually, you can catch the thread from the back of the eyelet. Continue threading to the next lower wire thread guide as well as the last needle clamp thread guide directly above the needle. Some Featherweights have this last guide situated in such a way that the thread enters from the right, but most Featherweights have the thread entering this last guide from the left. Remember from our last video how important it was to have the flat side of the needle facing left? Well, this last threading step is just as important, too, for proper stitch formation. The thread goes through the needle from the right to the left – or an easy way to remember is INSIDE OUT. From inside the machine to the outside. If the thread or needle is difficult to see then be sure to try our super easy machine needle threader in the shop. It takes away the hit & miss guesswork and easily threads the needle! The instruction manual says to draw about 2 inches of thread through the eye of the needle, but we recommend pulling several inches to have more to work with before you sew. Once you get used to threading your machine the proper way, you’ll zip through machine threading every time, no matter what kind of thread spool you use! Be sure to review video #1, 2 and 3 in this Getting To Know Your Featherweight series because our next tutorial will be all about how to pull the bobbin thread up to the surface and prepare for sewing! NEXT: Getting To Know Your Featherweight Part 5: Prepare for Sewing

Oiling your machine can seem intimidating for the mechanically-challenged, but like most things I'll cover here, it becomes quick and eas...

"Is this a good price?", "How do I know if anything is wrong with the machine?", "Are some Singer Featherweights better than others?", and "What do I look for when purchasing a Singer Featherweight?" - these are all common questions we receive from those on the hunt for their first Singer Featherweight. Buying a Singer 221 or 222 can certainly be intimidating, but we do have some tips and cautions that can help you make the right decision when searching for a machine. What is a good price? When gauging the price of a machine or comparing prices of machines that have already sold, remember that a "good deal" is when both buyer and seller are satisfied with the price. The prices of a standard Singer Featherweight range considerably when sold in the private sector, so it may help to get an average by asking Featherweight owners what they have paid locally or by checking the completed listings category on eBay. Question number 2 on our FAQs page has more economic details on this topic. Here are some factors that can make one Featherweight worth more than another: Sold by a Reputable Dealer - Vintage Singer Featherweight 221 & 222 models are no longer sold alongside all the plastic machines at the local Singer dealer, but there are reputable technicians that specialize, service and sell Featherweights. Keeping that in mind, the old saying "you get what you pay for" still has meaning in this genre. If a Featherweight has been professionally serviced, cleaned, refurbished or completely restored and repainted by a bona fide Featherweight specialist, the machine will command a higher price than those sold in the private sector. Here at the Featherweight Shop, we have an extensive refurbishing process that all of our machines go through; this and our nearly 15-year reputation in the Featherweight business gives buyers assurance that the machine will not only beautifully present itself right out of the box, but that it will stitch smoothly for years and years to come. Moreover, as professionals, we are able to offer a 2-year warranty as well as technical support and service from our staff. Overall Cosmetic Condition - The condition of a machine has a great effect on value. Good decals, few scratches and paint nicks or chips, shiny chrome parts and a reflective painted surface make a Featherweight more desirable. The better the condition, the greater the demand. As demand increases for these higher quality Featherweights (and the vintage supply decreases) price increases as well. Therefore, an objective grading scale is important. Click here to view the Singer Featherweight grading scale. Defining the highest standard - a grade 10: The only time a grade 10 should ever be given to a Singer Featherweight is if it was found in its original packaging, sealed, and consequently never used or touched since its manufacturing. With sewing machines being utilitarian and a household tool meant for everyday use, this leaves the next highest number slightly more attainable - a grade 9. Even still, a grade 9 machine should be scrupulously examined. All these things considered, higher graded machines will command a higher price. Attachments and Accessories - A Featherweight with more original attachments and accessories will have more value than one with few or none. Accessories sometimes varied from year to year, but click here to see what items originally accompanied the Featherweight at time of purchase. Singer also offered a wide variety of Fashion Aids to help beautify and further embellish home sewing. Skill levels varied, of course, and some of these attachments would have only been desirable by a professional seamstress. With only a few of these advanced attachments manufactured and sold, many of them are highly collectible today. If any of these collectible fashion aids, attachments or accessories just happen to be tucked in a machine case, this will increase the value of the machine