Pictured above and below are three of our Singer 221 Featherweight sewing machines. These machines are lightweight and they are a favorite of quilters. Their little case can be tossed (carefully placed) in the back of your PT Cruiser and off you go to a quilting bee or the AQS in Nashville or Paducah. Even though they are straight stitch machines, they have a real cult following.

A black featherweight in good condition with the case and accessories can be found for around $300-$450. Other colors and the model with a free arm can cost double that price. We have seen them sell on eBay for over $2,000.00. Fortunately we purchased our first Featherweight a number of years ago when they were cheaper. We wonder why the price of these little machines is so high since Singer must have made millions of them and there are many machines out there that cost a fraction of the cost and will do just as well.

Red Singer Featherweight

White Singer Featherweight

OK, so the machine looks somewhat greenish but they are referred to as the "white" Featherweight. The time of day the photo was taken shifted the color slightly. It is actually a pretty pearl color. It is not a white-white. The quilt batting the machine is sitting on is pure white.

The original drive belts on these machines were also white. It is acceptable to replace a drive with a new belt but the white belt should be saved in case you want to either display or sell the machine. The machine has a gold-colored paper with a red "S" medallian.

White Featherweights are quite different from the black and red ones seen above. White Featherweights are not nearly as fancy and the folding extension is much shorter. The machine is slightly lighter and quieter than a black model. These white machines are made in Great Britain. The serial number of this one is EV924169 indicating it was manufactured in 1964. We found it in Clarence, New York.