SERVICED 1935 Singer Featherweight 221-1 Scroll Face Sewing Machine + Case Vtg


SERVICED 1935 Singer Featherweight 221-1 Scroll Face Sewing Machine + Case Vtg

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SERVICED 1935 Singer Featherweight 221-1 Scroll Face Sewing Machine + Case Vtg :
$425.00


1935 Scroll-Face, Singer Featherweight 221-1 Sewing Machine

Full Setup: Case, Feet, Zig-Zagger, Buttonholer, Bobbins, &, More

Satisfaction Guaranteed!

If you have been looking for a vintage Singer 221-1 model featherweight that sews well with exceptional attachments, this is a one to consider. See the sewing video in the description. This 1935 machine has the desirable scroll face, silver stitch length plate, and silver rimmed wheel. It has been carefully serviced and adjusted.

An extensive setup is included with original case, complete set of original presser feet, original manual, plus many vintage Singer items including buttonholer and zig-zag attachments. The following picture shows the full setup you will receive, while later pictures show you close-ups of these same items.

The Singer 221 is a favorite for quilting, household, and other projects. It is small and light-weight so you can carry it easily. It is one of the Singer models that is treasured from generation to generation.


Scroll Faceplate. This 1935 featherweight has the scroll faceplate. Notice the small 3-point “Fleur-de-lis” or arrow designs within the scroll patterns; these are very similar to those in the bed decals.

Reversible Feed. The model 221-1 has reversible feed as well as a very precise stitch length regulator. This is a great feature, because some black vintage Singer machines do not have reverse capability. The numbering, which is usually worn on the stitch plate of vintage machines, is nearly perfect here. This silver stitch plate is classic in the 1935 model, later ones are black.

Details. This machine sews smoothly and has excellent gears, tension, bobbin, and other mechanisms. . See what you think in close up photos below. The wheel retains the shiny silver finish on the rim. This is another classic design of the 1935 machine; many later models have black wheels.

The Singer decals and emblem are remain bright with some scratches from normal use.

The bobbin case is in excellent condition with no rust and has been thoroughly cleaned as well as the whole bobbin area. This is an original Singer Simanco case, not one of the new Chinese ones; it snaps into place perfectly..

Balanced Stitch. The vintage Singer featherweight is known for sewing well on cottons and thin fabrics, but it also sews well on heavy fabrics. See examples below.

Carefully Serviced. Let me show you why this machine sews so smoothly. Although many service companies add oil, I do a detailed cleaning first to remove the old dried oils, which makes the machine run smoothly. I even clean each tooth of the valuable gears, I put new felt inside the drip pan, so the machine does not smell of old oil. This was a very exciting machine to service. Everywhere I looked and cleaned I saw “SIMANCO” on the parts. I\'m a collector of vintage Singers and I treat them with care.

I cleaned and adjusted the tension system. The springs are good and the discs smooth. It is set at a balanced tension, just increase or decrease it for different threads or fabrics. You do not need numbers, just turn right for tighter and left for looser top tension. This tension is original Simanco and complete; the 1935 model has the visable spring without a cap, which makes it easy to brush clean.

Even the small parts have had special attention. The important needle and presser foot bars and attachments have been thoroughly cleaned. You’ll find this machine sews smoothly.

The motor brushes have been cleaned and the motor runs smoothly. The motor brushes are nearly ½ inch long (photo below), which is the length when new; you should have the pleasure of many years of wonderful sewing ahead. I put on a new belt; the new belt is in the original black V-shape Singer belt style.

The foot pedal adjusts speed well. It is the original Simanco pedal which has been cleaned inside and has a new electric cord. The electric plug secures tightly in the machine and the light works well.

The feed dogs remain sharp, so it moves the material through easily.

The folding bed on this machine folds up and down smoothly and does not fall down like some. To help you protect it, I placed a small black leather cover over the thumb screw on the faceplate. This pads the screw where the bed touches when it folds up, so you won’t chip the folding bed plate. If you prefer, you can remove this to uncover the silver screw.

There is a vintage Singer coil that you can place over the spool pin which quiets the thread spool as it unwinds.

Video. You can hear the strength and smoothness of this machine as it sews. I made a short video of this machine sewing. You can hear how it adjusts speeds easily and you can see the balanced stitch. The needle bar may look like a blur, because the needle moves faster than the speed of my camera frames, but you can hear it sewing smoothly at different speeds.

Complete Setup. This is an extensive setup of over 100 items. All items included in this sale are included in the one picture below. More detailed pictures of these same items follow.

Machine, Foot Pedal with Cords, including:

  • Singer 221-1 sewing machine in good condition, serial #AD880169.
  • Simanco foot pedal/electric cord.

Buttonholer Attachment.This vintage singer buttonholer makes great buttons. You get the 5 usual cams (one in attachment) and a box of 4 addition plus the buttonholer box and cover plate. It appears that the instruction booklet was used while cutting open the buttonhole, so there are cuts on the cover, but the booklet is intact.

Zig-Zag Attachment. The featherweight is a nice straight-stitch sewing machine. You can also zig-zag using the included vintage Singer zig-zag attachment. Original box, extension guide, and instruction booklet are included.