offered as well. Click here for all the Singer Attachments that would have been compatible with the Singer Featherweight. (Some of them are extremely scarce to find and valued higher than the machine itself!) The Case - One of the most distinguishing elements of the Featherweight sewing machine is its handy little case. Many Featherweights still have their original case, and that does add considerable value. Click here to see what the various Featherweight cases looked like and how they changed in style over the years. Some are more scarce to find than others. How do I know if something is wrong with the machine? Because the mechanical components of a Featherweight are metal, almost any malfunction of the machine can be fixed; however, some repairs are costly and can turn what seems to be a good deal into something well over budget. To help prevent a surprise and problem machine (and buying from a professional Featherweight specialist is out of budget range) then we recommend purchasing a Featherweight that can be test-sewn before buying. Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace allows local sellers to connect with local buyers and can be an excellent opportunity to sew on the machine before making a final purchase decision. Buyers that do their homework can also assess in person whether all the necessary parts are included. It is common for sewing machines to be missing the vintage original bobbin case. Replica bobbin cases are less valuable than an original because they have a reputation for being poorly made and rarely function to form a proper stitch. A seller who has quickly bought a replica to make a machine complete probably has no idea that it makes a vast difference in the value of the Featherweight being operational and complete. Know and learn the part numbers, because an original bobbin case can be a costly replacement. SIMANCO 45750 = vintage original bobbin case. 45751 = Poorly made replica. That being said, we have specially made, guaranteed high quality replica bobbin cases, but they have a different part number for easy reference (45751TFS). They are not to be confused with any other replica brands or parts. Along with the original bobbin case, sometimes even the foot controller is missing, too. Both of these parts are imperative to operating the Featherweight, so make sure to ask about them and know their individual value if they are not present with the machine. The electrical cord on the foot controller can easily be replaced or rewired , but if the original is compromised and unsafe to even test the Featherweight then this should be a monetary factor to consider as well, taking everything else into consideration. After confirming that a Singer Featherweight is complete, here are a few things to watch for that indicate the need for some costly repairs or replacement parts. A Smoking Motor - Smoke coming from the motor is almost always a sign that oil has been put in the motor instead of proper grease. Oil or vaseline will cause the wiring insulation on the inside to break down due to overheating. If a motor is in this state, it will need to be rewound. Click here for more information about our motor rewinding service. A Slow Machine - A Featherweight that runs slow does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with the machine. Look for a belt that is too tight, a bobbin winder firmly pressed against the belt or even a Featherweight that needs a routine service of oil and lubrication. Any or all of these issues can cause it to run slow. A weak motor in need of rewinding can be the culprit of a slow machine as well, but before making that diagnosis, adjust the belt properly, and turn the handwheel by hand. If belt is adjusted well and the machine then turns very easily upon rotating the handwheel, the motor probably needs serviced and assessed for rewinding. Broken Hook Assembly Parts - Featherweight hook assemblies are susceptible to damage when too much force is used to release a thread jam. Vintage original hook assembly parts are in low supply and can be quite expensive. Thus, before making a Featherweight purchase, learn all about the hook assembly and check each part closely. (Click here to view all the hook assembly components.) Knowing how to spot a damaged hook assembly on a Singer Featherweight can help determine the machine's true value. There are a few simple issues that even a novice Featherweight owner can often quickly troubleshoot and fix. Skipped stitches Bobbin thread that won't pick up with the needle Thread that breaks Thread that loops and makes a knotted mess If a Singer Featherweight is doing any of these things, the following video tutorial will equip any potential buyer to discern the causes quickly: Troubleshooting Stitch Problems. Are some Featherweights better than others? All Featherweights have the same stitch-forming components, but there are definitely nuances in the various years that make some more desirable than others. Click here to see the pros and cons of each Featherweight year by year. And, click here to view the various specialty Featherweights that are very collectible. The Historical Timeline can be helpful as well, marking so many of the intricate changes Singer made to the Singer Featherweight 221 and 222 over the years. Finding a Featherweight can be an exciting and challenging adventure! Although it may seem overwhelming, this blog post can be a guide to making an informed decision, leading many quilters and sewists to a machine that will give years of sewing enjoyment.

