Heritage Keepsakes Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I noticed from reading some of the posts listed here on the forum, that a lot of quilters use the old singer featherweights for piecing. As I don't have one, could someone please tell me why they prefer to piece on one of these, rather than a newer machine? I'm very interested to hear what all the featherweight owners say on this. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy Bland Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Hi Julie, I don't own a featherweight, yet, but my table companion at patchwork group does and her machine is super quiet, sews beautifully and is just drop-dead cute to look at. It never throws a tantrum like lots of modern machines and being very low-tech, easy to fix if something does go wrong and parts and accessories, like 1/4" foot are readily available. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sallyquilt Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I own a featherweight, well, yes, I own one but I lent it to my daughter to use before she bought a new machine. It sews a great stitch, is quiet, but best of all, is as it's name says, a featherweight. So much easier. smaller and lighter to carry this to guild meetings/retreats than the newer machines. If all that is needed on the project is a straight stitch, then having this little gem is the answer. IMHO, Sally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 from what i understand, since the machine only makes a straight stitch, it's the most consistent and as near perfect a straight stitch as you can get. and it is so simple to use that you waste little time fussing with it. they are so light that they are great class machines. (ever tried to lug a bernina up a couple of flights of stairs? ugh!) at the aqs show in lancaster they had a bunch for sale, and he gave me a good lesson on them. not to mention they are as cute as can be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I also own a featherweight. Everyone is right, it is as cute as it can be. They are a little slower than a new machine, hence, I still haul my Juki 98 around. As I am getting older and weaker I think I will have to start lifting weights if I want to continue w/the Juki. It is so darn heavy and only does a straight stitch but goes like a bat out of ____. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Featherweights are just plain fun to sew on! I don't keep mine set up for use all the time, but I take it in my 5th Wheel camping and to retreats and to my girlfriends house to quilt. Meg is correct; any machine that sews only a staight stitch has no play in the needle bar (side to side for zig zag, etc) and sews a beautiful stitch. They are easy to work on; you can re-time your own, etc. Information is readily available on the web. You can also purchase 1/4" feet and guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Featherweights do the perfect stitch and you can buy new quarter inch feet for them. They only weigh 11 pounds and are great for classes and retreats. It can do just about anything if you have the right attachment, from zigzag to buttonholes to blind hemstitch. Check out Ebay for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I love my Featherweight, but it can, at times, be a little fussy with threads. It is much, much quieter than my Bernina and so much lighter! I love to take it on retreats. I think my Bernina weighs about 40 pounds compared to about 11 for the Featherweight. Plus, my Featherweight is so pretty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryjo2003 Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Yes to all of the above! They're just fun and cute! I taught a group of 6th, 7th and 8th graders to sew in an after school program. I took in 4 different sewing machines and they all argued over the featherweight. It was definately the fav! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Featherweights are so cute and very dependable. I got mine from an antique dealer few years ago, had it serviced and runs so good. Goes to classes when I teach, light and portable. Corey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol rubeck Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I also love my featherweight. However, it is pretty slow. When I hosted a "1600 jellyroll quilt race" recently and tried to keep up with my friend's newer machines.....they left me in their dust! Didn't take long for me to run to the sewing room and get my Babylock.....(thank goodness I had the option of another machine or I might still be working on it) Don't know what I was thinking! I still didn't win, but at least finished before they all went home. Everyone is right about the featherweight, including it's fussiness with thread. But most times that is easy to remedy. And it's so cute!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Julie: Featherweights are great. No one has mentioned the great case that was made for them, and come with most of the machines today. (that's probably why so many are in such good condition after being around 60 to 80 years) Compact, sturdy, and easy to carry. Also, as small as the Featherweights are, the throat is as large as many much bigger modern machines. Anyone who is having trouble with threads needs to have someone service their machine. Properly adjusted, they will sew almost anything. It is amazing the heavy stuff a Featherweight will sew. Way more than you'd ever guess. The Featherweight also has a folding extension that doubles the work area. They have a rotary bobbin system just like your longarm, and no electronic boards to fail. Give them a little oil once in a while, and they will go forever. They do stitch slow, but that helps when you're doing precision work. These are machines designed and built when American manufacturing was really something. The quality of Singer's manufacturing far surpasses anything made today. First rate materials and precision construction. These machines were made to actually last a lifetime. As a single purpose quilt piecing machine, you just can't beat a Singer Featherweight. