Review of My Singer Featherweight 222

Hello

It's been a couple of weeks since I got the Singer 222K have made a few small projects so that I can get to know her.  After a major service, you need to use your machines to get all that lovely oil in the moving bits.  If like mine, had hardly been oiled, its really important.

First project is a dolly quilt for my Sisters grandchildren to play with in the old pram.  I was given some little pre-cut squares in various colours so sorted out the pink ones.  Added a bit of gray sashing and a shop bought bias binding.  This was the warm up, speedy make to get that machine working.

The second project was quilting a couple of star blocks I had pieced together with the 221K.  I used a walking foot to "quilt in the ditch", the 222K went like a dream.  It's got a more powerful motor than the 221K.  I haven't really done stars before so these are just samples.  Used a 2.5inch mini Moda charm pack and got 2 blocks from it just adding a longer strip to each side of the blocks.

Had one more Moda mini charm left.

Thought that a quilted zipped bag would put the 222 through its paces.  With the wadding, zip and lining, the seams were quick thick, the 221 would have started to struggle a bit but the 222 had the power to sew through the layers with ease.  I think it would give the 201K a run for its money.

As much as I loved the 221K, it has it's limitations on the thicker fabrics and it is fairly slow but I like slow sometimes, especially doing the mini quilts as you have to be very accurate to get the corners to match up correctly.  

I hate to admit that I much prefer the 222.  There I said it! Feel really mean now.

Can you spy the Singer Automatic ZigZagger next to the machine.  My lovely Sister Sandi bought it for me as a surprise.  How super is that?  It needed a really good oil and some "gentle" persuasion from my brother in law, Graham to get it moving again, it had not been oiled or used in years.  I will review it in my next post, it was playing silly beggars at first snapping threads not just on the 222K, tried it on the 201K as well.  Luckily the instructions were with it so sorted it out.  Thank you Sandi. 

Happy sewing

Sharon

UPDATE - OCTOBER - 

I have been using my 222 for a while now, starting a new quilt using half square triangles made out of 2.5inch squares so quite short 1/4" seams.  The machine is fast, when it sets off, it grabs the material and goes ever so slightly sideways however carefully I start it off.  So the conclusion is the 221 is the steady eddy and does perfect short seams so perhaps there is a place for it after all in my quilty stable of machines.  I am sorry I said mean things about it.

Singer 222K Featherweight Sewing Machines

Hello

I have been eyeing up 222Ks for ages, watching them slowly rise in price sooo accidentally bid for one on Ebay!  And got it!

 It arrived, very well wrapped.  How exciting was Thurs?

Looks nice and shiney but really mucky when you look properly.

Lots of very old fluff, no sign of any oil on the other moving parts.  The drip felt underneath was like new with just a couple of dried oil marks which tells me it hasn't been oiled much at all.

 The mother of all thread jams which has been there for donkey'years.  Didn't want to take this bit apart so got out a long pair of tweezers and a sharp blade carefully cutting and pulling the loose ends out.  It took a little patience.

 Quite a mucky job.

When I plugged the lead into the machine, it ran on its own.  Damm.  Googled and found the solution, phew.

With the power and machine unplugged  I took the foot pedal apart by undoing the screws in the rubber feet, then turn the pedal over pressed the button which pushes the cover off the controls inside.

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There were 2 noise suppression capacitors in the foot which can fail and cause power to operate the foot without pressing the switch.  They originally stopped the sewing machine interfering with the TV but modern tellies aren't affected anymore so these are no longer needed anyway.

All clean, polished, oiled and ready to go. Came with its original feet and a Singer rubber mat.

Made a new Liberty fabric bag for the foot control and leads.

I tried it out, the bottom tension was way out so adjusted that.  The motor seems quite powerful, its faster than my 221K, its definitely quieter. The 222K is lovely to use.

The bed slides off so you have a really neat free arm.  There also a lever next to the stitch length lever which lowers the feed dogs.  How cool is that?

There was an original label from the shop which sold it in 1954.

I refurbished the case, the inside is in really good condition.  One of the lock catches has been bent and is starting to crack, I was going to try and straighten it but had second thoughts, it might snap off so left it alone.

 

Told my sister Sandi that I had bought one which got her going and she accidently bought on as well!

She brought it over for me to see so had a quick check over it.  Its in super condition and has been oiled and looked after.  But when I checked the gears, they were covered in what looked like axle grease!  Errr, big clumps of it, good job we looked, if that lot had got warm and melted it would have made a huge gooey mess inside.  As usual I forgot to take a photo.   Got it all cleaned off.   Gears do need lubrication but use Singer Motor lubrication, if you can't get it April's Sewing Shop in the USA sells it. They do really good tutorials on how to look after your machine. Here is a link https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/tagged/maintenance  

Happy Days

Sharon

Singer Sewing Machine 221K - Folding Iron

Hello

In America, Singer produced a folding iron to go into the case along with the machine.  I have never seen one of these irons for sale in the UK, I am a frequent user of Ebay and have seen the USA ones fairly regularly.

My sister went into a local Vintage Shop in Yorkshire and found two vintage folding travel irons.  They are not a Singer brand but very similar.  She kindly gave one to me, as you can see, its hardly been used at all.

It comes in a neat well made case.  Haven't tried to see if it will fit in the 221K case, I suspect it might be a bit of a squeeze.

It very comfortable to use and its got some weight about it so lovely to iron with.

Full instructions included.  Not sure that I will be plugging it into a UK light fitting, will use an adaptor.

 All tucked up.

This is what I normally use next to my Sewing Machine.

Was using the 201K today as I needed to sew some leather.  The iron goes really well with it, much  better than plastic!

WORD OF WARNING - My sister plugged her similar iron in, left it sitting up on her ironing pad on top of her new cutting mat. She then went downstairs to get a jumper, when she got back the iron was so hot, it had melted through to the cutting mat.  Yikes.  I actually haven't tried mine out yet as I didn't have a suitable plug adaptor. 

Cheers

Sharon