I've created the Pricing Guide for Vintage Sewing Machines that will help you answer the question, “Is this a good price to pay for a vintage sewing machine?”. This PDF download is full of information to help you determine what price you should pay when you find your perfect machine(s). While I

If you stumbled upon an old cast-iron sewing machine at a yard sale, you may have dismissed it as a relic of a bygone era. Vintage sewing machines almost always outlast modern machines. Which leads

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

For a few years now, I have been wanting to make the sewing machine mat and cover that is featured in Lori Holt's book Quilty Fun. So, when she recently released her new Prim fabric line, I thought it was the perfect time to make this for our little sewing studio (as well as for me to use when I go on any sewing retreats!) It was an enjoyable project, and the fabrics came together so beautifully, that we decided to offer this as a kit, available to order here. The kit does include the Quilty Fun pattern book which, besides the Sewing Machine Mat & Cover, is chock full of other fun projects and quilt inspiration! Her instructions have all the elements of a tutor at your side and each little step will put you at ease as you begin something new. ********************************************* To make the Sewing Machine Cover & Mat, the first thing I had to do was select a good sampling of assorted prints according to the pattern instructions. If purchasing a complete kit, then be assured, enough variety has been included for you to make a beautiful scrappy design.... just like the one you see in the photos on this blog post. Being that the spools were front and center, I selected the prints for those first, followed by the prints I wanted to use for all the hourglass units. I'm one of those that never trusts the precut measurements with the pinked edges, so I take the time to trim them off when cutting for a pattern. This isn't always feasible if wanting to get the most cuts out of one square, but for this pattern, I could be as particular as I wanted to be. Using Sue Daley's round, rotating cutting mat is a wonderful companion to most any Lori Holt pattern. The compact size allows me to trim and rotate the fabric piece easily. As you will recall throughout our Sew Along that finished up earlier this year, I am always reaching for the Itty Bitty Eights rulers for trimming and squaring up. Having the dashed lines allows for easier visibility of the fabric to trim as accurately as possible. See how the small dashed lines dissects the edges of the fabric? Now I know my piece is aligned perfectly to trim the excess pinked edge. For Lori Holt's technique, you will simply have to purchase her pattern book or kit. The technique I use for sewing hourglasses involves my most-used ruler - the Folded Corner Clipper. To make an hour glass block, no matter how large or small, you have to sew four triangles together. There are a number of techniques, but I find that precutting and sewing the triangles together first is the fastest and most accurate for my sewing abilities. Once the first set of triangles are all cut, I pair them together and chain-piece them till they are all sewn. I prefer to use the Seam Square and Featherweight Accurate Seam Guide for the accurate quarter-inch seam allowance. I press my seams to the dark side. For those of you who are new, the iron you'll see me use nearly all the time is the cordless Panasonic, and the ironing surface is the Alpaca Pressing Mat. I have used (and still own) the vintage Singer and Durabilt irons. One can rarely go wrong with most things vintage when it comes to quality, but their "vintage" electrical quality has given me cause to pause many times over the years (like finding my iron still on the next morning, because I forgot to turn it off the night before.......) So, I have made the switch to the safer Panasonic Cordless Iron and not looked back. Although, I never put water in it, because I like to dry press while I sew my blocks, there is a water reservoir for those who like a little steam when pressing. Continuing with the hourglass construction, pair them up with each other and repeat the cutting and chain-piecing process. Having pressed the units to the dark side, I was careful to pair them up so the seams were opposite one