Saturday, January 29, 2011

Featherweight Woes

Last week, when it was exceptionally cold in my basement sewing room, I decided to set up my Featherweight (purchased at an estate sale in 1998) at the dining room table. I had lots of Roll Roll Cotton Boll piecing to do in Part 5: sewing 600 half-square triangles in red and neutral.

It was toasty warm sitting in a shaft of sunlight coming into the dining room. I happily sewed on and off for several days and managed to accomplish this... cutting and piecing all the parts for making RRCB blocks. 

I was progressing swimmingly, anticipating sewing those neutral-colored string blocks (above, on right) together, when this began happening.
skipped stitches
I got out my book Featherweight 221: The Perfect Portable by Nancy Johnson-Srebro, and commenced trying everything it suggested to keep the machine from skipping stitches. I changed needles, trying several different sizes; changed sewing thread; adjusted the pressure on the presser foot; made sure I threaded the machine properly; removed the bobbin case and bobbin case base to check for lint, then oiled and put it together again; and even went so far as to take apart and reassemble the tensioner! After several hours, much frustration, and no success whatsoever, I put the machine back in its case until I can find a Featherweight repair person.

A Featherweight is a nice machine that I'm glad to own, but I like better when it's making lovely stitches.

10 comments:

  1. Bummer! I want a Featherweight someday - my mom has one but I don't think she has ever used it!

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  2. Oh, that's such a shame. I've had good luck with mine so far (knock on wood).

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  3. Ohhhh, bummer! I hate it when that happens!

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  4. Wot a pain! Linda, I do what you did, and take my machine to the sun. My sewing room is on the cold side of the house. I bought myself a portable table which is fabulous. She sells them worldwide. Check this out.
    www.sewezi.co.nz
    Cheers
    Sue

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  5. How disappointing for you. Congratulations I saw you won an auction and a give away.

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  6. Linda,

    I am back online. :) Yay! Hmmm -- my first reaction was to chance the needle (in my experience, I had to up the size whenever that happens). But since you have already tried that... I have no advice to offer. Sorry to hear about the hiccup. I know it can be super frustrating.

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  7. I love my Featherweight too and when it's acting ugly I have a friend who can usually take care of it - thank goodness! blessings, marlene

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  8. I have taken the plunge and started on the Roll, roll, cotton boll quilt, but it will be a slow project for me, I fear. Will be working on it as other projects allow. So far I have been stitching some string blocks in between other sewing, that is fun. Have been using light vilene as the base as I didn't fancy using paper and removing it all.

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  9. Oh, too bad. Maybe you can find someone close by to fix it.

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  10. I know you are in Iowa but not sure where exactly. Quilter's Portable in Mallard, Iowa is the best for featherweight repair. Deb specializes in them. Hope this helps! http://www.quiltersportable.com/

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