OldSewinGear News Reviews & How To's

Featherweights and 301's

8/11/2015

My personal 221 Featherweight finally has a 301 Slant Needle "Big Sister!"

However, by the dates their relationship might be better described as Mother and Daughter.

How so?

Singer 301 Slant Needle & 221 Featherweight

Let's take a closer look at the Featherweight. This particular machine came to me from one of my mother's closest friends. She can't sew anymore due to her eyesight, but she knew how much we loved these old machines so she gifted it to us. It's a lovely little thing and it turns out it's one of the earliest 221 Featherweights produced!

1933-1934 Singer 221 Featherweight

How do we know? The serial number stamped in the bottom of the machine is AD542703. According to Singer's records, the first batch of 10,000 serial numbers for model 221 was allocated on October 3, 1933, starting with #AD541546 and ending with #AD551545. The next batch of Featherweight serial numbers were issued on September 10, 1934, which solidly dates this machine to 1933-1934, making it the 1157th Featherweight produced.

These early Featherweights had the bobbin-winder tension mounted on the front of the machine below the sewing platform. The tensioner was moved to the sewing platform surface within a couple of years to allow the machine to be used in a card table or cabinet.

Featherweights are prized for their size, light weight portability and surprising power. Not to mention, they're pretty dang cute!

18 years after the introduction of the 221 Featherweight, Singer hit another home run with the launch of the 301 Slant Needle. While mechanically very different, the 301 shares a number of features with the 221 which have earned it the nicknames "Featherweight Big Sister" and "Full-Size Featherweight."

Singer 301 Serial Number NA039596

Like the 221, the 301 is made of light weight aluminum with a flip-up extension table for access to the bobbin compartment. Both machines use the same bobbin case (Simanco Part Number 45750) and bobbins. The 301 has a built-in carry handle for portability.

However, the two machines are vastly different in size and power and mechanical design. The 301's full size is combined with a direct-drive motor and steel gears, while the 221 is half-size with a belt drive. Both machines pack a punch when it comes to tough projects. And of course the 301 is a slant needle while the 221 is a vertical low-shank machine.

So while the 301 is a "big sister" in size, this particular machine is about 19 years junior in age. Serial Number NA039596 was allocated in 1951, but according to Singer301.com's excellent charts, this machine dates to 1952.

Singer was seeking a more modern image, however, so it wasn't long before the classic black and gold gave way to new colors. Later 301's were produced in mocha and a two-tone cream and tan. (Check out the Singer Machine Gallery for photos of all three colors.)

Hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about these fabulous machines.

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

For more about the 301, see the articles "Got Steel? Singer 301 - the Featherweight'sBig Sister" and "Rock-a-Bye Baby: Singer 301 Cabinet Cradle".

5 Comments

Rock-a-bye Baby: Singer 301 Cabinet Cradle

10/26/2014

16 Comments

Singer 301 Slant Needle Sewing Machine

So you're the proud owner of a Singer 301 Slant Needle "Featherweight" and you've decided you want to install it in a cabinet.

So you turn the machine around...

Singer 301 rear view.

Uh-oh, something is missing.

The good news is your eyes are not playing tricks on you.

The bad news is that unlike every other full-size vintage Singer, the 301 does not have the holes for mounting cabinet hinges.

So, now what?

Relax. There IS a solution, and I'll get to it in a moment.

But first, a quick history lesson:

301 has no hinge mounts.

Like the 221 Featherweight, the 301 was designed to be a light-weight portable machine.

The full-size 301 weighed only 16 pounds, had a built--in carry handle and came in a convenient carrying case.

To complement the perfect portable machine, Singer designed some brilliant cabinet options.

One option was a lightweight folding card-table with built-in support brackets. Space-saving and simple for a small house or apartment.

But Singer knew some customers would want to use their 301 in a full-size cabinet. Which presented a bit of a problem. After all, anchoring the perfect portable into a cabinet with fixed hinges rather defeated the purpose of designing a portable in the first place!

Singer 301 cabinet cradle (part # 170112)

So Singer devised a creative solution.

First they offered the 301 in two configurations: long-bed and short-bed.

The long-bed version was intended for portable use only, but could also be used in some card tables. (Long-bed card tables are still out there, but they are hard to find.)

The short bed version was paired with a clip-on bracket/cradle  (Simanco part # 170112, shown above) which mounted inside the cabinet using standard swivel hinges. The machine clipped into the cradle, turning the perfect portable into the perfect cabinet machine. But with the press of a lever the machine could be quickly removed for portable use.

It's an odd-looking contraption, but the perfect complement to the "Full-Size Featherweight."   (NOTE: Some Singer cabinets are not compatible with the 301 cradle because the front edge support brackets cannot be installed.  See photos and additional note at end of article.)

So what does this look like? First, let's take a look at how the cradle attaches to the machine and how the quick-release lever works:

Next, we'll look at how to attach hinges:
(Note: hinges are shown being installed on a 401 but the installation process is identical for the 301 cradle.)

Finally, we'll take a look at how the machine with cradle mounts in the cabinet:

See "Hide and Seek - Singer Sewing Machine Cabinet" for video demonstration.

