Featherweight Fanatics Archives
2004
October
http://www.FeatherWeightFanatics.com/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Featherweight Fanatics A Service of Sue Traudt's Valley Brook Botanicals
Digest of postings from Tuesday, October 19, 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
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Darla"
Subject: Birthday and Book
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 22:18:16 -0400
dutchrose wrote:
"... the serial # is AF167102 and if graham would be so kind to let me
know it's
'birthdate' i would really appreciate it."
I show it as February 15, 1939.
Deb wrote:
"Darla - I think you should write a book! I would LOVE to read all about
this
!
Whaddya say?"
Actually thought about it a few times but couldn't figure out whether it
would break even. So in the meantime ... there's lots of information on my
website (and I'm still considering therapy!).
Thanks for the compliment.
Darla
http://home.cfl.rr.com/featherweight
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Jake and Jacqui Van Meppelen-Scheppink"
Subject: busy/hand piecing
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 22:26:02 -0400
Hi all:
I sent this post yesterday, but it didn't show up on the digest today, so
I'll resend it...hopefully, it doesn't show up twice :-).
I've actually been keeping up with the digests lately because they're short
:-). Life has been really busy for us as well. Can't remember if I posted
this to this list or not, but DH, Jake, has gone back to University for two
years to obtain his Bachelor of Education. He hopes to teach High School
Sciences and Maths. He got his BSc 26 years ago, so this is a challenge!
The University is an hour and a half driving away from our home, so we've
rented an apartment and live in two places. That gets a little confusing at
times...the worst thing is clothes! You have to make sure you have the
right clothes in the right places at the right times for the right weather
conditions LOL. We do have three FW's in our apartment and I've used one of
them. Jake hopes to service the other two as soon as he's finished with a
big paper he has to write as well as an oral presentation next week. I've
taken a pile of UFO's along and am acutally getting some things almost
finished. I am working on a 30's reproduction quilt from blocks exchanged
at our Canadian Sewing Machine Collector's gathering last fall. I'm down to
the binding, but can't find the right purple or yellow to finish it. I need
to find a shop with 30's reproduction prints...think I found one on the
internet yesterday that's not too far from here. It was actually featured
in the fall Better Homes and Gardens Sampler! Imagine that :-).
Ann, I'm working on a handpieced grandmother's flower garden. I bought a
bunch of 30's or 40's era blocks at one of our CanSew auctions a few years
ago and am putting them together with white hexagons cut from a pile of
vintage white cotton fabric that I found at the thrift shop. I have it all
together except for one more row of white hexagons around the two long
sides. Then I'll have to decide how it's going to get quilted. I'm
thinking of leaving it til I can save up some money and have the local Amish
ladies handquilt it for me. I'd never get it finshed if I handquilt it :-).
I'd be VERY interested in a handpiecing class if you ever have one...it's
not far for me to drive to Shakespeare!
Jacqui in Hamilton, ON at the moment
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Ruthiemarie"
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 10/17/2004
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:23:34 -0700
Oh Jo Ann, I am sure it was done in jest. He just likes to pull your leg,
but if you don't know that, it kind of takes you by surprise and you don't
know what to think of it.
Please don't take offense.
Ruthie
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 17:49:12 -0700
From: Ruth Gillmore
Subject: what do you think?
Hi all,
It's raining here in So. Cal and a bit nippy too. How does this sound to
you all.....a hot cup of tea, a chocolate teapot (candy of course) and
sewing on your cute little fw. Can life get much better?
Enjoy life's little pleasures while we can.
Ruth
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Robert Hamilton"
Subject: Not enough postings on FWF daily
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 19:49:29 -0400
Recently there have been comments about the FWF digests being short.
I'll try to remedy that by sending in some of my totally biased opinions
and observations on Featherweights and Featherweight owners.
