Singer Featherweight 221 - Everything & Anything you wanted to know about the Singer 221 Sewing.

Great Depression Christmas Memories in the 1930's

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:35:00 +0000

Read about my Mother's memories of the Great Depression Christmas.

http://tinyurl.com/7qmm9yh

Gaileee

Featherweight Information

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Common Causes of Singer Sewing Machine Trouble
Date Your Featherweight
Rate Your Featherweight
Featherweight Attachments
Bobbin Info
Case Info
Books about the Featherweight and Sewing
Mildew Problems
Seam Guide for the Featherweight
Sales and the Servicing of Your Featherweight
Featherweight Survey Results

What Every New Singer Featherweight 221/222 Owner Should Know

Important Featherweight TENSION - Instructions

Oiling Your Featherweight
Cleaning Your Featherweight
Belts for Your Featherweight
Threading the Featherweight
Lights on Your Featherweight
Featherweight Foot/Feet Pedals

Featherweight History
Condition Chart
Featherweight Cabinets
Sewing Machine Manuals
Shipping of Your Featherweight
Featherweight Tables
Quilting with Your Featherweight
Freearm Featherweight (222k)
Mr. Singer's History
Graham's True Sewing Machine Stories

Using my Singer Featherweight 221 to make Sew Mama Sew Holiday Napkins

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Here is the tutorial part IV of the Sew Mama Sew Holiday Sew along.

Part IV of the Sew Mama Sew Holiday Sew Along.

Here are the napkins that I actually did finish before Thanksgiving (and get to use...). I rolled them up in wooden napkin holders. Didn't finish, or even get started (except I cut out everything at the same time, so my pieces were ready) piecing together the placemats. My thoughts were to have the wooden table instead of the tablecloth for my Thanksgiving setting. Ah well... life gets in the way, eh?

This turned out nicely. Very methodical in doing these napkins.

This would be a great gift (not these....these are mine LOL) idea for someone for a house warming gift or holiday gift.

What I've been doing lately with my Singer Featherweight 221 Sewing Machine-Gaileee

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:17:00 +0000

Here is the original Holiday Sew Along post. http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2011/10/color-blocks-placemats-napkins-holiday-sew-along/

Here are my pieced placemats, I finally finished today. I made eight placemats. Using my Singer Featherweight 221 Sewing Machine.

I'm going to put the project away though, so I can start my next immediate project. Making changing table mattress covers, for my DD#2 upcoming baby. We are giving her my changing table that I used with Grace, and I need to make some new changing covers! Bought some fabric from Walmart yesterday, and need to treat the fabric (sew the ends, wash, that type of thing), before I can get started.

So this project will be put into some ziplocks with instructions, so that I can tackle the rest of this job later!

<3 Gaileee

Updated prices and items for the Singer Featherweight 221 Sewing Machine -

Sat, 14 May 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Celebrating over 15 years on the "Net"
Updated May 2011

1/4 inch Patchwork Foot
15 Year Special!$12.00, including Shipping/Handling
U.S. Customers Only!

Nice Reproduction Featherweight Manuals
$8.00 (US only) shipping/handling included.
Save your original manual.
Please email or phone Deloris Pickens at (580) 765-6125 for ordering details.

Holiday Special ~ $28.00 Updated Nancy Johnson-Srebro FW book 2001 Edition & Patchwork 1/4 inch foot!Separately 24.00 for book, and 14.00 for foot. NOW $28-shipping included for US residents!!

Special 1
Patchwork 1/4 Inch Foot & Featherweight Dustcover for $14.00 - includes postage (U.S. only)

Special 2
Updated Nancy Johnson-Srebro Featherweight Book - 2001 Edition for $24.00 - includes postage (U.S. only)

Special 4
Updated Nancy Johnson-Srebro Featherweight Book - 2001 Edition Patchwork 1/4 inch foot and Featherweight Dustcover for $31.00 - includes postage (U.S. only)

Special 7
Buttonholer for Featherweight & Featherweight Dustcover for 17.00 - includes postage (U.S. only) NEW Reduced Price!