Yep, it's that simple. Keep in mind, however, that this only works if your 301 is a short-bed model. If you have a long-bed 301 then you'll either have to modify the machine or the cabinet for it to fit. Or you can keep your eyes open for a card table designed to fit the long-bed. These are pretty rare, though.

301 cabinet cradles are usually available on eBay. Check your cabinet to see it if already has the front edge support brackets. If not, you'll want to look for a cradle that includes them. Check your machine to see if the hinge mounting set screws are already in place. If not, you'll want to make sure set screws are included in when you purchase the cradle and/or hinges.

There, problem solved, just as promised at the beginning of this article!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

See "Got Steel? Singer 301--the Featherweight's Big Sister" for more information on the Singer 301 Slant Needle.

See "Hide and Seek - Singer Sewing Machine Cabinet" for video of setting up and stowing away a sewing machine in a cabinet.

Note: The front edge support brackets require a flat surface on the inside edge of the front lift panel. Some cabinets have a protruding lip which supports the front edge of the machine, which will not work with the 301 cradle. Please review the above photos to see how the front edge support brackets attach to the cabinet and see below for examples of a cabinet that WILL NOT work with the cabinet cradle.

Special thanks to readers David, Lisalu, and Ann for sharing experiences and research that led me to make significant revisions to this article in the interests of accuracy and clarity.

16 Comments

Got Steel? Singer 301 - the Featherweight's Big Sister

10/26/2014

22 Comments

Singer 301 Slant Needle "Featherweight"

Looking for a straight-stitch sewing machine? Direct drive motor? Steel gears?

There are a number of phenomenal vintage Singer sewing machines that will fill the bill; 15-91, 15-125, 201-1, 404, and 604 to name a few.

BUT, if you also want a lightweight portable, then the Singer 301 Slant Needle is the machine for you. Especially if you love the Singer 221 Featherweight but want a full-size machine for larger projects. In fact, the 301 is affectionately nicknamed "The Featherweight's Big Sister."

While it shares a number of features with the 221 Featherweight, the 301 is mechanically very different from the Featherweight.

Featherweight-class bobbin

The 301 is the first of Singer's legendary steel-gear direct-drive slant-needle family. Cast in lightweight aluminum, it's the only slant needle that doesn't have a rotary hook placed in front of the presser foot. Instead, the 301 uses the same bobbin as the 221 Featherweight, which mounts beneath the platform to the left of the needle.

Singer 301 "Trapezoid" carry case

The 301 has a flip-up sewing platform extension similar to the 221 Featherweight, and it was designed to be a portable sewing machine. It has a built-in carry handle and was packaged in a distinctive trapezoid-shaped carrying case.

Singer offered the 301 in two versions. The "long bed" version had a longer flip-up table, similar in length to the smaller Featherweight. The "short-bed" version had a shorter flip-up table conforming to the standard dimensions of the 201, 401, & 500.

The long-bed was designed to be strictly portable, while the short-bed could be used as a portable or cabinet machine when paired with a special bracket.

Cabinet cradle for Singer 301

Because it was intended to be portable, the 301 does not have hinge mounts. Which presented a bit of a problem if you want to mount the machine in a conventional cabinet.

Singer solved this problem by producing a funky cradle that clips onto the base of the 301. The cradle has standard hinge mounts enabling the machine to be mounted into a Singer cabinet.

The machine releases from the cradle with the press of a lever, further enhancing it's status as the perfect portable. (See "Rock-a-bye Baby: Singer 301 Cabinet Cradle" for more details. )

Singer also produced a portable table for the 301, similar to the card-table for the 221 Featherweight. But these tables are extremely rare, so happy hunting!

Long Bed 301 in "Trapezoid" case

The 301 head weighs a mere 16 pounds, but the overall weight with foot control and motor is closer to 22 pounds. Significantly lighter than the 15-91, which is a cast-iron behemoth or even the 401 which is cast aluminum with a lot of internal steel components.

When it comes to power, the 301 has the gear-driven chops to handle heavy fabrics but is gentle enough for fine dressmaking and quilting too. It's a domestic machine with a .72 amp motor so it isn't meant for day-in, day-out heavy duty sewing but it will do the job beautifully on an occasional basis.

The 301 also features a convenient drop-feed knob for darning or free motion work. Buttonhole and zigzagger attachments are avaiable for additional creative design flexibility.

So if you love the Featherweight but want a larger machine without belts, the 301 is the one for you! Lightweight enough to carry to quilting classes but with heavy duty power for hemming jeans or tackling light upholstery jobs too.

Got steel? The 301 Slant Needle sure does!

HappySewing!
Barbara
OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

Special thanks to readers David, Lisalu, and Ann for sharing experiences and research that led me to make significant revisions to this article in the interests of accuracy and clarity.

22 Comments

Featherweights and 301's

Rock-a-bye Baby: Singer 301 Cabinet Cradle

Got Steel? Singer 301 - the Featherweight's Big Sister

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Featherweights and 301's

Rock-a-bye Baby: Singer 301 Cabinet Cradle

Got Steel? Singer 301 - the Featherweight's Big Sister

News, Reviews, & How-To's

Contact Us

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