Featherweight Fanatics Archives
2004
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Read the archives at: http://www.ttsw.com/FWFanatics/FWArchivesrev.html
http://www.FeatherWeightFanatics.com/fwf
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Featherweight Fanatics A Service of Sue Traudt's Valley Brook Botanicals
Digest of postings from Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Welcome to all our new members!
To post a message - send it to: FWFanatics@ttsw.com
To post a message to the For sale list - sent it to: FWForSale@ttsw.com
To pay dues http://ttsw.com/JoinLists.html
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Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 23:06:42 -0500
From: Terry Wright
Subject: FABRIC.COM
This site has great fabrics, quilting & others, including knits for
T-shirts. (Attention: LISA!) Very nice people, good service & GREAT
prices. ~GAquiltR~
>
> www.fabric.com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 21:55:38 -0600
From: louise-b
Subject: Another 'new' SM
Don't know whether to blame Capt. Dick's decals list or my son on this
new SM. In 99, I found the list with all of those great decals and
decided I 'needed' to find some of them and started hunting and buying.
Today my HS told me there was a beatup 7 drawer Singer treadle cabinet
with no drawers and a SM at Goodwill. Well, there was a VS2 in that sad
cabinet - a Pheasant decal - and it came home with me. Needs a shuttle
and the front slide but think I can come up with them and lots of
cleaning. Decals are mostly there except by the slide plate but very
grimy.
And I left the old 99 in a beatup cabinet there! Talked to someone who
has a very nice New Home or Household in a coffin cabinet but will have
to ignore it.
Louise -- in mid-Missouri
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From: "Ed DeFrancesco"
Subject: small travel irons
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 21:55:33 -0600
I also want to add a word of caution about the "old" travel irons. I have
several that I've bought on eBay and at antique stores. All of my irons
reach too high of a temperature to be safe. The brands that I own that are
so hot that they scorch fabric are two different types of the GE iron, a
Singer and a Betty Crocker. I almost started a fire on my ironing board
with the small Singer iron. Thank goodness I had not left the room because
within one minute this cute little iron had burned a hole in the top cover.
These "old" travel irons usually don't have a heel rest so must be laid on
their sides and that can cause a problem. Mine have become shelf
decorations. I'll stick with using a modern iron that has safety features.
Of course it would help if I also use common sense when using any iron. I
no longer unplug the iron every time I walk out of my sewing room but I do
leave the overhead light on as a reminder that some item is still turned on.
My Spring 2004 project will be to clean up and possibly repaint a very
cosmetically challenged '36 Featherweight.
Happy Collecting,
Diana
Edward/Diana DeFrancesco
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From: "Steve Ward"
Subject: machine problems
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 22:35:03 -0500
Hi everyone. We're just back from Florida ( sunny white beaches, shorts)
to several feet of snow and ice here. The "real" Cold Mountain is just a
few miles from us, and believe me, it's aptly named!
221 bobbin case latches
I do have a few OEM latches on hand. I've never found a generic that
works well.
Spool pin felts
I buy these red felts by the hundreds, but if anyone wants some, I'll be
glad to send out a few in an envelope, for the postage. Or, better yet,
send me a SASE.
Generic 221 bobbins
I have yet to find a replacement bobbin that has consistently good,
uniform quality.
Singer Movie Screen
When I worked for Singer in the early 70's, we still had a few Singer
brand phonographs, movie projectors, etc. It's fairly common to come
across these at school surplus auctions.
Pfaff 78
I have found the Pfaff 78 to be a fairly good lightweight machine. My
preference would be a 1221 or 1222, though.
Sewing Machine Sites
I watch many sites, and have found FWF to be among the best. Some of the
other sites seem to be dominated by the same small group, who chat
endlessly about arcane trivia or personal issues.
Sewing a finger
When my dear wife of 31 years was employed by a sewing factory early in
our marriage, she sewed clean through her forefinger. The only concern
of her brother, who was a mechanic at the same factory, was whether or
not the machine had skipped a stitch when it went through her finger!
Florida Stuff
We didn't buy a single machine during our trip, but not from lack of
trying. Featherweights, Berninas, or Pfaffs are just
not to be found. We did buy some accessories, though. I also saw several
nice 201 Singers in cabinets, for $40.00 or so. I personally think the
201 is one of the best ever, and they are still widely available, and, I
think, underpriced.