Pickens Featherweight Care Kit * INCLUDES: 4 Featherweight bobbins, Machine Oil, Featherweight Dustcover, Light bulb, Belt, Photocopy of Singer Featherweight Service Manual. ONLY $24.00 s/h included for U.S. Residents Only

Big Pickens Care Kit for the Singer Featherweight * INCLUDES: 4 Featherweight bobbins, Machine Oil, Featherweight Dustcover, Light bulb, Belt, Photocopy of Singer Featherweight Service Manual, ****** Plus ****** Patchwork 1/4" foot & Nancy Johnson-Srebro's Updated 2001 Edition - Featherweight book!! All for 50.00 shipping & handling included. U.S. Residents only.

Pickens Featherweight DELUXE KIT * INCLUDES: 4 featherweight bobbins, Machine Oil, Belt, Light Bulb, Two Sewing Machine Screwdrivers, Singer Lubricant, Featherweight Dustcover & Photocopy of Service Manual for the Singer 221.$28.00 for US Residents ONLY

**NEW** Alpha Sew Patchwork Foot with GUIDE, $16.00, Includes Shipping/Handling, U.S. Only.

Other goodies:

Original bobbins for .75 cents each. Small shipping and limit 4 bobbins per customer.
Light for 1.50 - (Shipping not included)
Black belts for 8.00 (Shipping not included)
Sewing Machine oil for 3.00 (Shipping not included)
Tuckers for 8.50 (Shipping not included).***Small shipping costs for misc. items***.

Additional items:

Featherweight Reproduction Case $67.50 (Includes shipping)
Towa Bobbin Cases - $40.00 (Includes Shipping)
Original Seam Guide - $6.00 (Includes Shipping)
Power Cord for 221 or 301 Foot 11.00(Includes Shipping)
6 accessories for low shank machines --narrow hemmer, zipper foot, wide hemmer, edge stitcher, multi slot binder,and gathering foot ~ $15.00(Includes shipping).

How do I order these items? Mail a check or money order, and specify the item desired, along with your return address, and send (and make the check out to):

Deloris Pickens
538 Virginia Avenue
Ponca City, Ok 74601

Any Additional Questions Please Either Email Deloris at deepickens@gmail.com, or call her at 580-765-6125. Questions about the webpage can be directed to Gail Pickens-Barger, at yogawithgaileee@gmail.com. Thank you!

New Blog Post over at my Mom's Dee's Life and Beyond!

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:19:00 +0000

http://deelifeandbeyond.blogspot.com/2011/02/more-about-life-in-1940s.html

Go check it out!

<3 Gaileee

Making Quilts, Sewing,

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:36:00 +0000

Making Quilts - This article recently featured in Dee's Life and Beyond Blog

I had wanted a hand quilted quilt for many years and in the 1960’s I checked out every book that our library had to study about making a quilt. I was still busy at that time working on the Rock Island Railroad as a billing clerk so didn’t have time to get started on one.

In September of 1969 my job as a billing clerk and Dale’s job as a telegraph operator were abolished. At that time we had 4 school bus routes and I told Dale I would drive a school bus if we could stay in Ponca City . We had almost finished a new house at 442 Fairview and we had our old house at 437 Fairview to sell. We decided to stay in Ponca City and go in business for ourselves.

Dale went to the Supt of Schools and applied for a job and he was going to work in maintence, but then other things happened. The Federal Govt started the school lunch program and Dale got involved in that. He went to Bartlesville and checked out their program and came back to Ponca City and told the Supt how their program worked. The off shot of that was that the schools had 2 central kitchens and they made all the school lunches for the grade schools. Dale proposed that he purchase an insulated truck and that the school purchase insulated carriers for the food.

