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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: Shavonne
Date: 04-07-2006, 02:34 PM (1 of 14)
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Hi Everyone!!! I am a total beginner and started a basic sewing class this week. However, I don’t have a sewing machine (currently using classroom machines). The Singer Featherweight 221 looks amazing!!!! I had my eyes set on this machine for about a week now. I know this machine only sews straight stitch only (my class projects will be on straight-stitch), but it looks as if this sewing machine has attachments (a good amount of attachments). If the sewing machine has attachments, then why would it be considered a "straight-stitch only"? I assume by default the machine sews straight stitch w/o attachments, basically the other stitches are not "built in" features? I am a bit confused (need to do more reading!!!). Does anyone own this machine and if so, do you recommend it for a beginner? Once again, I don't need a lot of bells and whistles so I thought this would be a good start. I would like to have a vintage sewing machine. However, I keep hearing it’s more of a quilter’s sewing machine? I saw these beauties on EBAY (a lot of them) for auction!!!! I am a bit skeptical though (too many?). Some of the machines are priced high and some are priced really low, it’s confusing me because I don't know which one to bid on... Some of the machines need repair, some are ready for sewing. How much would you actually spend on this machine that's ready for sewing? I plan to start bidding this weekend on one. Can anyone give a beginner some advice? P.S. I will be sewing vintage clothing!! I *love* Frederick Worth gowns!!! Thanks =0) .... Shavonne |
User: Shavonne
Member since: 04-07-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-07-2006, 03:09 PM (2 of 14)
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The Singer Featherweight 221 was made for many years. That is why there are so many out there. Many of our mothers and grandmothers (and a few of us) learned to sew on them. They are strictly a straight stitch machine. There are no attachments to change that. They are highly sought after even now because they are strong, dependable machines. Many quilters prefer these machines over any other. They are from the golden age of Singer and are a continuation of the treddle and hand crank technology that Singer made a household name. Actually, Singer became a household name because he rebuilt the sewing machine technology and then, to get the machine in the hands of housewives all over the world, he invented the time payment plan. $125 for a machine, $5 a week payments. The attatchments you are asking about are used to help the machine do certain tasks. You may have a ruffler, rolled hemmer or two, zipper foot, any number of attachments. My 1901 hand crank has a box built into the side of its case and it is full of different attachments and guides that came with the machine when it was first purchased. If you are interested in one of these it is highly likely that you'll find one locally in a garage or estate sale or thrift shop for a good price and they may even have the original manual and attachments in a cabinet. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-07-2006, 03:11 PM (3 of 14)
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Here is a little information that might help you decide how old the Featherweights are that you are looking at and a little more information/trivia. http://home.cfl.rr.com/featherweight/dates.htm pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: wghmch
Date: 04-07-2006, 03:36 PM (4 of 14)
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Be very careful about buying on ebay without a lot of expertise. The horror stories of people getting ripped off are all too common. If you want to pay a bit more to be absolutely sure that the one you get is as advertised and arrives in perfect condition, contact Graham Forsdyke at http://www.singer-featherweight.com/ Another seller that I would guarantee to be honest is Bill Eaton, who you can contact at <email address removed for privacy> (Bill is another OSMG like myself, and very careful about what he sells.) Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: Sancin
Date: 04-07-2006, 06:01 PM (5 of 14)
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Shavonne I just have to respond to this. I have a 'new to me' circa 1940 Featherweight and definitely would NOT recommend it as a beginning sewing machine. My first sewing machine was a FW (and I had been sewing for years) and I traded it in in the 70's when zig zag machines came in and fabrics were developed to need zig zag. I recently purchased the FW off ebay - after following auctions for about 3 months daily and reading all the FW sites. A great number of sellers on EBay do not know a thing about sewing and many attachments they are selling are not made for a FW. I wanted a FW for sentimental reasons. My FW was my grandmothers and she gave it to me when I went to university in the late 50's where I made all my clothes and then it travelled many many places with me. I also considered a 'new to me' FW for it's portability. And I do love it - for some things only. I have had a number of different machines my first FW. Primarily Elna's and now an Elna and a Janome. A number of people have asked me what to give their daughters as a first machine. My response is always - an easily handled machine in a good case and a zig zag. If it doesn't have a zig zag a beginner sewer will eventually throw up their hands in frustration. Portability so that it can be put away if the person isn't going to turn out to be a sewer. My own daughter can sew but, but doesn't and I would not give her a FW. I was going to take mine with me to sew this summer for her, but after making a full garment here one day I decided not to and will take and leave one of my Elna's with her. You may think now you will be doing straight sewing, but straight sewn seams have edges that need to be finished and a zig zag is the way to go. Further, there