another. Ready for chain-piecing, round two!Sometimes pressing open can help minimize seam bulk later on in the sewing and assembly process. Trim as directed in the pattern instructions and you have your hourglass units! Aren't they so pretty?! Now the fun begins with laying them out and sorting for visual appeal. This step reminds me of a reverse jigsaw puzzle: making sure the prints and fabric designs go together properly, but without too much focus of color in one area. The prints need to blend and blend nicely! To put the sewing machine cover & mat together, I am going to attempt to show you in photographic form how to chain piece the entire mat as one solid unit. To understand the concept, step back for a moment and visualize this layout as one giant block rather than a quilt top. How would you put it together, if it were one block so that you could maximize the chain-piecing process? If you guessed, "sewing it in columns" you would be correct! So, let's begin. First, sew column B to column A by flipping over all the column B pieces and laying them on top of column A pieces. Chain piece this first column, beginning with the top two piece units and sequentially sewing the next unit pair and the next and the next until your first column is chain pieced. DO NOT CUT THE CHAINS BETWEEN YOUR UNITS (only cut the chain after sewing the bottom unit)! You can see in the pressing photo above how the chains are holding the sewn and pressed units together. The chains must remain connected this way throughout the entire sewing time. Trust me, it works! ;) Now, begin stacking your next column, like this, keeping the top piece on top as you stack. They must remain in top down order, right side up! The Sew Handy Stickers work great for this. Follow with the remaining columns so you can quickly sew each column, one right after the other. Continue sewing your columns together this way but again, DO NOT CUT THE CHAINS IN BETWEEN THE UNITS! The chains will act as a link to form the rows when you are all finished and it is an exciting challenge to accomplish. I press as I sew a column, pressing each unit seam, above and below, in the opposite direction. This will make for easier row sewing as the seams will nest together. Can you see the little chains? They are NOT cut! Now the rows are ready to sew together! Because of the chains holding the rows together, I won't have to worry about getting pieces or rows mixed up and the seams are already nesting from how they were pressed. Begin with the top two rows, leaving the chains intact, lay right sides together and sew the first row seam. Continue with each subsequent row seam until your sewing machine mat & cover top is completely sewn. DO NOT CUT THE CONNECTING CHAINS! They will eventually just disappear into the mat and you won't have to worry about them at all. To reduce bulk, I pressed the row seams open. Voila! Isn't it pretty?! Sew the spool section as instructed. If using the kit, you will notice that Nutmeg Shabby fabric print is used for the top and bottom spools to represent the old-fashioned wooden spools of yesteryear. Layer the top, batting and backing as instructed. It is not required to quilt such a small project, but I wanted a little stability, so using the Singer Featherweight designed Walking Foot, I stitched every other column and row, using the hourglass points as my guide for the quilting lines. Notice the stitch length for quilting. With so many layers, a longer stitch length is needed to prevent any puckering. My machine is set at about 6-7 stitches per inch. To form the pockets, quilt all layers and sew as directed. TIP: Start sewing at the top of the pocket, working your way to the bottom edge. Any puckering will be absorbed in the binding and won't be seen. Add ties as instructed (and if desired) and bind the Sewing Machine Cover & Mat using your favorite quilt binding methods and techniques. Before taking the mat & cover down to the shop sewing studio for use, I had to quickly test it out by setting my black Singer Featherweight 222 on top of the sewing cabinet. I love the Sea Glass Shabby Fabric for the ties -- they are so cute!! Pockets are perfect for so many sewing notions! Wonderclips, rotary cutter, thread snips, thread, scissors, bobbin roll, small cutting ruler and even the necessary retractable seam ripper! ORDER SEWING MACHINE MAT & COVER KIT HERE