Dale was a school employee and the truck was leased to the school. This allowed us to have health insurance and so Dale started that and so he had a job again.

In the meantime I started driving a school bus route for grade school students going out north of town and east of town. I think that same year I drove a route for native American children going out south and west of town and then into White Eagle. Part of my pay was lunch at liberty School.

I continued driving that route for a couple of years and then Dale found someone else to do it. At that time we were beginning to get a lot more sport activity trips and so I did the Junior High sport trip driving. I found that I had lots of time waiting for the teams to get over playing football and basketball and so I started to embroidery table clothes while waiting for the games to be over.

About 1972 I decided that I was going to start making a quilt. I had a McCall’s magazine that had a picture of a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt in it. I though that was so neat and decided that I would make it. Now I had been sewing since I was real small so didn’t think I would have any trouble with making it. I had sense enough to cut my material on the grain line and didn’t run into any major trouble. I would cut out enough pieces for one or two blocks and then I would hand sew them while waiting for the children to finish their games. There for I made most of the blocks on the school bus. Well I got the 29 blocks made and then put the quilt together. By the way it was made out of cottons that I had used for making blouses and dresses for Gail. Now those were 1960 prints.

Now I had to quilt it and bear in mind I had never quilted or put a quilt in a frame and didn’t have anyone to ask about it. Well I bought a quilting frame from Sears and I put that sucker together and started quilting it. Don’t remember how long it took but probably the better part of a year. Gail helped by drawing all of my quilting designs. Well I finished it up and took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 4th place on it. I brought it back home and Gail said “Mother that ought to be my quilt as you used my dress material in it.” Well she got the quilt.

Now since I had made one for Gail I had to go ahead and make one for Hugh. I found an appliqued quilt pattern on the outside cover of Family circle magazine so I decided to make it. Now this was around 1976 and we didn’t have much choice in cottons. When I would go on a out of town trip I would look for different cotton material for this quilt. I found different cotton material in about 4 different towns. So I sat down and did this Maple Leaf quilt. Think I finished it and the quilting in about 1978. I took it to the Blackwell Fair and won a 2nd place on it.

Then I got interested in making a star quilt. I though, well I have conquered the hexagons so now I will try the diamonds..I made a small diamond wall hanging and it turned out fine. It was all hand pieced. I thought ‘There has to be a better way to do diamond quilts”

I looked and looked at how the diamond quilts were put together and came up with the idea to strip piece lengths of fabric together. I made a sample and saw that it would work. Then I had to make 6 different strips and cut them at a 45 degree angle and be sure that my cutting on the angle was accurate. I started on Sunday evening and had a nice large Lone Star put together by Saturday. I didn’t get all the squares and triangles sewed on for a month or two. Think I just admired my handiwork for a while. Well I took that top to the Blackwell unquilted and it won a blue ribbon.

I made a couple more diamond quilts and then I saw a picture of a Sioux Diamond quilt in a magazine and the picture was about 2 inches square. So off I go and decided to design that into a full sized quilt. I made a sample wall hanging and quilted it and think Gail still has it. I made the big quilt and it is still waiting to be quilted.

Then in 1979 I was asked to teach a quilting class out at the Marland Mansion. This was before the craze for quilts had begin. I think I had 6 students and I taught some and we all taught each other. I had to keep ahead of the class , so had to have something new every week.

In 1982 or 1983 I read in one of the magazines that there was going to be a quilt show and classes at the University in Albuquerque New Mexico. I knew that I needed to learn a lot more so I made reservations to go. Bought my round trip ticket and changed at Denver and then on the way back changed at Dallas-Ft Worth. Was carrying two suitcases and made it fine. I took a class from Diane Leone on doing Fine Hand Quilting as asked if I could use her instructions. She said ‘Yes’ as long as you tell the students that it was her instructions.

