| Introduction: The Featherweights
stitches across history | 9 | | |
| Chapter One: Perspectives | 10 | Chapter
Eleven: Fact or Fiction? | 80 |
| What it wasn't and what it was;Why its
called The Perfect Portable; Today's renewed interest in this classic portable
sewing machine | | My
thoughts on Featherweight legends and myths: magnesium 221; red, green, blue and
brown-colored machines | |
| Chapter
Two: The Beginning | 12 | Chapter
Twelve: Featherweight Carrying Case | 87 |
| The Standard Sewhandy and its prophecy;
the Great Depression and its effect on sewing machines; Sewhandy variants by Ossan
and General Electric; Singers acquisition and modeling; the Featherweight's debut
in 1933 | | Early
and late black U.S. cases; British carrying cases; prototype for the 221J case
and the 221J case itself; musty odor problem; carrying case latches and handles;
repairs and maintenance, carrying case keys | |
| Chapter Three: Featherweight Name | 17 | Chapter
Thirteen: Featherweight Tables and Cabinet | 100 |
| What's in a name; what it means to me;
other "Featherweights"; the White Sewing Machine Company's Featherweight | | Utility
"Card" Table and extension set overview; early and late variants; Early
American Model 68 Cabinet; utility table repairs | |
| Chapter Four: Design Features | 18 | Chapter
Fourteen: Common Machine Problems | 108 |
| Pluses and minuses of the Sewhandy; what
was kept and what was added; improvement details; the result -our Featherweight
machine | | Common
setup errors; fixing a sluggish machine; thread jamming and repair; foot controller
problems; end play check; motors; position finger location; needle thread tensioner
assembly; tension myths; "feet" replacement | |
| Chapter Five: Production History | 23 | Chapter
Fifteen: Machine Cosmetics | 125 |
| Black, beige and white machines; color
legends; the Canada connection; manufacturing sites; model variations; machine
similarities and differences; rising and falling demand; was it The End? | | Leaving
it original; professional refurbishing; paint touch-up, machine waxing; face plate
polishing | |
| Chapter
Six: Birthdates! | 35 | Chapter
Sixteen: Parts and Accessories | 128 |
| Dating
your machine; Birthdate definition; serial number assignment; series prefix letters;
date tables; how many machines were made? | | What's
available today; the changing scene | |
| Chapter
Seven: Other Manufacturing Changes | 41 | Chapter
Seventeen: The Future | 131 |
| Design
improvements over time; also -changes to the face plate, gold trim decal, bobbin
tensioner, seam allowance gauge, needle tension adjustment; electrical and motors;
other subtle changes | | The
future of the featherweight Model 221 |
|
| Chapter Eight: Finding
a Featherweight | 52 | Chapter
Eighteen: Looking Back | 132 |
| How
I got started; some personal experiences; tips on finding a machine; current values;
likely future demand | | Some
thoughts on the machine and its owners | |
| Chapter
Nine: Free Arms and Gremlins! | 59 | Chapter
Nineteen | 133 |
| My
long search for the Featherweight Convertible; machine design features; Free Arm
sales figures; how many 222K's were made? | | Partial
Reprint of a 1947 machine Manual; attachment instructions | |
| Chapter
Ten: Limited Editions | 65 | Third
Edition Supplement | 184 |
| Rare variants: 1934, 1936, 1939 special
editions; black crinkle finish; blackside machine; Centennial models -U.S. and
British; 221K5 black finish; Bureau of Indian Affairs Contract; blue-tinted 221K7 | | Personal
Machine Diary | 218 |