Thank you for such a great tutorial. I just purchased a featherweight and after watching this instructional tutorial I feel like I can service it myself. I already changed the belt and installed a new lightbulb. It sews like a dream already, so once I give it a little oil and cleaning, it will be like new. There was paperwork included with my featherweight that showed it was manufactured in 1951 and was first purchased in Panama. Thanks again. I learned so much from your tutorial.
I just got a new to me 222K from the UK via an Etsy shop! Had to get a USA to UK power converter ,but the machine runs well! I love your video and that you have used a 222K! Am getting a service kit and will follow your video again to service it! Yes! The older machines were designed to be regularly serviced by the homeowner! My new machines are for service techs only! Thank you for the detailed and informative video!
You are so personable. I hugely enjoyed this little foray into another dream machine. I love vintage sewing machines, a real passion. This was made in my year. Must get one. Thank you for an exhaustive demo on use and care of this lovely Featherweight. So enjoyable. Subscribed.
Hello from Colorado in the USA! I trust you completely and automatically. My Featherweight 221, named "Esme" by me, was "born" in 1938 and she hums smoothly along. I hope I can work as well when I'm 86!Currently, I'm making a queen sized bed quilt on her. I love this video and have saved it. Now, I'd love to have a 222 but I don't want to hurt Esme's feelings. (Hahaha...you knew us Yanks are a bit crazy, right?)
I would love to have a 55 machine, my birth year, and a 222 would be epic to have. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about these machines, I service my machines, I have 3 221’s, all black. I love them all, I use 2 almost daily, I have my upstairs machine and my downstairs machine, LOL.
Thank you so much for this video! I just received a model 222K and need help oiling before I use this beauty. I'm so excited to sew with my well oiled machine.
Sir, you are the cutest and nicely person that I saw giving a tutorial. Thank you very much! I just got my featherweight singer sewing machine. It is not working properly because it came without the bobbin case😔and I just learned the original is very expensive🥺and I also believe that the feed dog is hitting the the needle plate, consequently, locking the hand wheel 😱
This video was a joy to watch. I'm fortunate to have inherited my mother's 1952 Centennial Featherweight. She's a few years older than me and in much better condition. 🤣
Great video, Thanks. I just got out, my Wife's Mom's '54 FW 221-1. My wife asked me to alter some pillow Cases and I have to big a thread on my Singer 111 Walking foot machine that I re-doing boat cushions with. The 221 is pulling the thread out of the needle, but I threaded it L-R, and now I'm gonna check and make sure the bobbin foot is properly located. The machine is in pristine condition, and the case seems fully complete with all the case "Candy". I know it hasn't been used in 40 years, I guess so it's gonna need some service. I now know the bobbin winder was engaged with the belr abd the belt seems tight. I will look at that too. Thanks for the video. Have a great 2023 !!
Thank you! That was helpful. I am piecing baby quilts at the moment (on my featherweight 221) for my twin great-granddaughters who are due soon! Love it!
My neighbor, who is nearly 89 years old, has a Singer Featherweight. I don't know if it is from Scotland (we live in Southern California), but she adores that machine! She has made all her quilts throughout her life on that machine. My oldest machine is 2.5 years old - a Husqvara Viking. My other machines are a Juki TL18 and a computerized Janome, but I am envious of her Singer Featherweight! She's a lucky woman! I'd recommend your channel to her but she doesn't have a computer.
Thanks so much, I’m inspired to service all my featherweights . I just found a tan one and it needs some tinder love and care , all original ! I’m so excited. Thanks again ♥️
Thankyou Alex! I have been servicing my 221 but did not know to drop and run the motor! I use my 221 everyday. It is my favorite solid workhorse! Thankyou. Now I want a 222 freearm.
Hello Alex, Just acquired a Featherweight 221K. Thank you for this brilliant video. You explain everything at a gentle pace and perfectly. After watching this, I feel confident that I can now service my beautiful machine. Love all your videos. I watch them all. I now have eight Singer machines. My earliest being a 12K from 1889 fiddle base. I treasure them all.Cannot wait for more videos from a wonderful teacher. Thank you.