At that time there were several nationally known teachers that gave speeches. We had Pat Morris, Judy Matthiessen, Ginny Beyer and Helen Young. I was fortunate that I was able to hear them at that stage of my quilting. They had a dress show and I wore my black dress with the diamonds around the bottom or the skirt. Had lots of good comments on that dress and I later took it to the State Fair at Okla City and won a blue ribbon on it.

I then begin to teach other classes in the area. I taught at Stillwater , Blackwell, Bramen ,Ark City, Enid and back to Stillwater again. I also taught classes out at the bus shop and later taught at the Senior High two or three times. Also worked with Camp Fire girls and had them do simple piecing.

Probably in the mid eighties I begin to work on Log Cabin Quilt as you go quilts. I made one in Christmas colors that my son and daughter in law have. I took it to the fair in Okla City and won a Blue Ribbon and a pkg of batting I made a small Log Cabin baby quilt for Amber and that would have been in 1985. I also made a full sized Seminole Cross Log Cabin Quilt and it won a Blue ribbon at the Okla City Fair. Amber has that quilt and I saw it on Derek’s bed in June.

Creative Writing Workshop Outcome.....

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:41:00 +0000

So my mother, Deloris Pickens, took a creative writing workshop back in 2003. She has chronicled her life, growing up in the 20's-30's. I talked her into converting it into blog, and it is some interesting reading. Eventually in the story, she'll get into the sewing machine business, her and my father created. But until that portion of the story comes out, come on over and take a taste of my mom's life at:

http://deelifeandbeyond.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Gaileee

Pics of some 301 Singer Sewing Machines on Gaileee's Singer Featherweight 221 Site

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Three in a row! 301 Singer Sewing Machines that is...

Short Bed 301A Machine.

Two-Toned Short Bed 301 Singer Sewing Machine.

Beige Short Bed 301A Machine in a Table.

Black Short Bed 301 Singer Sewing Machine in a Table.

Black, LONG Bed 301 Singer Sewing Machine.

Singer 301 machines

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:30:00 +0000

Recently a comment was posted about, "well what about the 301 Singer Sewing Machines?"

Here is what I could find:

On Pattern Review - several reviews of the Singer 301 machine. http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingMachine/Singer
301 Vintage Sewing Machine Review http://blog.sew-classic.com/2009/03/14/classic-singer-301-301a-vintage-sewing-machine-review.aspx
April 1930's 301 Machines http://www.april1930s.com/html/singer_301___301a_machines.html
Glenn's Joy of 301 Singer Sewing Machines http://pages.suddenlink.net/joyof301s/glenn.htm
http://pages.suddenlink.net/joyof301s/301faqs.htm
Grandmother's Sewing Machines 301 http://www.grandmotherssewingmachine.com/singer_301.html
Sleepy Cat's Newest Sewing Machine - the 301! http://sleepycathollow.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/1951-singer-301-my-newest-sewing-machine/
A manual for the 301 http://static.onecreativeblog.com/files/singer-301-manual.pdf
ISMACS info on the 301 http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-301-sewing-machines.html
Collecting 301's http://possumjimandelizabeth.com/xhtml/collect_sewing_sing301.html
Flicker of 301s http://www.flickr.com/photos/16989706@N00/124804972/
Best Sewing Machine Review of the 301 http://bestsewingmachine.net/sewing-machine-reviews/singer-301
An Ebay Guide and Review of the 301 Singer Sewing Machine http://reviews.ebay.com/Singer-301-Sew-Your-Next-Quilt-on-This-Vintage-Machine_W0QQugidZ10000000002642554
The Black 301 Singer Sewing Machine http://black301.com/
Treadle Quilt's 301 in a different cabinet! http://treadlequilts.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-singer-301-in-queen-anne-cabinet.html
Newest edition from what the craft - the 301! http://whatthecraft.com/the-newest-edition-to-my-sewing-family-singer-301/
Susan's Cloches tension and 301 Singer Sewing Machine Thoughts. http://susanscloches.blogspot.com/2010/05/301-youre-moving.html http://susanscloches.blogspot.com/2010/05/301-youre-moving.html
http://susanscloches.blogspot.com/2010/06/tension-and-301.html
http://susanscloches.blogspot.com/search/label/Singer%20301
Tomrit 301 Singer! http://tomrit.com/sewing/?p=13
A wordpress blog on the 301 Singer http://singer301.wordpress.com/
Leah's Garden 301 http://leahsgarden.blogspot.com/2009/09/defeat-longer-story.html
Penny Quilt Journal on the wonderful 301 machine. http://pennyquiltsjournal.blogspot.com/2009/07/wonderful-old-singer-sewing-machines.html
Martha Sews - back story with the 301 machine http://marshasews.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-sewing-back-story.html?showComment=1236948780000
Sew Mama Sew 301 stuff! http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=837
and soon some 301 Singer information from my family! Woo!
So enjoy these links! Any more? Please let me know!