are seams that you want to have a little give to and here again you will use a zig zag. I make button holes by hand but most people want a machine that makes button holes. That is one thing the FW did well, but my current Janome has about 6 different button hole stitches. Attachments for the FW - these came after the original FW was designed and while some like the ruffler and button holer are very nice most are very awkward to attach and the zig zag noisy and not really that controllable - the FW was phased out for a reason. And how often do people put rufflers on clothes these days? I purchased my FW off ebay as it had been serviced but it didn't have any attachments, after conferring with a sewing expert here in my town and finding out that servicing is very expensive. If I were you and you want a cute little machine I would look at the Janome Gems or one of the of the other big companies little machines - eg. Bernina, Pffaf, Huskavarna - all have small editions that can do so much more than you will ever get out of a FW - things that today are considered basic. Essentially FW are collectors items or for experienced sewers (like our grandmothers) who know how to both hand sew and machine sew. Good luck and let us know how you make out with your sewing lessons and machine decisions. *~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 04-08-2006, 12:47 PM (6 of 14)
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I would not take a thousand dollars for my FW, but it is NOT my reccomendation for a beginner.. Yes as others have said you need at least a machine that will zigzag as well as straight stitch.. I would get something like Janome Jem or a similar machine.. I bought my FW used in 1957 from Singer Rental Dept.. Got a new machine guarantee with it.. (in those days Singer guaranteed a machine for life).. They had just changed from 25 years to life.. So, I guess its still in effect.. I haven't needed ever to make a claim on it.. Best $150.00 I ever spent.. I love my "Old Faithful" and use it often.. It handles denim like no other for hems, etc.. Also makes best buttonholes ever made by machine..I used to have the zia zag attachment, but what a noisemaker it was.. I lost it somewhere... (no big deal, cause I did not use it..)
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: bluebirdie
Date: 04-08-2006, 04:24 PM (7 of 14)
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My mom bought me a mechanical straight stich sewing machine 35 yrs ago the first time I try to pick up sewing. Although I love all things mechanical (and electrical), it was limited in what it can do. 20 yrs ago when I tried to pick up sewing the 2nd time, I used a used Brother sewing machine with zig zag. I could do so much more with it than my first. Zig zag machines are so available nowadays, it would be a shame to start with straight stitch only. While bidding on eBay, you may want to stay away from items that are not working and needs repair unless you're fond of fixing things. Make sure the seller has good feedback (I don't know what ISMG mean but that'll work too). The seller either should state the machine is working, or you can email and get a confirmation of its working state. Try out the machine immediately after you receive it. If the machine does not work, you can ask for a refund. Also take into consideration both front shipping and return shipping charges and insurance as they're mostly not refundable. I don't know how much difference these machine costs eBayed vs new. Make sure the difference is greater than your tolerance level otherwise it may not be worth it to buy on eBay. - Robin
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User: bluebirdie
Member since: 03-12-2006 Total posts: 139 |
From: Shavonne
Date: 04-09-2006, 03:16 AM (8 of 14)
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Thanks for the input everyone, this is such a great forum. However, I am so confused about what type of sewing machine to buy. I am a TOTAL beginner...literally. I am finding it very difficult to shop for a sewing machine while being a beginner. I have noticed myself taking an interest in embroidery…and I haven’t even began sewing yet!!! I don't know whether I want a sew-only or sew/embroidery machine. I want to be a dressmaker and sew clothes too…well everything!!! I had been doing all sorts of research on machines. Eventually I would some day like to design a dress with fine fabrics (lace, silk, taffeta, tulle. etc.) with nice embellishments (beads, flowers, etc.). Have you heard of Charles Worth? I want to make gowns just like his (but of course be able to make my own designs one day). I am leaning to sew/embroidery machine even though I am a beginner. There are so many machines. I have seemed to narrow it down to Pfaff and Bernina, but still unsure. I didn’t want to spend too much money, but embroidery is expensive, so I may not have a choice. Also been thinking about looking at Brother and Janome….wow so many... Shavonne |
User: Shavonne
Member since: 04-07-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-09-2006, 08:52 AM (9 of 14)
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A lot of people treat sewing and embroidery as two seperate issues. If it were me, I would probably go with the Janome Gem and get a little experience and see what I like to do before I spend a lot of money. If you want to add an embroidery machine, the Janome 300E would be a nice addition, but I would do it later. The Bernina, Pfaff, Brother, Husky machines will still be there and they'll only be getting better. If you truly want to do designer work, you'll want to take note of what type of sewing you are doing. Do you want to add ribbon, strings of beads, strings of sequins, cording, lots of buttons, there are machines that have feet for that. Do you want to freehand embellish with cording, stipple? There are machinnes with feet and mechanisms for that, but you have to decide how much you want to do and what you want it to look like. Will you need pintuck feet, rolled hemmers, walking feet, teflon feet, special zipper feet, will you do piping? Again, there are