I raised my eyebrows when you said you were going to get your torch out! In the USA we call it a flashlight, LOL! Loved your presentation. I have a 221 and a 222 and think I missed an oil hole or two!
Thank you, Thank you! I have an old 221k that I bought because I am fascinated with old machinery. I had a sudden need to use it but forgot the details of operation. Your vid gave me what I needed plus much more. I'm really happy with what I made with this little gem. Cheers!
I love your enthusiasm for this machine - it's infectious! I am just waiting for my featherweight to arrive and I hope it is lovely as the model you have there.
Thank you for making this video. I now know how to properly maintain her. I have a 1952 Featherweight, a 1906 hand crank, I also have a Spartan for my vintage machines. I will look for your books. Cheers
Wonderful video with clear detailed steps.. Thank you Alex for your great videos! Btw I have a 222 also two 221's and a white 221 YAY! LOVE these machines :-)
Thank you Alex, you explained it all well! Eight stitches per inch is really big especially if the bobbin and top thread are not balanced. I keep seeing complaints by the computerized machine users that their seams come loose on the end. They just set it to #2 which can be any size, even different lengths on two machines of the exact same model. Get a ruler and put next to a line of stitching and use 12-15 SPI for garment or quilt seams.
Another absolute joy! Thank you Alex. I’m currently trying to find new homes for many of my bits and pieces, but this video has got me hankering after a featherweight! What a gorgeous bit of engineering! There were some good things made in the 50s (that gives my age away!)
I hope that I own a Featherweight someday for my small collection of sewing machines. I really like the German ones with their early backstiching and beautiful bobbin winder set ups. But Singers have something special too! And I love Bernina in modern sewing machines. I hope to find a dark green one from the early days someday. You can learn alot by sewing a whole project on the old ones. Thanks Alex for sharing again! I would love to see your collection. Love your video's! ❤️
Thank you! Lots of great tops. I just got my first featherweight 2 weeks ago and have been cleaning and oiling. Haven’t turned it on yet as I thought I needed a special grease for motor. Can’t wait to take it for a spin now!
Such a great source of information! Thanks so much. I've had my machine over a year now. Just used Miss Vicki for the first workshop last week. Our Mobile, AL guild, Azalea City Quilters Guild sewed for Quilts of Valor and children's charity quilts. Miss Vicki behaved and sewed well. There is such a strong "oily" smell. Is that normal? Someone at the workshop commented on the odor. I need to service my Singer 15-91 that was my Grandmother's. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Love your accent. I have relatives in Bristol that I hope to visit this year.
Alex, thank you for posting this excellent video on servicing this machine. I'm new to sewing but love vintage machinery. Do you think this is capable of hemming Demin? I've got some Levi's to hem and a few items around the house to mend. Thank you again! Chris in SoCal
Do u have a video showing how fast these little 221 s sew? I just go a beautiful 1939 one and cleaned it out and oiled it using your wonderful video. I Just got a new foot for it. I'm not sure if it is going the right speed (seems like on low speed compared to my cnew machines. Thx a bunch
Great video just bought a featherweight 221 this weekend can't find serial number on any site would love to know what year it was made and where any help from anyone would be most appreciated also I have the foot but the cord is crumbling....what do people do find a restored one or have it rewired. The case doesn't have the top piece and has the fabric all coming off...Can't wait to oil and clean it out...The serial is AF 166089. Thx for such a great video ...I'm excited about this cute lil machine!!!
Dear Alex thank you for such an informative you tube. Wow what an amazing title in Australia this trade is slowly diminishing our schools need to do more training. I am dabbling in fixing some machines after doing a maintenance course. In Australia we have the 240 volt system what sort of checks do you recommend with the electricals when you first use the machine? I’ve heard to get an led light for this as the bulbs can get hot, what type do you recommend. I’m on a Facebook group you are in and love all your posts, kept me busy during the longest lockdown in the world that plus checking out la Palma volcano. My mum got me a 221k black featherweight which I’ve been too scared to use (due to not knowing about electrical problems and checking them) and was lucky to get a white one recently so definitely have to start using it. Do you know what the grease is called in Australia? I have some singer machines from the 1990s I think do you have any videos on that. Was lucky to get one for $40 plus a horn plastic insert for it which retail for over $100 new. I’m used to berninas so the singers are a bit different. How do you know you have the right bobbin and how to get the right one? I had a janome that had a bobbin in it but when I got a genuine one the tension was better and it didn’t spin like the other one inside the bobbin. Also if the needle plate has scratches on the inside (janome sewist) do you need to replace the needle plate or just repair it. I went to a repair cafe and this is how I got into saving sewing machines. Just got to get my husband to work now in the city and not from home so I can tinker. 💗 Sending warm hugs from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺
Hi Alex do you know where I can learn how to rewind a 220 featherweight motor to 110 I repair and refurbish singers and want to learn this skill I can't find any info on this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video. These half-size machines regularly go for $500-$700 here in the States. I'm afraid they've become fetish items rather than working tools. But they are beautiful nonetheless!