Regarding "Drip Pads": First, let me say that I don't think these pads
were designed to catch drips of excess oil. I think they were intended
to dampen the sounds made by the mechanical parts of the sewing machine
when it is running. The metal cover plate on the bottom was probably put
there to keep things from getting tangled up in the moving parts. It
does that very well but it also acts as an amplifier for the noise being
generated by the moving parts. The pads I've seen don't appear to be
made of felt, or wool. To me they look more like the sound deadening
material used in automobiles or the "tar paper" that is put under roof
shingles on a house.
Regarding "White" 221's. I've read a lot of posts about the "almost
celery", "sort of green", "pale turquoise" machines. Most of the
write-ups seemed to be from people who owned one and loved it. I decided
to buy one and have a look for myself. I bought one on Ebay which is
risky unless you know the seller, but it was the only place I could find
one for sale.
After looking it over and sewing with it for several days, I came to the
following conclusion. Singer was definitely trying to cut manufacturing
costs on the 221's.
They did away with the gold decals which saved them the price of the
decals, the labor to apply them, and the clearcoat to protect them.
They replaced the precision bevel gears with a lugged rubber belt. This
saved them money on the gears and the labor to adjust the mesh of the
gears.
They replaced the cast aluminum bed extension with a stamped sheet metal
one. Stamping is cheaper than casting, and steel is cheaper than
aluminum.
They replaced the end plate with a cheaper version that was painted
rather than plated and it had no decoration.
They replaced the sheet metal cover on the bottom of the machine with
one made of masonite. (a type of pressed board used in making cheap
furniture).
They replaced the old Singer medallion with a thin stick-on aluminum
decal. The aluminum decals are easily damaged and replacements are not
easy to find.
They hard wired the foot controller to the machine. This saved the cost
of the 2 electrical connectors used on the earlier machines, and the
cost of machining the bed to receive the connector.
They glued the bed cushions directly to the bottom of the bed instead of
attaching them with screws. This saved several machining operations and
the price of the screws.
The carrying case is still wood covered with vinyl but it has only one
latch and there is no tray to store things in. There is no bracket for
storing the foot controller on the inside of the cover. This saved them
the price of a tray and a bracket plus the labor to install the bracket.
To summarize: I was not favorably impressed. To me the white 221's are a
cheap knock off of the earlier machines. The business end of them (the
part that forms the stitches) remains unchanged and does the same good
job as the earlier ones. I think the weak point will be the lugged belt.
It may last a long time but not as long as steel gears. When the belt
does quit you may have a hard time finding a replacement.
I don't understand why people are willing to pay a premium price to get
a white 221. Maybe it's just because there are less of them out there
and they want something that is scarce.
Mine will be up for sale soon and some lucky person can add one of these
rare machines to their collection.
Bob Hamilton
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Joyous"
Subject: FW Repair and Maintenance
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 19:15:53 -0500
In the past, I've read about FW repair and maintenance programs being
offered. However, these have been well out of my travel area. I live
just outside of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area - if anyone knows of any
classes being offered around here, I'd love to know. Maybe a quilt shop
would be interested in sponsoring one...........
Thanks so much!
Joy in Texas
(I've now managed to gift my daughter, 15 year old niece and my
mother-in-law with a FW to have and hold - they say misery loves
company!!!)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: HMMQuilts@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 20:11:51 EDT
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 10/17/2004
In a message dated 10/19/2004 7:04:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
FWFanatics@ttsw.com writes:
I am a new gramma to a new beautiful bouncing baby girl. Amanda Joann, born
Friday afternoon. Weighed a little less than my FW, 8 lbs. 9 ozs. Jo Ellen
Congratulations, gramma!
HelenMarie (who doesn't care if it's off topic, just so it's fun! and
grandchildren definitely fit that description)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 08:13:49 -0700
From: Barb Baker
Subject: FW222
Hi all,
Just thought I would let you all know that there are still bargains out
there. My friend (unfortunately not me) has recently bought a FW222 for
$250.00 Cdn. She has been looking for a "cheap" Featherweight for
sometime and I think had almost given up.
