The Singer Featherweight sewing machine is a marvel of engineering and has been such a wonderful part of the sewing world for almost seventy years that it has a huge following forty years after the last machine was produced. Introduced in 1933, the little sewing machine is made of cast aluminum so that it weighs only eleven pounds. When the last models rolled off the production line, they were almost identical to the 1933 machines, the main differences throughout the years being cosmetic. Most of the machines were black while a few were white, tan, and maybe even a few green ones. During World War II, the little machine was produced in a matte wrinkled finish so that the military could use them without the brilliant black finish reflecting sunlight!

For a complete history of the Featherweight, find yourself a copy of "Featherweight 221 - The Perfect Portable" by Nancy Johnson-Srebo. This book is full of history, tips to help you date your machine, and a full reproduction of an owner's manual. There is a section on troubleshooting your machine, and many suggestions on how to fix it yourself. It's a must for every Featherweight owner.

For every day sewing, a Featherweight is a real joy, producing beautiful even stitches hour after hour. However, it is important to remember a few points if you want your little machine to perform at its best.

1. Make sure the machine is clean. The Featherweight hates little bits of thread wrapped around its bobbin area. Turn your Featherweight over so you can look at the bottom (unplug it first and it's best to remove the needle for this operation). There is a little opening right below the bobbin area. Use a flashlight to help you look through the opening. You will see the backside of the bobbin holder mechanism. Turn the machine over slowly using the hand wheel. You will find a collection of lint and you may find strands of thread wrapped around and inside the assembly. Use a round toothpick to loosen the thread and pull it out with tweezers. Go slow and be patient, you'll finally get it all out. If you are adventuresome, remove the bottom cover. This will give you a better view of the bobbin holder area, and a little more room to maneuver your tweezers.



2. Make sure the machine is lubricated. A well-lubricated machine runs smooth and easy. If yours is getting noisy, it probably needs lubricating. There are 36 oiling points, 2 lubricant points on the machine, and 2 lubricant points on the motor. If you can, find a copy of the picture of the oiling points that is in the owner's manual. When lubricating, use only Singer brand oil and use it sparingly! One drop of oil at each point is sufficient. Use only Singer Lubricant to grease the gears, which are under the spool pin cover and under the bottom cover. Squeeze about a half-inch of lubricant on each gear and turn the machine by hand to distribute it. The motor should never be oiled! Squeeze a little of the Singer lubricant into each of the two grease tubes which are located at the belt end of the machine on the top of the motor and on the side of the motor at the other end. If you find the oiling process overwhelming, be sure to take the machine to a qualified technician for cleaning and lubricating on a regular basis.



3. Make sure the needle is in correctly and that the bobbin is in its case properly. A Featherweight will drop stitches and otherwise misbehave if either of these two areas is not correct. The needle is inserted with the round side of the needle to the right. Remember: Round is Right! Tweezers may help you insert the needle while keeping the round side to the right. Be sure you do not have a bent needle. If you have any doubts, replace with a new one. As to the bobbin, hold a full bobbin in your right hand so that you can see the side of the bobbin. The thread should fall off the left side of the bobbin. Hold the bobbin case in your left hand with the open side facing you. Place the bobbin in the case with the thread still falling off to its left side. Pull the thread into the slot on the bobbin case until it passes by the spring and comes out of the little slot at the end of the spring.



4. Make sure the machine is threaded properly. A Featherweight is threaded a little differently from most sewing machines and will break thread like crazy if improperly threaded! The most critical area is the needle. The needle is threaded right to left! Don't forget the little threading hook at the bottom of the shaft holding the needle. Find yourself a threading diagram or get a "Featherweight Friend" to show you the proper threading arrangement.



5. Make sure the bobbin case holder's "finger" is in the notch of the throat plate. A Featherweight will not sew if this condition exists. If you have removed the throat plate for cleaning or replacement, be sure to get the finger in the notch before you screw down the throat plate. Look at the bobbin end of the machine by raising the extension table. Notice that the throat plate has a notch in it with two tiny screws on each side of the notch. A little extension (the "finger") on the bobbin case holder should be in the notch. If the finger is not in the notch, remove the throat plate, rotate the bobbin case holder so that the finger is facing straight up and maneuver the throat plate into position so that the notch catches the finger.

Here are a few miscellaneous tips.

• Never wind new thread over old when filling the bobbin. Always start with an empty bobbin.
• A good quality automobile paste wax/cleaner is the best thing to clean and shine your Featherweight. Find one that says it can be used on "clear coat" paint.
• Never use pins or other steel instruments to pick thread or other stuff out of the machine. Many parts are soft and can be scratched. Use a round wooden toothpick instead.
• When you have finished sewing a seam, turn the hand wheel so that the take up lever (the lever on the end of the machine that moves up and down when you sew) is at its highest position. This makes pulling the cloth out much easier. Be sure to pull the cloth straight back as you remove it from the machine.

A Featherweight is more than just a little sewing machine. Each one seems to have a personality of its own, some with a few more quirks than others, but all quickly become a member of the family. Baby your Featherweight and it will last to be treasured by your heirs.