Featherweight Fanatics Archives

2004

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

Digest of postings from Saturday, January 31, 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
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:01:41 -0600
From: louise-b 
Subject: 301 numbers

Graham: Can you tell us the first run of the 301s and when they went from
301 to 301a, and when the last ones were made?
Louise -- in mid-Missouri (only 16 degrees now!)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 18:45:40 -0800 (PST)
From: cher smith 
Subject: date on featherweight

The date I was given for my machine (serial # AD728669) was September 10th, 1934.
 
Graham, do you agree with this?
 
  I love my little machine and just finished the binding on the first quilt I
stitched using it.  I did not quilt it on the featherweight,I  just pieced it.  
Cher (Portland Oregon)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: Gypcdrmr2@aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:35:27 EST
Subject: Hint!

Hello Fluffies,
I have cross posted this to other lists, but since I love this group best of 
all, here it is again. ACMoore's children's craft department sells sheets of 
sponge with sticky backs, peel off paper type.
I got some scraps of the black and punched out holes with my three ring 
binder hole punch, peeled off the paper and stuck it to the screw that sticks out 
on the face plate of my darling Featherweights. Try it you will find it will 
protect the extension table from being damaged, and it doesn't cost as much as 
Radio Shacks ear buds.
I am still looking for two 201 hinge screws, if there are any out there 
please e-mail me. I will pay for shipping and handling.
Any tips on sewing Naugahyde with my 201 would be greatly appreciated. I am 
making air-conditioner covers that Velcro in place for the outside and inside 
of my house in white Naugahyde. We don't get many Naugas around here. Lots of 
deer but few Nauga's.
Greetings to all my friends in the snow, blizzards, and some of you guys, who 
shall be nameless, who are enjoying sunny balmy weather.
Jacque in Bloody freezing Delaware!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: Joyzquilter@aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:21:20 EST
Subject: Posting

Back in November I also got some emails from someone very insistent to sell 
me a featherweight off of ebay for $110.  Later said I could pay half now and 
half later.  English was very poor.  Very insistent and wouldn't take no for an 
answer.  Never could explain to me why they didn't just list it on ebay????  
emall address was... sportirinasf@list.ru.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Steve Ward" 
Subject: sewing machine questions
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:29:34 -0500

Re: Atlas machine
In the 1950s and 60s there were many, many machines manufactured in 
Japan, and private-labeled for sale thru catalogs and department stores 
For a fee, one could have almost any name they wished put on a machine 
line! I've seen many of these pink Atlas machines, and they were  
nicely, although very heavy. Most would accept generic low shank feet 
and other parts.

Re: 221 cord deterioration
I rarely change an original cord, until it begins to malfunction, or the 
bare wires begin to show. There are some pretty good replacement cords 
on the market nowdays, but they don't look original if you're a purist. 
When a cord must be changed, it probably is a good idea to check the 
internal wiring in the machine as well, and the light socket.

On another topic, may I say what an excellent service is provided by the 
FWF site. We are fortunate to have such a well run site which sticks to 
it's intended subject!

Thanks to all who have patronized our eBay store "Vintage Sewing 
Machines and Parts" We try to add something new every week. We have now 
produced a line of carrying case covers that are replicas of the very 
rare original. Take a look!


Steve
sewingdoc
 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 17:56:48 -0700
From: "Carolyn McCarty" 

This may be the wrong forum to ask this question, but I'm sure one of 
you can point me in the right direction.

A friend gave me a Singer sewing machine and table she fished out of the 
dumpster.

The part of the machine that faces the sewer has a large plastic plate 
with the words "Fashion Mate  Model 237."
On the body of the machine, facing the needle, are the words "The Singer 
Company  Made In Italy  Model 237-A"
On the motor:  "BZB 60-8 0.84 amp Volts 110-120 50-60 Cyc.AC  The Singer 
Company  Made In France"
On the bottom of the machine (no bottom plate) is stamped: M (followed 
by a possible F) 562 (a possible 2) 3

The machine has seen use, and the exposed innards underneath are covered 
by brown grease/dirt that needs to be cleaned off.  I can't see where a 
spool holder would sit, though there is a spot on the top of the machine 
that looks like it might have broken off.  The machine is a zig-zag, and 
there is a lever to fasten the needle in L, C or R position.  On the 
machine bed is a knob that turns between "D" and R."

