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One of our most popular questions is, "How should I store my Featherweight?" We do know that the Featherweight is a very hearty machine, as many owners have retrieved them from the attic, basement, or closet where they have been kept for many years - to pull them out and use them without complications. However, to ensure that the machines maintain their beautiful cosmetic appearance and perfect function, the following steps can be taken.1. Make sure that all the accessories are in their proper place. The original Featherweight accessories do have their proper place and keeping them there will save attachments from...
All 221 and 222 Featherweights are Low-Shank. It was Singer's most common configuration for their household sewing machines. The term Shank refers to the position and height of the needle bar and presser bar. Below is a comparison of the four common machine shanks used by Singer. The Low-Shank: Singer's most common shank and the one that was used exclusively for the Featherweight was the Low-Shank configuration. The low shank attachments mount on the presser bar 1/2" up. The Back-Clamping Shank: The Back-Clamping shank appears to have been used primarily on the earlier 66 model Singer machines. The attachments are taller than a...
Some Featherweights are certainly harder to find than others, but how much harder? In certain areas all Featherweights may be "scarce", but internet sales have made standard Featherweights much more available. This post will address not only how many Featherweights were made each year, but also, what is considered a "Rare" Featherweight and how difficult some are to find. Below is a chart showing when Featherweight production was at its highs and lows. This chart displays Singer's production output of the black Featherweight. Manufacturing greatly slowed down and even came to a halt during WW2, but it soon rose to its height in the early...
The drip pan wouldn't be considered a mechanical piece of the Featherweight, but it does serve a few purposes. The metal drip pans hold the felt drip pad liners, which collect excess oil and grease that drips down from the moving parts in the machine. Together the drip pan and felt drip pad serve as a noise reducer. From a historical standpoint, the drip pan gives clues to when and where the machine was made. There were a total of 5 drip pan styles for the 221 and just one for the 222. 1933 Nickel Finish, Silver-Colored: The first Featherweight...
For the black Featherweights, Singer had two different connection types. They aren't interchangeable, so this article can be a reference when checking the compatibility of the machine and cord. Round Pin Plug and Terminal: The round pin terminals and plugs were used exclusively in the USA, but they can also be seen on most Featherweights sold in Canada, and Featherweights marketed to Europe prior to about 1951. The photos above show how the cords come out of the top of the plug, and the two halves of the plug are held together by two screws and nuts. A look inside...
Many Featherweight light housings have the same shape, but they often vary cosmetically, and they can be a quick reference to when a machine was made. There were a total of nine different decals used to mark the Singer Featherweight light housings, and there were four different light housing configurations. Let's begin with the Light Housings made in the USA. 1933 - 1940: The first light housing had the thinner "Singer" decal higher on the housing. 1940-1947: The second light housing had the noticeably thicker "Singer" decal. 1947-1953: The third US Featherweight light housing had a near-identical decal as the first design, but it...
Take a step back in time and view this trove of original Singer advertisements featuring the Featherweight! See ads from all over the world marketing the Black, Tan and White Featherweights as well as the 222K. The Black Featherweight 221: This is possibly the most concise advertising pamphlet for the Featherweight. Singer shows all the benefits - from portability to a cabinet or table. A Canadian B&W magazine clipping from 1950. This 1950 ad in the Ladies Home Journal shows a unique lifestyle illustration with the Featherweight. I wonder if anyone still has a Singer Featherweight they won in the...
"Is this a good price?", "How do I know if anything is wrong with the machine?", "Are some Singer Featherweights better than others?", and "What do I look for when purchasing a Singer Featherweight?" - these are all common questions we receive from those on the hunt for their first Singer Featherweight. Buying a Singer 221 or 222 can certainly be intimidating, but we do have some tips and cautions that can help you make the right decision when searching for a machine. What is a good price? When gauging the price of a machine or comparing prices of machines that have already...
The Motor is one of the most vital parts on the Singer Featherweight. It is likely to be the first part to display signs of age on almost any machine, so it is important that the motors are properly cared for. When a motor does wear out, it can be replaced by any original Featherweight motor. (It can also be rewound, maintaining originality, but we will address that later.) Of course, there would be exceptions but having the original motor on a Featherweight does not necessarily increase monetary value, but it can add to the appeal and sentimentality of the machine. ...
When Singer introduced the Featherweight in 1933 it was vastly different from most all sewing machines on the market. This article will compare the Featherweight to the other common Singer machines of its era. First, to be considered an actual Singer "Featherweight", the sewing machine must be a 221 or 222 model (more information about subsequent number or letter suffixes here), and to learn about the differences of a 221 compared to 222 model, click here. So, while there were millions and millions of black sewing machine models made by Singer, the 221 and 222 models are the only...
Singer tables were what any 1940s homemaker would have wanted to accompany her machine: an adaptable table for sewing or hosting! Below is a cute ad from Singer, marketing the different ways one of their tables could be used... Pinochle anyone? Today, some of the most collectible sewing machine tables and cabinets are the ones for the Featherweight. Below are the various options that can still be found at antique shops, flea markets or even the occasional yard sale -- don't forget to look at what the garage sale goods are "sitting upon", or take a peek under the tablecloth of the...
The hook assembly can be considered the heart of your machine, crucial for timing and stitch formation. Singer did update the design of the hook assembly a few times over the years, and the precision engineering involved means these parts are not interchangeable. This guide is not only a historically interesting look at the inner workings of your machine, but a useful parts identification guide should you need to repair the hook assembly on your Singer Featherweight. The diagram below shows the disassembled parts with the corresponding part numbers as well as the complete unit part #45924. The above photo...
For Singer, the number one selling point for the Featherweight was its portability with the lightweight design of the machine unique and desirable. For the Singer Featherweight to truly be portable, however, it also had to have a lightweight and compact case - one that would hold the machine, controller and all the accessories. The Singer Featherweight case is distinctive, and a component that unquestionably sets the machine apart from others Singer made. In this article, we will analyze the different Featherweight case styles and the various components throughout their years of manufacture. Type I 1933: Some of the most...
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 may differ, however). In this post you will be able to see the different foot controller variations that were produced for the Featherweight. I. 1933 This was the first controller issued for the Featherweights, and they were issued with approximately the first 200 Featherweight machines ever produced. Not only was it made...
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 changes, often subtle, that are interesting to note and can affect the decision-making process when getting ready to buy. This comparison guide will display what distinguishes certain 221 models from others, so it will be easier to determine what Featherweight will be best for you. AD Series 1933-1935: The "AD" series...
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 randomly, but there is a right and wrong way. NOTE: The cases shown in this blog post are for the majority of vintage original Featherweight cases. Stay tuned, though, because we will be updating this post for the early style cases as well - they are...
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 foot controller, case and manual, but what else? Some have screwdrivers, some have five, six, or seven attachments, and some have oil cans. This post should provide you with the information you need to determine whether or not you have all your Featherweight's original accessories.Attachments:We'll start with the attachments that were originally supplied...
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 different countries, and here I will show many of the peculiarities that we have seen here in the shop. CanadaThe Canadian Featherweight History is quite unique and can be a little bit confusing, but hopefully we will be able to shed a little bit of light on the topic. Canada...
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 different configuration of the same parts. In this post I will walk you through the true differences and peculiarities of each unit. The first unit was of course the unique "School Bell" bobbin winder tension unit. 1933-1935: You can see how the unit on the right has sort of...
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 be a polished nice looking part, but also a well-crafted tool. Singer had a total of seven throat plates for the Featherweight, and below you can see which throat plates went to which machines. #1-3 1933-1951 The first three plates that are shown all have...
