Original Featherweight Foot Controller History and Timeline

Singer made a variety of foot controllers over the years, and a few different styles for the Featherweight.  All vintage original Featherweight foot controllers are universal and can work with 110 or 220 voltage and with any Featherweight model whether 221 or 222 (the actual plug to the machine m...

A Featherweight Comparison Guide - Specifics of Each Featherweight 221

Are Some 221 Featherweights Better Than Others? A common question we receive here in the shop is, "Are some Featherweights better than others?"  It is a great question and one that we are always verbose to answer!  While a Featherweight is a Featherweight is a Featherweight, there were many chang...

How to Pack up the Featherweight and its Accessories in the Case

One question that we get quite often here in the shop is, "how does everything fit in my Featherweight case?"  Singer did change the Featherweight cases throughout the years, so packing everything up wasn't always the same.  You might be able to get it all in the Case if you pile it in all random...

What accessories originally came with my Featherweight?

The Featherweight is like many other vintage and collectible items; having all the original accessories makes the item more desirable and possibly even more valuable.  The question then must be asked, "Do I have all my original accessories?"  We know the machine would have originally included a f...

Featherweights From Foreign Countries

  I am sure there are some of you who have found peculiar things on your machine or among the accessories.  While Featherweights were only produced in three countries (USA, UK & Canada), they were sold worldwide.  Singer often added decals, logos and extra accessories with machines sold in di...

A Concise History and Timeline of the Featherweight Bobbin Winder Tension Unit

In the photo below you will see 11 bobbin winder tension units.  You can probably see how each one is different, but the question is...are they really all that different?  Singer made approximately six standard unique units.  Most of the differences that can be seen in the photo are just a diffe...

A Timeline History of the Singer Featherweight Needle Plate

The Featherweight Needle Throat plate is a valuable piece made with extreme precision.  It may seem like just a stationary part, but it must be able to allow the needle to pass through smoothly, the feed dogs to move without rubbing, and the thread to be pulled up through a tight slot.  It must b...

A Timeline History of the Singer Featherweight Faceplate

I'm sure many of you have seen the decorative scrolled Featherweight faceplates, and one very common question we get here in the Featherweight Shop is, "Can I exchange my striated faceplate for the decorative scrolled one?"  The answer is: If you're not a purist and originality is not important, ...

Is My Featherweight a Blackside?

Blackside Featherweights were made in 1941 and 1945, but I'm sure you've noticed some other Featherweights that had some blackside parts, too. There were parts like thumb screws and bobbin winders that were made with blackside finish, but do these parts indicate that the machine is a true Blacksi...

Bobbin Case History of the Singer Featherweight 221 and 222

Many bobbin cases look alike, but here you can learn more of their history with the Singer Featherweight 221 and 222.

Singer Featherweight Texas Centennial - 1936

The Texas Centennial 1836 - 1936 badged Featherweight is probably the rarest of the rare... the most scarce Featherweight to find because of the short time period for which they were available - just over 5 months.  Moreover, this particular badge is the only "Texas" Featherweight badge official...

Before Singer Featherweight History

If you haven't been over to the blog as of lately, you might want to have a look at some fun facts about the "pre-history" to the Singer Featherweight.  Click here to read more -- you won't want to miss it!

The Standard Sewhandy, General Electric & Early Featherweight History

Singer "Featherweight" history actually begins before Singer and before 1933 & 1934 (when Singer debuted their model 221 at the Chicago World's Fair).  The "Featherweight" name and style really had its beginnings in 1928, when the Standard Sewing Machine Company marketed the first "Featherwei...

Singer Sewing at the St. John's Factory, Quebec, Canada

Today we are featuring a guest article by Lynne McFern of Ste-Catherine, Quebec, Canada.  After acquiring a Singer Featherweight and rekindling a link to her past, Lynne was inspired to learn more about the history of her machines.  This is her story... *******************************************...

Singer Featherweight Centennial 1851-1951

Singer, rightfully proud of its company history, celebrated its centenary in 1951 by giving all machines commissioned for that year a special commemorative badge. It was the standard Singer emblem of the time but with the inscription "A Century of Sewing Service 1851-1951" around the outside o...

