Sewing Machine Review: Singer Featherweight 221 (circa 1951)

This is the second video in a new series, sharing about my sewing machines. Today, I'm talking about my vintage Singer Featherweight 221. I inherited this machine from my great-aunt and have only been using it for about 5 months. So, I’m definitely not an expert. This isn’t a machine that I need to have (because my main machine does everything it does and more) but I have really enjoyed using it. It just has a lovely feel and a gorgeous sound, that I really find soothing while piecing my quilts. (You can check out part one of the series here where I share about my Janome Horizon MemoryCraft 9400.)

To learn more about the Singer Featherweight, I recommend checking out the Singer Featherweight Shop and their YouTube channel. Their tutorials were really helpful for me to learn how to thread the machine and load the bobbin. I’ve also ordered some additional accessories from them that I’m excited to try, namely a 1/4” piecing foot and a horizontal thread holder.

Watch the video above for all of my tips, or if it's not working, you can watch it on YouTube here. In the video, I share the features of the machine, and demonstrate how to wind a bobbin, thread the machine and a bit of sewing. Plus, I talk a little bit about how much these machines cost.

I love the sound of this mechanical (non-computerized machine so, I've included a couple minutes of ASMR style stitching for your enjoyment. This section starts at time stamp 13:02 and ends at 15:12.

Singer Featherweight Pros & Cons

PROS

  1. Beautiful stitches

  2. Lovely mechanical sound

CONS

  1. Straight stitch only


I hope that this information was helpful. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter and/or YouTube to be notified when the final video in this series is posted. Next up, I’ll be sharing about my Brother 1034D serger. Happy sewing!