What is the Birthdate of My Singer Featherweight? To date your Singer Featherweight, you will need to locate the serial number on the bottom of your machine. It has two letters followed by a series of six numbers. Using the serial number you can use the three charts below to find the date when your machine was given a batch assignment at the factory. If you do not find your machine serial number listed in any of the three charts, then read through all text and all article links for more references and historical information. Most serial numbers are found on the bottom of a Featherweight next to the bottom tray (left photo), but a few of the early AD models are found inside & underneath the bottom tray (right photo). For sake of easy reference, only the serial numbers that correlate to Singer Featherweights are included in the three charts below. If your serial number series is not listed it could mean 1 of 3 things: Your machine is different than a Singer Featherweight model. Please refer to question #1 on our FAQs page or this article for the notable characteristics of a Featherweight. Your machine truly is a Featherweight, but the records were lost or not accurately recorded at the old Singer factories. Click here for the differences between a 221 or 222. Your Featherweight is among the few that have numbers that are difficult to read properly OR it is miss-stamped. If your serial number is hard to decipher completely, then either take a pencil rubbing or closeup photo of the number for a better reading. If it falls outside of the charts below and you've verified that it is indeed a Featherweight model in option #1 above, then it may be a miss-stamped serial number. The only option then is to guesstimate the date, using the two letter prefix, by referencing the charts below and approximate the commission date based on the serial number sequences. OTHERWISE, THERE ARE NO OTHER ORIGINAL SINGER FEATHERWEIGHT DATE RECORDS PRESERVED OR ARCHIVED. If viewing the chart below on a mobile device, it is best viewed horizontally. ********************************************** There is a long propounded myth that the Singer Company can pinpoint the very day of manufacture of its machines. The date given as a

A collection of frequently asked questions surrounding the Singer Featherweight... from

This is truly amazing what has been designed here. For Singer Featherweight sewing machine owners and lovers, here is a pattern and a tutorial that will show

Singer made a variety of foot controllers over the years, and a few different styles for the Featherweight. All vintage original Featherweight foot controllers are universal and can work with 110 or 220 voltage and with any Featherweight model whether 221 or 222 (the actual plug to the machine may differ, however). In this post you will be able to see the different foot controller variations that were produced for the Featherweight. I. 1933 This was the first controller issued for the Featherweights, and they were issued with approximately the first 200 Featherweight machines ever produced. Not only was it made of sturdy metal, but it can also be distinguished from the next controller because of it being .6 amp instead of the more common .7 amp Featherweight controllers. II. 1933-1935 The second Featherweight foot controller was also metal, with the the same cord design extending out of the right side. These controllers can be distinguished from the previous style by their .7 amp rating. It is an estimation that the first 1,000 cords for the Featherweight controllers were cloth covered. All of the metal foot controllers that Singer made had a different style rubber cushion on the bottom plate. They were not L-shaped nor screwed on (like the later bakelite foot controllers), but were pressed into place. If you need replacement feet for your vintage metal foot controller, they are available here. You can see in both of these original manual illustrations, that the very early metal foot controllers had cords that extended out of the right side of the metal housing. III. 1936 This foot controller was the first bakelite style issued with the Featherweight; on the top are the noticeable venting slots. This style was discontinued by the end of 1936. IV. 1936-1940, 1946-1960s This foot controller is the most common and was issued in the 1930s and again in the late 1940s and into the 1960s. It is bakelite, like the one prior, but the cord comes out the back instead of the side. All 222K Featherweights came with this style controller as well as some White Featherweights. You can see in these illustrations, the bakelite foot controller with the cord extending out of the back of the controller unit. V 1940-1946 These metal controllers look very similar to styles I and II, but the cord on extends out of the left side. Since it was produced during the

The Featherweight is like many other vintage and collectible items; having all the original accessories makes the item more desirable and possibly even more valuable. The question then must be asked,

Long story short-- I am a big yard sale shopper....however lately I haven't been going....sad, I know.

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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,

Are Some 221 Featherweights Better Than Others? A common question we receive here in the shop is,