Sewing Again!!

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:15:00 +0000

My little featherweight that I recently purchased from a local, has been through the ringer.

I oiled and lubed the featherweight. It was bone dry!
I reconfigured the tension assembly, after acquiring an "e" washer. Still didn't tension correctly, so mom brought down a new tension assembly.
Mom tried to "time" the featherweight, look at the needle hook assembly, but she did all that she could do.
I took the featherweight to a local sewing machine repair place. On the first try, after adjusting the "timing", the "timing" slipped.
I then addressed these issues on Graham's Featherweight Yahoo group, and Graham had some suggestions, as well did other members of the forum, one being, take another featherweight to the sewing machine repair person, so that they could compare a working featherweight, with my little machine.
Took my "zippy" featherweight (looks bad, works great) and that is what Carmen did, she fixed it! The gear underneath that you use to time the machine had to be loosened, and everything else tightened, along with a location of a screw, repositioned. Wow, the stitch on this machine looks great.

So here is my recommendation. Sewing machine problems? Go to Carmen Hardy, owner of Sewing Machine Repair at 6110 39th Street, Groves, Texas 77619, 409-962-7483. She did a great job!

And now I have a nice little featherweight......this thing probably never worked good until now!

gaileee

Winners of the Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine Accessories are:

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 01:05:00 +0000

Winners:

April 1, 2010 7:14 AM
Kim L said...

4 years ago, I was looking for my first featherweight. I happened to find my Mom a vintage Singer stool to match her 401 cabinet and gave it to her for Mother's Day. As I organized the 401 accessories into the stool storage compartment, I came across a FW bobbin in with the class 66's for the 401. I took it for "bait". Two weeks later, I found my Featherweight on craigslist, and the seller lived in my Mom's neighborhood!
klansdon9658@msn.com
March 25, 2010 6:37 AM
Anne said...

    What a generous idea to host this giveaway! I had wanted a Featherweight since I observed a fanatical crowd of men and women scramble over the couple of dozen diminutive machines in their iconic black cases at my late neighbor’s estate sale six years ago. When I remarked about the flurry activity over this trove of treasured Singers, a woman from my church explained that these machines were Featherweights and why quilters sought them. At the time, I was taken aback to learn that each new owner happily exchanged $300 for his/her pick. Irreversibly smitten that day, I searched for a Featherweight that would fit my budget.

    This past Christmas, I found a Centennial model—with no case or accessories. After a professional tune-up and a bit of refurbishing, my once-abandoned Featherweight purrs along like a dream. When she isn’t stitching, she resides in a padded cooler bag, but she doesn’t mind. Even though I don’t know my machine’s provenance and regret that she came a bit injured, I think she was destined to belong to me.

    --Anne (acarp@swbell.net)
April 2, 2010 12:01 AM
From My Hands to Yours said...