Steve Ward
sewingdoc
PS: A special thanks to Graham Forsdyke for helping me out with several
things recentl.
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From: "ROSE RHOADS"
Subject: FW Quilt Pattern from EnglandDesigns
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 19:20:59 -0800
I've taken a class with Cynthia England and be aware that her paper
piecing is quite different from the usual paper piecing techniques. The
tiny, tiny freezer paper templates go on the front, then you sew on the
back, and try to find your sewing line. I think I was able to complete
a section about 2" by 6" in one day. Good Luck.
Rose
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Subject: Big lots!
From: "Jonna Osborne"
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 18:19:16 -0600
Did y'all see this (now closed) auction on E-bay? Geeze, Louise!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2595459480
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Subject: Please included me on your list
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 17:18:25 -0500
From: "Debbie Wooten"
I recently acquired a featherweight from my husband's mother after I saw
it in her garage just so happens I was looking for one for months and
noticed it sitting there.
I really need help on understanding the attachments and where I can
purchase them I think it would be great to be apart of your forum.
Best Regards,
Debbie Wooten
DebbieWooten@bellsouth.net or Debbie@Wooten57.com
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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 14:38:33 EST
Subject: Just the info I was hoping for!
Dear Pat(rick).
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am printing out your post.
Would you believe I have in my garage a bench wire brush and an air
compressor, in my hobby supplies I have the wire brushes (from Harbor Freight 3/$1),
so all I need are the acid brush and the carb cleaner.
I think in another life I was a male, as I am at home with most tools, and I
certainly am not fascinated with housekeeping.
PatBergman
Thanks for mentioning about the well ventilated part as I love to work in my
kitchen, where Sancho, our double yellow, can supervise. Sometimes I forget
about how sensitive the lungs of parrots, and all birds, are.
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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 12:10:32 EST
Subject: Singer Research
Barbara,
You said you wanted to do research, but not what you wanted to find out.
First, I think every one on this list, even though it is Featherweight list,
will agree that the 201 is a truly great machine, and the 245 is iffy. Just
thank your lucky stars Grandmother did not trade it in on the 201. They would
have given her peanuts for a machine of twice the value of the 24?.
There is a list that specializes in Singer's, not exclusively Featherweights,
where you can check the archives and find out just about anything you might
want to know it is
Yahoo! Clubs
vintagesingers
The 201 was made for many years, 1936 to 1964. Check that number on the
other machine as I have no 245 listed in my identification list. It may have been
a machine made for overseas.
So, decide what you really want to know and try the Vintage Singer list.
They are a great bunch of people who love all Singers, including the 221, but not
exclusive as this list is. Also great people here.
I am standing up and taking a bow for all of us.
PatBergman
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Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 11:24:35 +0000
From: Graham Forsdyke
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 2/16/2004
To Barbara who wrote
>Hi,
>Can the bobbin case latch be replaced? If so is this a big deal? And I
>am looking for a repair person who could do such work anywhere in the
>Anderson Indiana area
Yes the latch can be replaced but I'd suggest that you mail the
bobbin case to one of the specialist dealers on this list (check out
the sales lists). This will be quicker than any local dealer who will
have to order the parts needed.
London Convention
Booking forms have now been distributed for the ISMACS convention at
the end of April.
Non members can attend -- check here
http://www.ismacs.net/events.html
To all re Ebay scams
At least three folk have received scam offers for Pansy machines
following an Ebay auction (one offering to supply in bulk for 100
units and upwards) LOL.
Many other machines are getting similar responses.
The offers are mostly sent via Ebay's "ask member a question"
service. Be aware that when you are contacted, the scammer doesn't
have your e-mail details. If you reply, he does.
The escrow site he's suggesting using is also a total fraud -- just
another way of collecting your money.
I'll be detailing a case history in the next ISMACS newsletter --
makes sober reading
In the meantime please remember
1) Do not follow up an any offer than comes after an Ebay bid
2) Chose your own Escrow site is you want to use this service (few
sellers will actually agree to this anyway)
3) Never, NEVER, send money by Western Union. If ever a service was
designed to help fraudsters this is it.
Graham Forsdyke
Purveyor of fine Featherweights to the gentry
ISMACS London
http://www.ismacs.net
http://www.singer-featherweight.com
Bert's Vintage Repair Book Book:
http://www.singer-featherweight.com/bert/bert.html
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