I have a 1951 Featherweight. She is so wonderful for piecing. I have a VIking Diamond and a Viking SE but that Featherweight makes just the prettiest straight stitch! I have her professionally cleaned and I do the oil stuff every time I use her. I love taking her to class for Timbleberries or for and 30's quilts! She is a workhorse and so lightweight compared to my computer machines!
http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/278/CC27E2293CF4B22F93E0B12C184EFB24.png
Mine is from 1955 and I, too, love taking mine to classes. So light to carry and easy to set up. I wouldn't trade mine for any of the new machines out there.
Southwest Florida
Hi Judi and all,
Mine is a 1946, I do the oil and grease thing but also have her professionally cleaned and taken care of. I do so love the portability and the sound of that little motor churning away is wonderful.
I am a "Featherweight 221 Nut". I just discovered them a few years ago and now own 6 of them. Of course I can't sew on all of them at one time so my excuse for my collection is so that I will have one to hand down to each of our grandchildren. You are correct - they do have a lovely straight stitch, in fact the prettiest stitch I have seen since I owned one of the first electric White machines made. You will love all the attachments that go with the FW 221's as well. I am still trying to collect attachments for my collection of machines. Once the FW 221 bug bites you there is no cure for it!! Have fun. Dianne
Diane, I don't think I've welcomed you to QCA, so welcome!
If you're looking for attachments for the FW, you might try
http://www.221parts.com/
Gillette, WY
Cool site Judy. I think the FWs are so cute!
Life is like a quilt...bits & pieces, joy & sorrow, stitched with love
Thanks Judy this is a great site.
Spud, I'm sttill waiting for a pic of your treadle machine!
Sandy Hicks: Spud, I'm sttill waiting for a pic of your treadle machine!
Sorry, I forgot. I will try to get that done this morning.
I have had my FW for about 6 months now, and I love it for all the reasons already listed. Mine is a green/white and it came with a matchine case. Love to take it to guild. My featherweight guru is named Jeramie.
Masufa Klamath Falls,OR
Masufa
Klamath Falls,OR
Oh, you are so lucky! I understand the green/white ones are really rare.
Hi Judy, yeah that's what I hear also. A friend bought it off E-Bay and said it had a odor that she couldn't stand so she was selling it, I let the box set out in the sun all day and most of the odor went away so then I discovered that there is a cardboard bottom in the box and when I removed the card board the odor instantly went away.
I love my Featherwight. I have a viking designer se and a diamond (as well as an Elna diva) but I really love to piece on my Featherweight. It may not do all the fancy dancy stitches, but it has the best straight stitch and never eats my fabric.! It is so easy to carry to class.
My baby is a 1951 model with her original case. "Flossie" the Featherweight has personality and all her original accessories and her original bill! She only needs a bit of oil and a yearly tune up. As she and I are about the same age, she gives me hope I have as many good years as she!
Hi Masufa, I have two fw and one smelled like it had come from a pig barn, that is the one that I use I left it out for a while and it got betterbut my friend suggested a bar of soap put in the case would help and it sure did the job. I sure love sewing on my featherweight "stinky" and my other one is named after her first owner ,Marcia. I'm still waiting to sew with that one. I bought it on E-bay. The only reason I even bid on it was because it was from Milwaukee where I live and I thought if I got it I could pick it up in person. Well, I did get it and got the suprize of my life. I was numb when I walked out of the store and still am in schock. It was owned by a member of the "Papst"family. I have contacted the Pabst mansion committe and told them of my purchase and they verified that she was indeed part of the family, I still don't know what she looked like but she was the wife of August Pabst and they are the ones who "made the beer that made Milwaukee famous" . I'm thrilled to have this bit of Americana and I'm afraid to let just anyone mess with it, including me until it has been oiled and looked over very well.
K White
What a piece of Americana, K! I'm surprised the company didn't ask if they could have it for their museum, if they have a museum.