My BABY arrived this afternoon

[Sandy Navas]

Our mail-lady delivered a huge package containing my 'new' Featherweight. I'll be downstairs playing with her . . . gotta give her a name. Any suggestions? Something sweet and gentle. I do believe she was born in 1934 . . . have to verify that . . . which would make her a swinger instead of a Singer??? Some Gentile name suggestions?

[Sandy Navas]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

I just looked and verified that I was wrong. Sorry, that doesn't happen very often

SHE was born August 11, 1952. I had her birth certificate number confused with another machine.

She is still a Gentile Lady.

[debinmalaga]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Congrats, Sandy... I know you needed one more sewing machine <G>.

[RFREE]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Sandy,congrats on your new featherweight. I have a question. What is a reasonable price on one of these machines? I think mine is in the 40's and has all the attachments. It sews beautifully and I am quite impressed with all this little jewel will do. My neighbor;who has been quilting for years; is very impressed with it and she has one she uses all the time. Just wondering. Thanks Rhonda from KY.

[Dragonfly]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Sandy, she was born just four days after my lovely husband, a very good vintage indeed.
A hard little worker...maybe Suzi...Suzi Singer, sounds nice.

[sewsoft]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Now you have to let us see the new baby... We'd like to see her as well. Where Can I get one from? I want one too. Send me a message and prices that would be good to stay around.

I know it might sound kind of funny to some but how about FiFi = short for Feather ie she is a feather weight machine.

[Blondie]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Lucky YOU! I am sooooo pea green! Been wanting a 'lil trooper like that forever. Congrats, Sandy

[lhayes1976]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Ooooh! I want one so bad. I keep watching Ebay and Craigslist--when the price is right I going to grab it. I'm also looking for a 201.

[Sandy Navas]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Congrats, Sandy... I know you needed one more sewing machine <G>.

You have been keeping up with the fact that I SUFFER from OCD??????

Thanks!

[Sandy Navas]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Okay, I'll fess up - I am SOOOOOOOOOO disappointed!!!! So, here's the story.

I bought two Featherweights on e-Bay. The first one had a shipping price of $99.99 and I knew this was way off the scale . . . but I got the machine for only $88.00 - so that wasn't too bad. I knew the seller had overstated the shipping - probably to make more on the machine. But I made the seller angry (you wouldn't believe the e-mails . . . ) by questioning the 'correct' shipping price. I paid for the machine about 3 weeks ago and it still hasn't been shipped . . . and I seriously doubt it will be. Luckily I have PayPal insurance. The seller has since disappeared from e-Bay. As always, BUYER BEWARE!! Had I checked like I should I would have seen the seller had a poor rating but I was terribly excited about buying a Featherweight.
So, realizing the situation, I bid on another machine and checked the seller - excellent record - had sold over 15,000 items and was rated 100%. Great! Description said they weren't sewing machine savvy and I paid $182.90 for the machine and an additional $15.00 for shipping from CA. It was shipped the next day after paying for it and it took 2 weeks to arrive via USPS - come on, Sandy, it is the Holiday season.
The MACHINE DOES NOT WORK~!!!~
I have serviced and repaired, reconditioned and cleaned many, many machines and I am very proud of my mechanical abilities. I spent over 3 hours with this little honey this afternoon and still cannot get her to pick up the bobbin thread and [email protected]$%$%^ The bobbin and the bobbin case are quite different from any I have worked with before, so I am not certain whether it is me or whether there is a major problem that I can't see. Luckily I do have a serviceman in the area - albeit he's in his 80's and sometimes forgetful - and I'll use him as a last resort. I do know that I need to replace the motor belt and will be ordering one here shortly.

I keep leaning towards calling her Susannah . . . we'll see.

[Sandy Navas]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Sandy,congrats on your new featherweight. I have a question. What is a reasonable price on one of these machines? I think mine is in the 40's and has all the attachments. It sews beautifully and I am quite impressed with all this little jewel will do. My neighbor;who has been quilting for years; is very impressed with it and she has one she uses all the time. Just wondering. Thanks Rhonda from KY.

