Vintage Featherweight Sewing Machines

As a quilt shop owner, you've decorated your shop with a vintage Featherweight sewing machine. That helped you establish relationships with Featherweight enthusiasts. In this conversation, to help you further here's a little information from my friend, a huge fan of Featherweights.

She has purchased, restored, and sold at least 80 Featherweight machines. She also restores the cases. My friend still has 24 in the house. She inherited her first Featherweight in 2010 and had never before worked on an electric sewing machine. She was a treadle girl all the way! To get over her fear of an electric sewing machine, my friend decided to take it apart, clean, and restore it. After that, she was hooked!

Featherweight machines are easy to repair.

They only have a straight stitch; almost anyone can maintain their own machine. They are so lightweight that their portability makes them a favorite for quilting classes and retreats. Some, like this one were built with a table that collapses and stores easily but are still portable.

Quilters rarely, if ever, need more than a straight stitch. Many Featherweights also have a longer bed than modern machines, so they are good for piecing. My friend's favorite Featherweight is 1933-4, the first year that they were made. She says they have stronger motors and are hard to find.

My friend says that irreparable machines are parted out to repair others, but she has only parted out 3 out of the 80 she has purchased. Only a few folks have the tools to repair a machine with a bend shaft, for example. This one is okay.

There are only two models of Featherweight. The 221 model is more common and can be had for a reasonable price. The 222 model has extra features such as a detachable bed and feed dogs that can drop for free motion quilting. The 222 models were never imported to the US, so they are more expensive; $1500-$2400. They are available in Canada and other UK countries.

Those of us who are in love with our computerized machines will have a tough time understanding a passion for vintage Featherweights, but if you've ever had to send out your computerized machine for repairs, you might just get a longing for a vintage Featherweight!