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Carol, if your machine is running slow, it could be the belt; the belt may not appear to be tight, but it is. It also can make your foot control hot. Loosen up your belt a tiny bit and see what happens. It's easy. I have three featherweights and they all sew fairly fast, depending on belt tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I use my featherweights quite often. They are not only lightweight...but have a wonderful straight stitch for piecing. I wouldn't be without mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Just a note, and this may be unpopular, but I say what I think and there it is. Quilting and sewing is not a race. Featherweights sew plenty fast for me. A 1600 Jellyroll quilt is, for me (just my opinion), a severe waste of fabric. There are lots of jellyroll friendly books out there. Go buy one, take your time, use a Featherweight, and make a lovely quilt. Not just a random ugly thing that you whipped together and you won because you sewed it the fastest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Linda S. I need to tell you that I enjoyed your post above. Some jelly roll quilts can look nice, but the true design and color placement in a quilt are part of what draws me. It is fun to be able to be the first at something but doing it well and to your own satisfaction is wonderful when you see it finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Von Roberts Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Sorry Linda but I can't totally agree with you about the 1600 Jelly Roll quilt being a waste of fabric as you use the whole roll and finish up with an interesting but yes a simple quilt. Recently I taught a group of non quilting women to each make one of these quilts. Armed with a jelly roll and their sewing machines they all enjoyed their day as well they were thrilled to have achieved something they were proud off. As long as they could sew a reasonably straight , I wasn't fussy about a quarter inch seam and at the end of the day all had a quilt top finished. As well, it has sparked an interest in continuing to learn to make quilts. Yes I do enjoy making complicated and precise quilt blocks that make beautiful quilts but sometimes we do have to be practical. Yvonne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 i taught a group of kids to quilt with a friend using the 1600 quilt. they were very proud of their completed quilts. they are indeed practical quilts. they are wonderful for the homeless too. you can use oddball wider strips and build them rather quickly and use cheaper fabric. in this case...the uglier the better. otherwise, the homeless tend to have their quilts stolen from them...believe it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianne Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I have a featherweight that goes with me to retreats and classes because it is so compact and light weight. My only complaint is the spool of thread "bobbling" (the thread seems to tug and then spring off of the spool) and when I use a cone with a cone holder at the back of the machine, the machine works fine and then again a thread tug. This can play a bit of havoc with my tension. Any thoughts on how I can sovle this problem??? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Featherweights - for piecing......... Julie all of the above. You know I love all 8 of mine. BUT you said you had no more room for machines!!! I know one would fit into one of your sewing rooms, if you didn't tell you could maybe hide two ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWBowser Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 I love the featherweight to take to classes because the case is compact and easy to carry. I like the way it sews. I learned to sew on my mother's featherweight when I was 5 years old. It will sew through almost anything. I have made coats, pants, skirts slip covers, curtains and quilts. I have 4 of them now. I will keep collecting them when they come up for sale. You can't go wrong and you can do a lot of the cleaning and adjusting yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage Keepsakes Posted April 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Originally posted by Busy Quilting Featherweights - for piecing......... Julie all of the above. You know I love all 8 of mine. BUT you said you had no more room for machines!!! I know one would fit into one of your sewing rooms, if you didn't tell you could maybe hide two ! Yes, I know Lyn, but I just got thinking......... and after reading all the virtues of a featherweight which appears to have virtually no vices, it may be a good idea to have one.:cool: Thanks to everyone who answered this post. I might have to just start looking seriously now!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 As I said - just my opinion about the 1600 quilts! Julie - I know someone (Ellen) who has a Featherweight she'd like to sell if you're interested. I could give you her email address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunningThreads Posted April 1, 2012 Report Share Posted April 1, 2012 Dianne Glenn Williams sells a spool pin coil spring (stops spool rattling) for about a buck. He can supply any part you need for your machine at a reasonable cost. http://pages.suddenlink.net/joyof301s/glenn.htm Brenda has one on her machince and it seems to work. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianne Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Thanks Nigel, I 'll send off an email and see what happens.....dianne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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