    What wonderful stories about Featherweights and the people who love them! Here's mine: My mom taught me to sew on her 1953 FW; years later Dad bought her another machine specifically to sew sails and other stuff for their boat, for the FW remained her primary machine. When she died my sister and I agreed to share the FW, but I wanted one for myself, so I bought a beautiful 1951 on ebay. Then my sister decided that since she doesn't sew that I should be the one with mom's FW. So now I have the two of them. Two perfect little beauties.

    Oh, and my email address is robbie1949@comcast.net
April 9, 2010 7:44 AM
Anonymous said...

My favorite memory of my 221 - last week, when I took it out of its box for the first time - it was love at first sight!

christine@super-stitchin.com
March 25, 2010 12:30 PM
pojeda said...

I bought my one and only Featherweight a couple of years ago and just love her! The lady I bought her from had made a sleeve for the fold down part and the bed of the machine is beautiful! And she makes great stitches! I would love to buy more Featherweights, but my DH has said I have enough machines! I have 1 Featherweight, 2 301a's, and 2 401a's.
pojeda@embarqmail.com

Please email me your US mailing information, so that Mom and I can get your accessory kit mailed to you!

Thank you all for participating in the giveaway.

Singer Accessory Giveaway on my Singer Featherweight 221 Blog!

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:37:00 +0000

Giveaway time!!! Here we go! 5 Lucky U.S. Winners! In each Giveaway there are:

Single slotted binder foot (fits on low shank Singer sewing machines, 221,222,66, 185, 99, 201)
Singer Featherweight Multi Slotted Binder - 160359 (fits on low shank Singer sewing machines, 221,222,66, 185, 99, 201)
Singer original needles
A cotton Dustcover for your Featherweight

1. For your first entry: leave a comment sharing your favorite memory about your sewing machine.

*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&
*& For Extra Entries.. *&
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&

2. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.

3. Follow me on Twitter (Singer_FW_221) .

3. Join Gaileee's Singer Featherweight 221 Facebook Group.

4. Share the giveaway on Facebook.

5. Blog about it.

6. Subscribe to my blog.

7. Follow my Singer Featherweight 221 Blog.

****Each time you enter, come back to this page and leave a comment telling me how. You MUST enter your email address to be eligible to win. All entries without an email contact will be null and void.****

Deadline is April 10th, 2010, near midnight!

Good Luck!

Sewing Pattern Giveaway on my Yoga Blog!

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:17:00 +0000

Just a note to tell you that I'm doing a Sewing Yoga Pattern Giveaway on my Yoga blog at:
http://yogawithgaileee.blogspot.com/2010/02/gaileees-yoga-giveaway.html

Magazine and Book mentions

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:32:00 +0000

Actually, it is the fourth mention of Gaileee's Singer Sewing Machine website in magazines.

Best of Forbes, purchasing a featherweight from us vs. ebay

SewNews, Singer Featherweight Link

Creative Machine, Singer Featherweight Link (I believe, either that or a direct mention of my mother, Deloris Pickens)
And this Quilter's Home issue for Oct/Nov with the cute pugs on the cover!

Well, and plus the mentions in the 2nd and 3rd edition of Nancy Johnson-Srebro's Singer Featherweight book (my crinkle machine is in there!)

I'm looking to see on my link site, if other people have linked to me. (reciprocating is a nice thing to do), so be looking for emails asking!
gaileee

Quilters Home Magazine

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:15:00 +0000

On pages 35 - 38, is an article about the Singer Featherweight Collections. In there also is a direct mention about this site, under
http://singerfeatherweight221.blogspot.com /2008/07/featherweight-information.html

Woo Hoo! Never thought there would be a mention.

Oh, look what that Singer Featherweight Ruffle Attachment Can Do!

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:43:00 +0000

So it is a tradition here to dress up your little girl in either a cheerleader outfit, a dolled up Bulldog t-shirt, or some other cute outfit for the football games.

Look what I did with my Singer Featherweight Ruffle Attachment.