Can anyone give me a clue?

The table has a fold-over leaf, and is damaged but not horribly so.  The 
worst thing is that it appears the machine tore out of the table when it 
dropped into the dumpster.  Me being a handy person, I think I can fix 
it.  If the Fashion Mate isn't worth fixing up and having serviced, I 
intend to modify the table for my 221 unless somebody tells me that is a 
bad thing to do.

Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you aren't trying.   --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine.   Carolyn McCarty

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 19:47:19 EST
Subject: Atlas Machine

You need a board that tries to help with "Orphan" machines.

This is what I have gleaned from other boards, this one sticks pretty close 
to the Featherweight's with a little 301 thrown in for good behavior:

The Atlas sewing machines were products of the United States helping the 
Japanese economy after WW2.  They are excellent machines, made by some of the 
finest wartime manufacturing plants in Japan.  Many were imported to be privately 
badged for sale in Department and Specialty stores, under many different names.

I would suggest that you try  Yahoo! Clubs vintagekenmoressew .

Mel, the one who Mother's that list will be very helpful as she loves all 
sewing machine's, and if she can't help you, she can steer you toward someone who 
can.

Records are not kept on many machines as they were with the Singer Sewing 
Machine Company, the Singer's records are just accurate enough to drive the 
researchers crazy, (Hi! Graham).

If you received the manual with the machine, you are ahead of the game, and 
the needles, should be standard.  Please, you have a good machine, just not as 
popular as the other leading manufacturer's, so please, read and follow the 
manual, maintain with the proper oil and lubricant, and this machine will serve 
you well for the rest of your lifetime.

PatBergman, who has an affection for all sewing machines, just feels more 
comfortable with Singers as I was raised sewing on Singers.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Cynthia Garcia" 
Subject: Quilting on a FW...
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 09:15:53 -0600

Hello,
This is for Jo Ann from Alabama who asked about quilting on her 
Featherweight.  I taught a quilting class at church last fall using my 
Featherweights.  I didn't have any problems with the motors getting 
overheated, but the class sessions were no more than 2 hours long.  I 
suppose if you went on an all day long quilting jog, you'd want to touch 
the motor occasionally with your hand to see if it was getting hot.  
Initially, I worried about that when I offered the class using my 
machines, but it never was a problem.

What WAS a problem, was finding the right walking foot for the machines. 
 I've had advice from this forum, that the best ones are from Chris at 
Stepping Stones quilt shop in GA.  (They post on the FW for sale page on 
this list.)  Don't buy the $12 ones.  Sometimes they work, sometimes 
they don't.  I had 12 students with 10 using my Featherweights.  I had 
the least expensive walking feet.  Four of the students successfully 
quilted with the machines, while the others gave up and tied their 
quilts.  We made a lap size, approx. 60 X 60 inches.  Size is a 
consideration too because there is not much space to push your quilt 
through. =20

So, my advice would be: buy a good walking foot ($25), keep your quilt 
size down, and check to see how warm your motor is getting.  If I were 
doing it again, I would also have used cotton batting which clings to 
the quilt top and backing and probably would have had less shifting than 
we did with the polyester batt. =20

I hope this helps!  You can view photos of my class, machines, and 
quilts by clicking on the links from my website.  (I just added more 
quilt photos recently too.)
http://home.comcast.net/~mustbecyn/index.html

Take care,
Cindy Garcia in VERY COLD N/E Illinois

P.S. Someone emailed me for instructions from the quilt class, and I 
never responded because I lost the email addy when my Dell had to be 
reformatted.  Please email me again!!!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Nancine & Matthew Pike" 
Subject: RE: FW Fanatics 1/29/2004
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 22:28:56 -0800

Hi, I read the post about the Grasshoppers - very cute little machines.  I
have the original green "oil" can and a black one, and the original manual.
If anyone needs copies or them let me know!!

Nancine!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

World Wide Quilting Page * Featherweight Fanatics Home Page * January Archives