Complete 221 Presser Feet Setup. You get all attachments that are listed in the featherweight 221 manual as the basic featherweight presser feet. They are:

  • Straight-stitch foot (on the machine for you.)
  • Foot Hemmer foot for narrow rolled hems
  • Adjustable Hemmer for wider hems
  • Multi-slotted Binder for adding piping and binding
  • Edge Stitcher to sew laces, embroider, and tucks.
  • Gatherer for making shirring or soft gathers.
  • Ruffler for making ruffles and pleats
  • Singer green box for attachments that fits in base of case

Special Singer Attachments. You also get additional special vintage Singer items. Some are rare items. The setup includes:

  • Cording/Zipper foot
  • 6 bobbins
  • Vintage bias cutting guide
  • New walking foot
  • New applique guide foot
  • Large Singer screw driver for adjusting motor belt tightness
  • Singer brush to help dust the tension system
  • Singer Motor Lubricant tube (used) and box (box ends missing)
  • Spare black spool pin felts

Needles, Thread, Oil Can. 3 Vintage Singer needles in original package and 3 ball point singer needles are included. 3 new rolls of Guterman’s thread and vintage Wiss pinking shears are included. You also receive an original Singer oil can, which fits into the clamp in the base of the case (it is nearly empty, use new oil is best). You’ll have everything needed to start your project right away.

Original 1935 Instruction Manual. An original Singer 221 Instruction manual from 1935 is included. It provides diagrams for threading the machine, coordinating thread and bobbin tension, and oiling the machine. You can see it is for this 1935 model in the copyright page and also the tension drawing shows you this classic 1935 tension system. While many manuals have oil or water stain, this one is quite clean and does not smell musty, however the cover was loose and the original owner taped it with yellow tape; I still prefer it over an oily one. Use this instruction manual to keep you machine in top condition: use the correct thread and needle for your project, never sew without material under the needle, and follow the maintenance schedule.

Case. This is an original Singer featherweight case. The handle is strong, the case firm, and it has all 4 bumpers on the bottom. The fabric on the base is complete although slightly wrinkled. While most cases have white wall paint marks from storage on them, this does not, the black fabric on the sides is in remarkable shape for nearly 80 years of age with only mild scrapes on corners and edges.

The case tray fits inside well and has space for storing supplies.Fortunately, this machine and case are from Colorado where it is usually dry. While many featherweight cases are very musty smelling, this one has only a mild smell when you put your nose close to the case. I like to store all my cases open and this one has been stored that way for 3 years. It’s the cleanest inside for a featherweight case that I’ve seen.

The front latches work. Just push the knobs to the outside to latch or unlatch. No key is included and it is not needed to latch or unlatch the case, just push the buttons to the outside to unlatch it. The handle is the original natural leather over the metal attachment; while the leather is worn the internal metal remains strong.


Vintage Machine and Setup. This machine was made in the Singer factory in Elizabeth, N.J. in 1935 (Serial #AD880169). It was made with the world-renown excellent craftsmanship at Singer during that vintage period. I’ve included a reproduced copy of a photo of the Singer factory.

This vintage Singer 221 sewing machine adjusts speed well and sews a balanced stitch. It is smooth and fun to sew on. It is a vintage machine, nearly 80 years old, and it appears to have been a quilting machine because there are some marks where tape was put on and removed to guide fabric. It also must have sewn some clothing or finishing quilts where pins where used because there are pin scratches near the arm base and the bed. There are slightly rough spots on the bed where hands might be held and wear to the front edge decals where fabric and hands pass. I’ve included many photos for you to examine. These vintage marks make me smile because they remind me of the vintage sewer, like my Grandmother.

This a very complete setup of vintage Singer items. Expect the attachments, manual, and other items may have light scratches, chips, wear, or light marks.

Selecting the 221-1 Featherweight. The Singer 221-1 featherweight is ideal for quilting and other projects. It is easy to transport in its case and has a long folding bed to support quilt squares as you sew. The 221-1 featherweight is 15\" wide by 7\" deep and 10\" tall. It is smaller and lighter than the Singer 301 model, which is also a nice quilting machine with a folding bed. Some quilters ask me about the difference, so I added a comparison photo for you. The photo below shows my personal featherweight 221-1 next to the slightly larger Singer 301 in my collection. This sale is for the 221-1 machine plus setup as shown in all the photos above. My personal 221 and 301 in the picture below are for demonstration of size only and my two personal machines shown below are not included in this sale.

The 1935 Singer Featherweight 221 for Sale.

Seller. My Grandmother taught me on a Singer 50 years ago, and I\'ve loved vintage Singers ever since. I have sewn draperies, three comforters, leather backpack, leather radio case, pillows, canvas tote bags, upholstered cushions for two sofas, bathing suits, silk blouses, projector carrying case for a non-profit association, and many other projects including my wedding gown on vintage Singer machines.. I am an individual collector who loves these machines.

Packing. I respect the vintage quality of this machine and I will pack all items with great care. See the comments in my response regarding good packing and fast shipping. I use a 4-layer packing system which includes:

  • Packing material rolled or placed around the important tension system to provide extra protection.
  • Bubble wrap around the whole machine with no tape on the machine itself.
  • Additional protection of foam, bubble wrap, or styrofoam, whichever packs the machine the firmest inside the case.
  • Packing outside the case to protect it also.
  • Cardboard outer box and good taping all directions.

Sale Arrangements. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!

  • United States only.
  • Payment: PayPal from U.S. PayPal accounts only.
  • Shipping: U.S. only. calculator will tell you shipping cost specific to your zip code. For some locations, I ship by UPS only; street address only, no PO Boxes.
  • buyer warrants that he/she will use this electric sewing machine in a safe manner. Liability is limited to the price of the item, unless restricted by law. Vintage machine sold “as is.”
  • Returns: Satisfaction Guaranteed! If you are not totally satisfied, email first for return address and return the items in the original operating condition and packed in the same manner and materials as originally shipped within 3 days of receipt. Full refund of purchase price, minus shipping charges.
  • response: If you have any questions or concerns on this item after sale, please email me, so we can resolve them to your satisfaction.
  • Communication: I treasure good communication. Please watch your email and respond to any emails within one day, so that I can ship the machine to you quickly.

SERVICED 1935 Singer Featherweight 221-1 Scroll Face Sewing Machine + Case Vtg :
$425.00

Buy Now