Rhonda, I really think the reasonable price for a Featherweight is well over $200.00. I've seen some that run well over $500.00 and I think it depends entirely on what the market will bear. I'm pretty much a tightwad (you wouldn't know it) but unfortunately will spend over that amount and get stung - sort of like I feel like today. To give you an example - years ago I wanted an old-fashioned butter churn. I went to an auction because they had several advertised. The one I really wanted sold for about $32.00 (this was YEARS ago) . . . and I thought it was too much. Yet that same sale I spent over $100.00 on junk! Well, maybe not real junk . . . in the secret bottom of a sewing box I bought were about 30 sets of cuffs and collars from the 1800's - worth a small fortune if I could find the right buyer. I have done that too many times. If I had lumped the $400.00 I could have gotten a machine that was sold by someone who knew about machines and attested that it was in great working condition.

Will I ever learn?

So, if you were to sell your machine and it is working very well, I don't think I would let it go for less than $400 . . . THERE!! Wanna sell it?

[RFREE]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Rhonda, I really think the reasonable price for a Featherweight is well over $200.00. I've seen some that run well over $500.00 and I think it depends entirely on what the market will bear. I'm pretty much a tightwad (you wouldn't know it) but unfortunately will spend over that amount and get stung - sort of like I feel like today. To give you an example - years ago I wanted an old-fashioned butter churn. I went to an auction because they had several advertised. The one I really wanted sold for about $32.00 (this was YEARS ago) . . . and I thought it was too much. Yet that same sale I spent over $100.00 on junk! Well, maybe not real junk . . . in the secret bottom of a sewing box I bought were about 30 sets of cuffs and collars from the 1800's - worth a small fortune if I could find the right buyer. I have done that too many times. If I had lumped the $400.00 I could have gotten a machine that was sold by someone who knew about machines and attested that it was in great working condition.

Will I ever learn?

So, if you were to sell your machine and it is working very well, I don't think I would let it go for less than $400 . . . THERE!! Wanna sell it?

Sandy, Thanks for your quick response. I too bought my machine on e-bay about a year ago. I knew nothing about them but was so taken by my neighbors I just had to have one. I gave $170.00 for it and it too wouldn't pick up the bobbin thread. I took it over to the neighbor lady and she figured out the needle was in it wrong. Whewww . Talk about relieved I just knew I threw away $170.00 I really didn't have to spend. Any way it sews so good I just can't think of selling it right now but if I ever do I will let you have first crack at it. ha ha Maybe (unless you already thought about the needle) check it out. It may just be the needle.My neighbor told me I stole this machine after she seen how good it sews once we got the needle in right. Good luck and let us know how she is doing.

[lhayes1976]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Sandy, I feel your pain. Several months ago I bought a vintage Kenmore off Ebay. The seller claimed the machine was in excellent shape. When I started to unpack I heard this rattling sound, first warning. Then when I opened--OMG--it was horrible. Tobacco stains, scratches, and the stitch adjustment knob was broken off. I immediately e-mailed the seller and he was a monster. He made claims that I ordered something I couldn't afford, that I purposely broke the knob, that I was not a sewer, and on and on.

I filed a complaint with Ebay, and fortunately, they took over the manner. I had all my money (even shipping) returned to me. I'm still looking on Ebay though, for a Featherweight. I'm just going to really do my research this time. Even tonight, I was tempted by a low price on a Singer, but I held off.

[Lola2Ace]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Ok, you all have me curious and I went looking on Craigslist. Wow there are alot of sewing machines listed in a big city near me. I have a vintage machine that was my Grandmother's....well, it's mine for the asking, but I know how much it means to my Mom so I'm not asking for it.
There is one on Craigslist that got me interested, but I know nothing of older machines.
It's a Singer 348 cam, all metal gears and belt driven. There is actually a video of it workiing and the stitches look great, table top model-but states it can be put into a cabinet.
Price is under $100 and it's recently been serviced. I wouldn't have to pay shipping as it's within travel distance for me.
Can anybody tell me if this is a good machine/deal? Are the Singers/Featherweights good for quilting?
Lola

[Carol_Ann]

Re: My BABY arrived this afternoon

Oh, Sandy ....
I was so happy for you until I continued to read on to discover your disappointments in the 2 machines you ordered. I hope the repair gentleman can help you out.