Now I didn't like the way the attached skirt came straight down, so I had to figure out how to make it more flowly. I took part of it off (I wanted to keep the ruffles), and add a more flowly part to the outfit.

Here is what I came up with. Moved some things up, added a ruffle on the bottom with a flared insert piece and attached it to the original bottom ruffle. This worked out pretty well.

Here are the two Bulldog type outfits that I've made so far. What you haven't seen are the Bulldog capri pants. That is another post!

Here is our model, with her coordinating Bulldog hairbows, showing off the outfit. All with the Singer Featherweight 221 Ruffler. Now, if I could get the Singer Featherweight ZigZag attachment to work, then I could finish off the edges all on one machine. The zigzag attachement is kinda cagegy. Anyone know how to make it work well?

Your thoughts?

Ruffles, can a girl have too many?

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Adding a ruffle to the bottom of the top. Whoops! I should have added the rest of the strips to the fabric before I added it to the top! Well, you only make a mistake once (hopefully) to learn this lesson. Grace wanted to wear this before I finished it! (An idea for later!)

Here is the added strip, then a mix of colors for the added ruffle. I had to gather the top of this strip, in order to fit it easily to the bottom ruffle on the top. Worked out well, and was easy to put together. So maybe this is an okay way to do it. I'll have to get out my Pfaff or Serger that Tammy gave me, and next time finish off the edges with a zigzag, or a sergered (oh my gosh!) edge. The serger scares me....it even has the thread, still threaded in it, so I'll have no problem threading....hmmm.

Here she is at Mother's Day Out, wearing her bulldog print dress. The girls tend to wear their cheerleader outfit, or school t-shirts the weeks, that a football game occurs. Right here, Grace is trying to get Cooper to wake up. "Wake Up Cooper!" He still sleeps!

And one of her 24 month skirts, I added a test ruffle that I initially did with my Singer Featherweight 221 ruffle attachment. She can still wear the skirt, as she is no longer in diapers! (Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose!)

What else can I ruffle? Ideas anyone? Please give me a post/link and I'll try it!

Ruffles on Winter pants (or, have I grown taller since December?)

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Here we go! Adding ruffles to the end of her toddler pants from last winter. Using my Singer Featherweight 221 Sewing machine, and the 221 (which other models can use too), ruffler.

Sewing the wrong sides together, before putting it into the ruffler. The ruffler doesn't seam to want to put much material through it (thickness wise). Maybe there is an adjustment to make on the ruffler, to take thicker fabric? Mom?

Using my 1/4 patchwork foot on my Singer Featherweight 221 machine.

Here I am using the Ruffler for the 221 machine, on the edge that I just sewed together.

Putting the ruffled material, now on the capri pant.

I'm sewing the ruffle on. I switch back and forth between the ruffler and the 1/4 inch foot like in no time.

After ironing, topstitching, to further set the seam.

And here are the pants!

Here is the model wearing her new capri pants, with matching ruffle hair bow from previous project! Lots of orange in this household (Go POKES - Oklahoma State University!)

Mongolian Hand Crank Sewing Machine

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:10:00 +0000

Visiting Mongolia. In the Ger's the ladies seem to always have a hand crank sewing machine. The one here, is one from China, but at a previous nomad's home, she had one from Russia.

Our Host for lunch, made Tsuivan, which is homemade noodles, potatoes, carrots, onions. She offered us the traditional Vodka, which she made herself, the milk tea and yogurt too.

She knits gloves from camel hair, sews up deels, (local clothing), scarves, etc during the winter months, and sells them a the tourist ger, located about 3 km from her nomad home.

T-Shirt Tutorial done on my Singer Featherweight 221 "Zippy"!