machines with feet for all of that, BUT you need to know what kind of things you will be doing. For that reason, I recommend that you start easy, with a minimum of expense. If you decide that you don't like sewing but love embroidery, then you can purchase an embroidery only machine. There are several new ones coming out in assorted brands (due out this year). If you decide that you need a really good combination machine, then go for it. THere are machines with fantastic built in stitches (nothing beats a Pfaff for that), but are you going to be using them or do you want more of a utility machine? The cost of embroidery is hard to phathom. I had no idea what I was doing when I bought my machine. It was something that I had wanted for years. I spent $7000 on a machine, almost $1000 on tables and accessories for the tables, $2000 on the software. I brought home about a dozen spools of thread, a handful of stabilzer, and sat down in front of the machine and realized I had nothing to embroider. Since then I have spent hundreds of dollars in machine accessories, stabilizers, sprays, design packs, threads, special scissors, special hoops, and extra hoops. Then there are the blanks....I have drawers of things to embroider, tablecloths, towels, sweat shirts, t shirts, napkins, all kinds of things for gifts (and fun). There is no end to it. If you decide you are going the embroidery route you need to also think about how you are going to use it. Are you going to make things and embellish (if so, embroidery may not be the only type of adornment you will want), are you going to decorate home products. How many friends can you unload your creativity on? There are plenty of people who have embroidered almost everything in their house, including their husband's underwear. It is a lot of fun. It is time consuming, you may not find that you'll do as much sewing if you get started with the embroidery. You need a husband who is understanding about your hobby. Mine is fine with the embroidery because it is a lot cleaner and less messy than sewing. Mine doesn't like having pieces of fabrics, threads, patterns, pins, cut things and partcially sewn things laying around the house while I complete projects. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Sparky
Date: 04-10-2006, 11:31 AM (10 of 14)
Because you're a beginner, it's going to be really hard to chose the right machine for you. You don't want to spend a fortune because you don't know what features you'll find really important. In fact, you don't even know that you'll like sewing! Of course we all think that any sane person would love to sew,  but....But you don't want to buy the cheapest thing you can get either, because if you get junk you'll become frustrated because your machine doesn't perform the way it should. And, as a beginner, you won't have the experience to know if the problem is the machine or you. I'd suggest you find a reputable dealer who sells and repairs machines. How do you find such a person? Ask a sewer. If you don't have a friend who sews, call your local high school and ask if they teach sewing, then ask the teacher who she'd recommend. Anyway, when you find your good dealer, ask about used machines. You could probably get a good model that's a few years old, and has been used as a trade-in. It would be in good working order because the dealer would have serviced it (let's hope! Ask.) and the dealer might even be able to give you a lesson or two on how it works. Sparky
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User: Sparky
Member since: 03-13-2005 Total posts: 94 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-10-2006, 11:53 AM (11 of 14)
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Glad you mentioned the high school thing...a lot of times the local dealer who serves the high schools will sell those machines at the end of the school year. It can be a good opportunity to get a nice machine, at the mid-lower end of the spending range for a good price. The machines are not usually beginner machines and I'd insist that the one I choose be serviced before I buy it, but that could be a source for a good used machine. In this part of the country, a most of the schools will be out for summer in a few weeks.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Raevenflyte
Date: 04-14-2006, 08:35 PM (12 of 14)
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Vintage machines and Charles Worth in the same posting? Bless your heart, Shavonne--I love them both too! Have you seen this page? (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/wrth/hd_wrth.htm) I wish I'd seen this exhibit! I'm a beginner so at this point I can only dream of creating such confections as Mr. Worth used to make...*sigh* Hope you're able to find a great machine! I'd go with the other recommendations and get something that does straight and zig-zag stitching...I have a Singer 401 (that's it in my icon) and I love it. |
User: Raevenflyte
Member since: 03-16-2005 Total posts: 32 
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From: Shavonne
Date: 04-26-2006, 11:23 AM (13 of 14)
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HI....thanks so much for the advice. =0) I started a beginners class at my local fabric store, we are using Bernina Activa 125 and *love* it. The Bernina Activa 125 is discontinued to my knowledge. Anyone know where I can possibly purchase one (I been looking all over)? If not, I will look into Janome and the Singer 401. Raevenflyte, Guess what?! ..I already had the website bookmarked...SO NICE!! Shavonne |
User: Shavonne
Member since: 04-07-2006 Total posts: 4 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-26-2006, 11:42 AM (14 of 14)
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The Activa has been discontinued (I think) but there is the 230, 240 group of machines that took their place and they are very popular! Also, the feet to these, once you get above the snap on feet fit the higher model Berninas in case in years to come you wish to move up.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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