I went into this weekend caught up with client orders and decided to do some sewing for fun. I’m about to send my second Singer Featherweight to a very special little girl who is begging to learn how to sew and since she is only 8, I thought she might like something girly and feminine for her new Featherweight.
On October 3, 1933, Singer commissioned the first batch of 10,000 model 221 sewing machines, marketing them as the Singer Featherweight. Experimenting with the design and aesthetics of this new model, some of the distinctions varied.
Singer “Featherweight” history actually begins before Singer and before 1933 & 1934 (when Singer debuted their model 221 at the Chicago World’s Fair). The “Featherweight” name and style really had its beginnings in 1928, when the Standard Sewing Machine Company marketed the first “Featherweight” Sewing Machine. The compact sewing machine came in an array of colors – “marine blue, larch green… ashes of roses and black….”.
The machine I’m gifting is black and so is the case which is why I wanted to spruce it up a bit. My favorite place to find all things Featherweight is the The Featherweight Shop where you can learn their history, date them by serial numbers, purchase part and accessories, learn to maintain them and also buy all kinds of wonderful patterns and more. That is where I purchased a very easy pattern to make this adorable Featherweight tote.
The pattern is written for quilting your own fabric, but I used a pre-quilted cotton I purchased years ago at JoAnn. This made it quick and easy to make. As you can see I added some lace trim and I also used bias tape by-the-yard. If I don’t make my own bias tape then I do prefer Frou Frou brand and I find it at my local fabric store The Confident Stitch.
The tote and accessories turned out so cute, I decided to make one for my own Featherweight! I had several yards of another print of pre-quilted cotton so I decided to use that and voila!
I also decided to make a mat that I can tuck all my notions into as well. Hopefully this will encourage me to join in on some Saturday Sew Days with my local quilters’ guild when they begin to host them again. It will certainly make it easier for me to pack up what I need and have it ready to go.
I also noticed the Featherweight shop was selling these adorable crocheted flowers which they call SPOOL PIN DOILIES. And then I remembered I had some of these flowers my grandmother had made and given to me years ago for making barretts etc for my girls. So I went and dug them out and guess what? There was one that matched perfectly. Now I have a little piece of my grandma sewing with me.
the blog 