Featherweight Fanatics Archives

2004

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http://www.FeatherWeightFanatics.com/fwf
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Featherweight Fanatics A Service of Sue Traudt's Valley Brook Botanicals

Digest of postings from Saturday, January 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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From: HMMQuilts@aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 23:56:43 EST
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 1/15/2004

In a message dated 1/17/2004 2:18:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, Ardith writes:
. For those that wish to donate to a human cause, the fire/police
departments in some areas keep small quilts in their vehicles for kids in a
traumatic situation and appreciate those. 
Our quilt guild makes simple stuffed bears...1500 or more each year...to be 
distributed by local police and fire and paramedics!  It's just a bear-shaped 
outline, front and back, of donated fabric, stuffed with poly and the face 
stencilled on (fabric permitting) and a ribbon tied around the neck and stitched 
down for safety's sake.  We pack them in plastic baggies so they stay clean!

HelenMarie
in SE PA, where it is snowing....again

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From: "Karen Zoback" 
Subject: converting a fw to 110V
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 20:39:15 -0500

This is for Lynn, I bought a 222K from a guy in Australia with a 230V motor,
I didn't want to deal with a converter so I emailed Glenn Williams in
Florida and he sent me up a new 110V motor, and its GREAT!!!!!!!!!!   Told
him I wanted my machine to go FAST, and it sure does,,,,, and will also take
one stitch at a time, he did a fantastic job....80.00 was the cost (well
worth it).  I would highly recommend him to do the job.   Frish in freezing
south jersey

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From: "Cathy" 
Subject: FWF
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 18:05:18 -0500

Bobbins, I did buy some featherweight bobbins from Connecting threads 
and they work just fine, I don't know I might have just gotten lucky. I 
bought these several years ago.

Bob in Toronto (OH): Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken 
sewing machine in it? Cute, this also could mean that your sewing room 
is being remodeled and you aren't allowed in until it's all done. That's 
how my week was last week, and being home and nervously pacing the 
floor, I cleaned out 4 closets and under the kitchen sink and did 
various other chores that never get done, but did manage to set up the 
featherweight and table on the 4th day in the kitchen.....just to get a 
small dose of sewing in.=20

Cathy from NC

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Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 14:07:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Patti Greene 
Subject: Re: Featherweight & Pfaff

Gayle,  I have my precious Featherweight purchased new by me in 1958 and 2 years
ago, I bought a Pfaff 7570.  Love them both for different reasons, however, Pfaff
was bought out by Viking right after I bought mine.  If you have a dealer there
who gives lessons and supports the Pfaff, go for it and get one of your choice,
but if there is no dealer close by, I would not buy the Pfaff.  I love the needle
down and the walking foot, plus I also do some embroidering so the machine gets
plenty of use.   
  Since I moved to New York from CA, there isn't an active Pfaff dealer here who
gives classes or supports the product except for repairs only.  
Patti Greene in upstate NY (got up to 25 above today - heat wave)

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From: "Steve Ward" 
Subject: machine problems
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 16:51:29 -0500

Re: Old bentwood case Singer instructions

If you would e-mail a photo of the machine, I would be happy to fill you 
in on particulars. That would be far easier than writing back and forth 
with a description.

Re: 185 Singer length control problems

The sliding block and it's race, which lies behind the length lever, is 
worn out or loose. There may also be a slight chance that something is 
binding the feed dogs or feed rock shaft underneath. Any of these will 
cause the length lever to work upwards as the machine is running.

Many thanks to all those who have patronized my eBay store "Vintage 
Sewing  Machines and Parts". I'm up to about 90 items now, and entering 
a few more every day.

Steve
sewingdoc

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From: "GAIL GAMMELL" 
Subject: FW case
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 10:39:02 -0800

Judy Turner asked about her FW case and machine.  You have one of three 
things. An old case that should have a tray ( look on the sides for the 
supports) a replacement case or a case for a white featherweight (which is 
not black.)  If black machine has white light switch toggle it has been 
replaced with what was available. Nothing special.
gail 

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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 13:04:47 EST
Subject: >>>It curtainly isn't a featherweight. <<<

Dear Judith,

How much does your machine weigh?  A Featherweight weighs between 11 and 12 
pounds, naked.

A 99 is little, it is cute, but it weighs double+ of a Featherweight, ergo, 
that is why the 221 is called a Featherweight.

Many 99's came in an original round top wood  case.  Most owners would not 
have put a Featherweight in such a case.

Love it what ever it is if it was loved by your Grandmother.

PatBergman

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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 12:42:04 EST
Subject: Husbands & Featherweights

Kate,

Since you husband and mine are of the same era, as were Featherweights, that 
must have been a great era, we just did not know it then.

If I had known, I would have more Featherweights, but I am sure glad I have 
the same husband for 44+ years.

PatBergman

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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 12:31:26 EST
Subject:  stitch length selector can not be  tightened down on my 185. 

>>The stitch length selector can not be tightened down on my 185.<<<< 

On a Singer machine other than a Featherweight,  A great place to ask a 
question like this on  
WefixitYahoo! Groups : wefixit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wefixit 

Great group of people who like to get their hands on the inside of a sewing 
machine, thrive on bringing back to a life machines that might be discarded.

They jokingly call this preserving the landfill for future generations.

PatBergman

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Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 17:26:48 +0000
From: Graham Forsdyke 
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 1/14/2004

To Lynn who asked

>I want to thank all the wonderful people who replied to my question about 
>the walking foot and 1/4 foot.  I have another question.  What are  people's
>opinon about converting the 222k to 110 volt.  Will it lessen the 
>value of the
>machine?


Done properly to Singer's original specification it's a big plus -- 
just like having a factory reconditioned engine fitted to a car.



To Joy who said

>
>Thanks Grahamfor the advice  on getting the plate up.  I don't know how to
>remove the extension table though.  Will look at it and try to figure it out.
>I


It doesn't have to come off -- just makes life easier. Remove the two 
hinge screws at front and rear  of the machine.


To Judy who wrote
>
>I have a new-for-me featherweight.  I don't know the model number, but
>wonder if it is anything special.  It has a white toggle switch for
>turning the machine on or off and the case is different in that it
>doesn't have the holder on the inside of the top lid to hold the foot
>control;  the case is lined and doesn't show signs of the holder being
>removed.

Earlier machines with a full-width tray didn't have the clip in the 
lid for the controller so that's not a problem. But I'm worried about 
the  white on off switch -- you sure this is a Featherweight?. Please 
post the serial number so that I can check.


New record

I've had some harsh things to say about UPS before so let's redress 
the balance with a new (for me) record.

Customer e-mailed on December 22 at 12 noon  Eastern time. I phoned 
back and we did a deal. UPS picked up one hour later and the machine 
was delivered to up-state New York by 9 am the next morning in plenty 
of time for Christmas.  That's a good few thousand miles in just 21 
hours from the initial e-mail contact.

Wonder if they can keep it up?


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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From: Sjenkins93@aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 12:17:35 EST
Subject: Stuck thread

Hi Feathers...I've just received my 1935 Featherweight from a purchase on 
eBay. It is wonderful with one small exception...a clacking sound which I'm 
thinking is due to some thread stuck in the bobbin case base. I know my fellow FWF 
have some hints on how to remove this thread without causing me to lose my 
religion.

Susan in the gorgeous but poor Northern California

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