OldSewinGear
  • Blog
    • Blog Index
    • Site Map
  • Singer
    • Slant Needle >
      • 301
      • 401 / 403 / 404
      • 500 / 503
      • 601 / 603 /604
    • Class 15 Machines
    • Class 66 Machines
    • Featherweight
    • Swing Needle
    • Toy Machines
    • Accessories >
      • Buttonholer
      • Discs & Cams
  • Others
    • Pfaff
    • Elna
    • Necchi
    • Japan Class 15
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Links
    • Cheat Sheets
    • Shipping & Packaging
  • Contact
    • About Us

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

10/26/2014

22 Comments

 
PictureSinger 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.  

PictureFeatherweight-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.

PictureSinger 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. 

PictureCabinet 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!

PictureLong 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

You Zig, I'll Zag

11/30/2013

10 Comments

 
PictureSinger Zigzag attachments
Just this week I had a rare opportunity to compare three Singer zigzag attachments at the same time.   


Singer introduced zigzaggers early in the 20th century.  Over the next few decades the concept progressed from no-frills to fancy. 


Let's take a closer look at three examples:  

Singer Adjustable Zigzag Attachment # 121706

No-frills model with instruction manual dated 1939.  For low-shank vertical needle machines only. 

Singer Zigzag Attachment # 160620

Compact zigzagger with black & white jacket.  Instruction manual dated 1950.  Available in low-shank or slant-needle models. 

Singer Automatic Zigzagger #161158

Advanced zizagger with interchangeable pattern discs.  Available in low-shank and slant-needle models. 
PictureZigzag attachments 121706, 160620, 161158
It was a real privileage to line these three examples up and marvel at the ingenuity of the inventors who made it possible for a straight-stitch machine to sew a zigzag stitch.  


So if you're looking to increase the creative potential of your straight-stitch machine, keep your eye out for one of these marvelous inventions!


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

10 Comments

Sewing Retro - Why buy a vintage sewing machine?

9/15/2013

6 Comments

 
Are you:
  • in the market for a sewing machine?
  • wondering how to get the most bang for your buck?
  • getting conflicting information from friends, families, consumer guides, and/or salespeople?
  • Overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices?  
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may be suffering from...

OK, you get the picture, so we'll stop right there.  The good news and bad news is there's no special "syndrome" name for what you're going through.  You're just a typically confused consumer like the rest of us.   

We can't solve all of your problems, but maybe we can answer a couple of questions and help you clarify some of your options.  
If you're reading this blog, then you're likely considering the merits of a vintage sewing machine versus a new sewing machine.  Perhaps you've been told by friends or family that vintage is the way to go.  You may be asking:

"Why should I buy a vintage sewing machine?"

It's a fair question.  Whatever decision you make, buying a sewing machine is an investment and most of us can't afford to choose unwisely.   
Vintage isn't for everyone, but here are my top 5 reasons to buy vintage:

1.  Metal. 
In the old days, almost everything was made from metal and was built to last.  These days it's plastic and it breaks if you breath on it, let alone USE it.
  
2.  Fix-ability.  
We live in a throw-away society.  In the old days if something broke, you could grab a screwdriver and figure out a way to fix it. These days you can't even find the screws.  Manufacturers today expect that if it breaks, you'll throw it away and buy a new one.
Not what you want to hear if you just spent several hundred (or thousand) dollars on a sewing machine.  

3.  Style.  
Curvy metal and glossy paint wins out over molded plastic anyday in my book.  

4.  Power.  
Almost any all-metal vintage machine can hem a pair of jeans, and you can find one for under $200.  But if you want a brand-new jeans-hemming machine, you'll have to pay a heavy duty price.  Even then it will still be plastic and un-fixable if anything goes wrong with it. 
 
5.  Nostalgia.  
There is nothing like sewing on "Grandma's" machine, even when it's somebody else's grandmother.   I learned to sew on my grandmother's Singer Featherweight and these days my sister's grandchildren are learning to sew on the very same machine.  


So there you have it, my top 5 reasons for buying a vintage sewing machine.  


I mainly write about Singer machines on this blog, but there are so many wonderful vintage machines to choose from...Pfaff, Bernina, Viking, Japanese...


My advice is to ask questions, do your homework, and find the right machine for YOU. 


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

Auto Reel vs Touch & Sew

7/22/2013

14 Comments

 
PictureSinger 600 Auto Reel Sewing Machine
Pop Quiz, everyone!

What do you think when someone says "Singer Touch & Sew"?

Great machine?  Plastic garbage?  

What do you think when someone says "Singer Auto Reel"?

Great machine?  Plastic garbage?  Never heard of it?

Sorry, trick question.  "Auto Reel" is what Singer called their new 600 Slant-o-Matic before someone thought up the name "Touch & Sew."  

In fact the only difference between the earliest 600 Touch & Sew and the 600 Auto Reel is a new nameplate and a couple of rivets. 

Time for a side-by-side comparison!