Hi Alex please can you tell me how to clean the paint work and if the decals can be repaired ,I have just bought a singer featherweight 221 with a few scratches just love your video love the featherweight sewing machine thank you
Thank you for the lovely film. Can I pick your brains about the electrics of this machine. I have a 221 and have been told that they are a shock risk due to their wiring and capacitor issues. Do you recommend a rewire ? TIA.
@@alexaskaroff thank you, sorry, another question. When you oil this machine, can it get into the internal wiring? And if so, is there any way to avoid this? TIA
Brilliant! thanks - I have a 221 10v and the motor completely gummed up. I have the lmotor apart, looks like it had been ion fire inside - have it all cleaned and ready to re-assemble, unfortunately one of the brush covers is broken. i ordered one from the USA, but it was't the right thread size! Any ideas? I guess it's unlikely I'll ever get the motor going! Anyway thanks agian for your brilliant videos - Peter in Paris
It would have been nice if you explained the upper tension,,operation and how to set properly,,,otherwise all is good,,,and I also wipe down the machine,with Sewing Machine Oil. Looks like brand New,,never fails,,
My featherweight has the same type of plug that I think yours has. The male end is on the machine and the female is on the cord. Why? All others I’ve seen are opposite. How am I going to replace the cord if needed?
The machines I have: vintage Kenmore (from 1975), newer Singer (from early/mid 2000), and unbadged vintage (possibly Morse - unknown year), ALL have the male end on the machine.
When reassembling my featherweight what distance should I allow between the bottom of the presser foot and the needle plate ( with the dog feeds at their lowest position) Thanks Fintan in Ireland
Hi Alex, can you help with my new to me 221K-1. I have completed the service as per your instructions in the video and this has been really helpful. My 221K-1 (CAK-6 motor] works but two things have been happening- it either doesn’t stop when I remove my foot from the pedal- I need to turn it off at the power/wall. Or sometimes the motor seems to “hum” by itself and nothing happens when I put my foot in the pedal . Do you have any suggestions on what is causing these issues or how I can fix them?
Hi i have a singer with a serial no of B89390 im trying to find out what class or model my machine is any help would be greatly appreciated thank you for your time steve
Alex, I just bought an unknown brand fiddle base, mother of pearl inlay, hand crank, serial number 77447 sewing machine. Can you help me identify it? How would I send pictures to you?
@@alexaskaroff Thanks, Alex. I made a RU-vid video of the sewing machine I bought and perhaps from the video you might be able to tell me who made it. If not, thank you anyway. Sincerely, James Wagner, Wimberley, Texas. Link following...ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rnh3d-eFPS8.html
Which grease would you recommend for vintage Singers please? Nobody seems able to recommend a grease that's available in the UK, thank you! I've been using Vaseline as a last resort.
Thanks Alex, I got this machine yesterday and I'm cleaning it because it had a lot of dirt. Just a question, what do you use to make the machine shine like that?
That’s part of the fun of hunting them, sometimes you can find a reasonable deal. My husband surprised me with mine for my birthday. A man at his work was clearing out his mum’s house after she passed and mentioned that she had one so my husband made an offer of $150.00 and he agreed. So not “ all” of them are expensive.
Yes you are so right. They always were. When new they were one of the most expensive machines in the world. It was their price that eventually killed them off.
Mine came from a flea market several years ago. It was $150 and needed a bit in the bobbin area. Works well now and I can now service it myself. Many thanks Alex.