The Free-Arm Featherweight 222K and How It Differs From the Featherweight 221

The Singer Featherweight 222K Sewing Machine (and the difference between a Singer 221 model)   UPDATE:  Click here for a side-by-side comparison images and reference page. Approximately 100,000 222K Featherweights were made worldwide and are one of the best sewing machines ever made. Somet...

Chicago World's Fair

The Singer Featherweight 221 Model Sewing Machine first debuted at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1934. This Exposition was held from May to November 1933 and May to October 1934 with the motto “Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms”. The official theme was “A Century of Progress” commemor...

Singer Featherweight San Francisco 1939-1940

  Economists know there is a distinctive difference between rare and scarce. One is limited quantities and the other is limited available resources with which to obtain ... so in all honesty, this Singer Featherweight falls into both categories!   At the 1939 and 1940 World's Fair held ...

Facts & Myths

Singer Featherweight Factsand Some Myths Exposed by Graham Forsdyke Singer Featherweight machines were produced in black, beige/tan and white/green (what the company officially called Pale Turquoise). There were no red, blue or any other colour machines although many have been repainted in lat...

Timeline History of the Singer Featherweight

From 1933 to 1969, this timeline provides a detailed history of the Singer Featherweight 221, 222 and all the details surrounding this Singer Sewing Machine. 1933:On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherwei...

Singer Featherweight Advertisements

There were many Singer Featherweight advertisements over the years and we hope to share quite a few of those with you here. If you happen to have a unique one that you do not see listed, please contact us, because we would like to feature it for all to enjoy in the Featherweight Community. Singer...

The Tan Featherweight 221J or 221K

This is one of the first "colored" Featherweights (besides "Pale Turquoise") that Singer produced besides the traditional black Featherweight.  It has a few notable differences which will be noted in the photographs below.  Mechanically, the tan Featherweight is identical to the black.  The '...

Identify Your Manual

The Various Featherweight Manuals Throughout the years that Featherweights were produced, the Singer company produced some manual variations. The principal handbooks given with machines are shown here.       Above Left:  This manual is the standard handbook supplied with US-built Featherweigh...

Singer Featherweight Blackside Finish

The “Blackside Featherweight” can be an obscure find unless you know what to look for, because it may just look like a regular Featherweight with only a few darker looking parts. However, there are some important distinctions, so you don't want to presume that just because a Featherweight has a ...

Factory Vintage Tour

We do enjoy sewing machine history, especially when it comes to Singer, and their manufacturing process, advertisements, catalogs and antique publications.  Yesterday we managed to find some information and illustrations that we thought you would all enjoy seeing as well and taking a virtual ...

Singer Wrinkle (Crinkle) Featherweight 221

Serial Number:  AF589*** indicates commission date of August 15, 1940   This uniquely finished Featherweight has been most commonly referred to as the “Crinkle” Featherweight or sometimes called a “Matte Finish” Featherweight.  However, we would like to dispel that descriptive adjective with th...

Singer Featherweight Red 'S' Badge

The Red S Badged Featherweight "I hear a lot about the Red 'S' Featherweight - what is it? and what does it look like?"This is a question we receive once in awhile and it is a good one!A Red 'S' Badge on a Singer Featherweight A Red 'S' badged black Featherweight has become one more novelty for ...

The White Featherweight 221K

Produced from the mid to late 1960's in Kilbowie Scotland, this machine was something fresh and new to the Singer Featherweight market. The official Singer color was called "Pale Turquoise", but the machine was often times more white or pale green in appearance depending on the casting light. Fo...

Birthdate Featherweights

How great it would be to have a Singer Featherweight made in the very year you were born or the year you graduated from high school or college or perhaps the year your child was born. The data below, inspired by Graham Forsdyke's original reference chart, graphs the number of machines manufacture...

Dating Your Singer Featherweight Machine

What is the Birthdate of My Singer Featherweight? To date your Singer Featherweight, you will need to locate the serial number on the bottom of your machine.  It has two letters followed by a series of six numbers.  Using the serial number you can use the three charts below to find the date when...