Singer 600 Auto Reel
Serial Number AN663953
Picture
Singer 600 Auto Reel
Picture
Auto Reel nameplate
Singer 600 Touch & Sew
Serial Number AN689066
Picture
Singer 600 Touch & Sew
Picture
Touch & Sew nameplate riveted over top of Auto Reel name.
Whatever name you call it, the Singer 600 is a vintage Singer slant needle worthy of attention.  It's not a very attractive machine with its square styling and gray plastic face-plate.  But it's graced with steel gears just like the classic Slant-o-Matics.  The horizontal spool pin feeds smoothly and the wind-in-place bobbin is an improvement over the top-mounted Rocketeer bobbin winder.  

It doesn't have as many built-in stitch settings as the 401 or 500, but it has the stitch patterns that matter and it sews a fine quality stitch.  

Singer refined the bobbin winding mechanism when they introduced the 600E.  The bobbin-winder button is located on the front right corner of the 600, but it's tucked inside the bobbin compartment on the later 600E.  



So next time you see or hear "Singer Auto Reel" you'll know it's worth taking a look!


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


14 Comments

To Greist or Not to Greist?

6/8/2013

21 Comments

 
PictureGreist Sewing Machine Attachments
One of the things I most enjoy about my job is tracking down the "correct" accessories for the sewing machines we sell. 

Which makes me a bit of a snob when it comes to sewing machine accessories.  If I'm selling a vintage Singer machine, I really want all of the attachments to have the "Singer" or "Simanco" mark.

But is that really necessary? There are a lot of vintage attachments out there with the "Greist Manufacturing Company" mark. Are they somehow inferior? Does the "Singer" mark automatically make an attachment better?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Obviously it matters if you are assembling a collector quality set of attachments for your Singer machine.  But if functionality is your goal, then Greist attachments may be a viable alternative. Because vintage Greist attachments are sometimes nearly identical to Singer attachments. 

Why so?

You guessed it...time for a history lesson! 

Greist Manufacturing Company was founded by John M. Greist, an inventor who was employed by Singer to design sewing machine attachments.  Greist is the inventor behind the iconic "Puzzle Box" attachments kit for Singer treadle machines.  The patent was filed in 1889 by Greist but assigned to Singer.  Greist Manufacturing Company went on to produce sewing machine attachments for many different sewing machine makers, including Morse and White. 

Greist also manufactured attachments for Singer.  I haven't been able to determine how many Singer-marked attachments were made by Greist's factory, but Singer clearly outsourced buttonholers to Greist in the late 1950's and early 1960's.  A side by side comparison (Singer at left, Greist at right) confirms it:  
 
Picture
As you can see, the box design and presentation are identical and the buttonholers themselves are similar in shape and size. 

A closer look reveals that the only difference is the shape and color of the plastic cover.

PictureSinger (top) and Greist instructions.
When it came to the instruction booklet, the source of the Singer buttonholer is even more obvious. Again, the books are identical, right down to the illustration in the Singer (pink) book clearly show the Greist-shaped cover!

So the next time you see a sewing machine attachment marked "Greist" don't be too quick to dismiss it.  Greist produced quaility products and had a long history of partnership with Singer.  So if it fits your machine, go ahead and use it!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara

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

21 Comments
<<Previous

    News, Reviews, 
    & How-To's

    See "Article Index" for list of past articles by title. 

    See "Frequently Asked Questions" for quick answers to common questions.  

    Check out "Cheat Sheets" to download printable reference sheets.

    See "Resources" for links to useful websites and forums. 

    Contact Us

    Questions, comments
    ​or suggestions? 
    Contact us!  

    Categories

    All
    15-125
    15 91
    192 Spartan
    201
    221 Featherweight
    301
    328
    401
    403
    411
    500
    503
    600
    603
    626
    99
    Adjustment/repair
    Appraisal & Pricing
    Attachments
    Bobbin
    Centennial
    Checklist
    Dating
    Greist
    Historical Info
    How To
    Japanese
    Miscellaneous
    Model Comparisons
    Reviews
    Shipping
    Singer
    Slant Needle
    Tips & Tricks
    Toyota
    Toys
    Treadle
    Video


    Archives

    June 2020
    April 2020
    August 2019
    March 2018
    October 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012


    About Us

    OldSewinGear is the collaborative effort of retired repairman Gary and daughter Barbara.  We love old sewing gear and enjoy sharing what we've learned in our vintage sewing machine adventures.  We are located in Roseburg, Oregon. 


    RSS Feed

© 2019 OldSewinGear
  • Blog
    • Blog Index
    • Site Map
  • Singer
    • Slant Needle >
      • 301
      • 401 / 403 / 404
      • 500 / 503
      • 601 / 603 /604
    • Class 15 Machines
    • Class 66 Machines
    • Featherweight
    • Swing Needle
    • Toy Machines
    • Accessories >
      • Buttonholer
      • Discs & Cams
  • Others
    • Pfaff
    • Elna
    • Necchi
    • Japan Class 15
  • Resources
    • FAQ
    • Links
    • Cheat Sheets
    • Shipping & Packaging
  • Contact
    • About Us