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Tutorial for T-shirt Pillow: A Square Flanged Envelope Pillow Tutorial from a

T-shirt. By Gail Pickens-Barger, http://love2sew4fun.blogspot.com/

What you will need

Size Adult L - T-shirt (or larger)
14 " square pillow form
Matching or contrasting Thread
Sewing Machine
Pins
Sizzors

1. Cut up the sides of the t-shirt.

2. Cut a 19 inch by 19 inch square from the front of the T-shirt.

3. Cut two(2) 19 inch by 13 inch panels from the back of the T-shirt (see photo), this will make the envelope portion of the back of the finished pillow. One of the panels, I used the edge/bottom of the T-shirt, so that I do not have to sew an edge on one of the panels.

4. On one of the 19 by 13 inch panels, sew 1/4 inch from the edge, on the long end. Then turn 1/4 inch, sew again, turn once more 1/4 inch and sew the 1/4 from the edge. Or finish the edge with your favorite technique. (see Photo)

5. Pin the two back pieces to the front piece, RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER (see
photo). Place the panel with the t-shirt hem first, then place the panel that you sewed the edge second, having the hemmed edges overlapping. (The t-shirt
hem will be on the outside of the finished t-shirt pillow.)

6. Stitch All around the pillow with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Cut corners diagonally. Trim the seam allowances.

7. Turn RIGHT SIDE OUT. Press. (T-shirt hem is the outer layer, as show in this photo.) ====>

8. To make flange, stitch 2 inches from the outer edges. (You may want to use contrasting thread or stick with a matching thread.)

9. Insert 14" pillow form thru back opening.

10. There you have your square flanged envelope pillow.

Notes: The Larger the t-shirt size, the more room you'll have to center the design into the square. This particular shirt was very close to the neckline, so the design is not "centered" on the square pillow.

T-shirt into a Square Flanged Envelope Pillow Tutorial by Gail Pickens-Barger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at love2sew4fun.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://love2sew4fun.blogspot.com/2009/04/t-shirt-into-square-flanged-envelope.html.

Love 2 Sew 4 Fun - My Beginning Attempts at Sewing with My Singer Featherweight 221

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:11:00 +0000

One of my other blogs http://love2sew4fun.blogspot.com/
are my projects that I've sewn with my Singer Featherweight (the middle one, called "Zippy"), or sewing tutorials that I might attempt in the future. Love y'all to post and give suggestions!

Gaileee

Singer 221 Crinkle and Blackside Sewing Machines

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Darla Trenner, has researched and designed a wonderful website about the Singer Crinkle and Blackside Sewing Machines. (Including the 221 machine.) Go check out her site at:
http://home.roadrunner.com/~featherweight/

Gaileee

My use of the Singer Featherweight Ruffler and Patchwork Foot

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:42:00 +0000

I had never used the ruffler for the Singer Featherweight 221 before. In the photo in the upper left hand corner is a blue ruffle, and then a pink ruffle.

Planning to attach the blue ruffle to some capri pants for my DD.

Then attach 2 or 3 ruffles onto a pair of jean pants converted into a jean skirt.

I then put the 1/4 inch Patchwork foot (that my mom sells) onto the Featherweight, and made the soft ball with the ribbon tags, and then lastly made the small child's quilt with the ribbon tags. So my "junker" featherweight looks baaaad, but sews so gooood! Gail

Singer Featherweight Accessory Winners - Giveaway

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:51:00 +0000

Hi!
Well over 50 comments (a couple from me, giving y'all hints on how to enter a valid entry). There were 7 individual winners, with three people winning two items. Woo Hoo!

T-Shirt - Diswi
T-Shirt - Vicki in SW PA
3rd Edition Book - Sue
3rd Edition Book - Lilulu
3rd Edition Book - Leah
1st Edition Book - Diswi
1st Edition Book - Leah
1/4 inch patchwork foot - Kathleen
1/4 inch patchwork foot - Vicki in SW PA
1/4 inch patchwork foot - Carla

Now you all have to email me your address so that I can get the items out to you. You will have until the 6th of February to give me your address.
yogawithgaileee@gmail.com

Thank you for participating!
Gaileee