Her sister lives on Saltspring Island which is off Vancouver Island in
British Columbia. She saw an ad in the paper selling a FW and went to
look at it. She didn't know anything about the difference between a 221
and 222 so didn't really realize what she was looking at. They were
asking $300.00 but it didn't sew very well and so dropped the price
$50.00 to cover the cost of a servicing. It had been sitting for 10
years and so only needed a good cleaning, oiling and lubing. Now it
sews perfectly.
It came with a hardly used manual, all attachments, and darning
accessory in original box with tissue paper. The only problem is the
case and I told her about baking it in the oven to get rid of the odor.
She's thrilled and I'm jealous.
Barb
in, oh my goodness, we've had snow already, Kamloops, B.C.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Jake and Jacqui Van Meppelen-Scheppink"
Subject: busy/hand piecing
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 09:43:49 -0400
Hi all:
I've actually been keeping up with the digests lately because they're short
:-). Life has been really busy for us as well. Can't remember if I posted
this to this list or not, but DH, Jake, has gone back to University for two
years to obtain his Bachelor of Education. He hopes to teach High School
Sciences and Maths. He got his BSc 26 years ago, so this is a challenge!
The University is an hour and a half driving away from our home, so we've
rented an apartment and live in two places. That gets a little confusing at
times...the worst thing is clothes! You have to make sure you have the
right clothes in the right places at the right times for the right weather
conditions LOL. We do have three FW's in our apartment and I've used one of
them. Jake hopes to service the other two as soon as he's finished with a
big paper he has to write as well as an oral presentation next week. I've
taken a pile of UFO's along and am acutally getting some things almost
finished. I am working on a 30's reproduction quilt from blocks exchanged
at our Canadian Sewing Machine Collector's gathering last fall. I'm down to
the binding, but can't find the right purple or yellow to finish it. I need
to find a shop with 30's reproduction prints...think I found one on the
internet yesterday that's not too far from here. It was actually featured
in the fall Better Homes and Gardens Sampler! Imagine that :-).
Ann, I'm working on a handpieced grandmother's flower garden. I bought a
bunch of 30's or 40's era blocks at one of our CanSew auctions a few years
ago and am putting them together with white hexagons cut from a pile of
vintage white cotton fabric that I found at the thrift shop. I have it all
together except for one more row of white hexagons around the two long
sides. Then I'll have to decide how it's going to get quilted. I'm
thinking of leaving it til I can save up some money and have the local Amish
ladies handquilt it for me. I'd never get it finshed if I handquilt it :-).
I'd be VERY interested in a handpiecing class if you ever have one...it's
not far for me to drive to Shakespeare!
Jacqui in Hamilton, ON at the moment
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: "Judy Howe"
Subject: Hand piecing and knitting socks
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 22:58:30 -0700
Ann said:
I have also taken up knitting socks. Don't everyone laugh out loud at
once, now. It is very fun. It is that yarn that works up into
something that looks like a knitted pattern. Lots of nice sock stuff on
the web and encouraging help from other knitters.
I, too, have taken up knitting socks. They are so COMFY! I learned
to knit during WWII when I was 9 and my Mom and her friends were
knitting sweaters, etc. for the soldiers. Last April I started my first
pair. I am now finishing the toe of the second sock of my 3rd pair. I
just keep another pr. going so I can take it along or knit while I rest
a few minutes. I have the yarn for 2 more pair. I'll be toasty this
winter while I weave on my 4 shaft Harrisville loom.
Ann said she likes to hand piece quilt blocks. I have done that and
find it very satisfying. My Grandmother used to cut out pieces and hand
piece every evening after supper while listening to Arthur Godfrey on
the radio. Her favorite was Bing Crosby. I have several of her
beautiful and precious quilts. Quilts do last!
My featherweights are a little lonely, and I must get back to
finishing some of those quilting projects. I plan to help Barb by doing
some blocks for the WA state soldiers families who have lost a loved one
in this awful but necessary war.
Judy Howe in gorgeous NW Washington State I grew up in AR, Gerald. .
World Wide Quilting Page * Featherweight Fanatics Home Page