Singer Folding Table: Finished!

It was easy to put the table back together. I only had to watch out for the left and right brackets that hold the machine in place. They are ever-so-slightly different. Luckily I had taken photos of it all prior to taking the table apart

Painting the legs was interesting. I used a box and wooden dowels to hang the legs on to make it easy to paint.

I did have to stabilize the dowels with painter's tape so they wouldn't tip. I roughed up the paint with steel wool and sanding paper. Then had to wait to let the wind die down so I could spray paint outside using a Rustoleum Black Gloss spray paint with several quick, light coats, then let dry overnight. Then I repeated the procedure. It wasn't the best of jobs, but the legs look good.

After drying for at least a day I reinserted the legs into the hinges. The hinge pins, cleaned and ready to  go along with the painted washers, are long and require two steps to get them back into the hinge.

First tapping the hinge pin with a hammier.....

Then screwing it the rest of the way with a short screwdriver. 

Next on the list of restoration was waxing the legs to give them an extra layer of protection. I used the wax I had from The Featherweight Shop for my 1935 Featherweight. They have a new type for sale now. 

 Look at how beautiful the underside of the table looks!

 But after all of this work I ended up with a problem: one leg flops when supposedly closed.....it looks exactly the same as the others that stay closed when the table is folded up.
Hmmmmm........  I screwed the hinge pin in, no luck. 

I removed the pin and put it back in again. 

I checked the curved washer to make sure it was facing the right way: check. 

But the darned leg still flopped. 

There is a spring on the hinge....The Featherweight Shop suggested the problem might be the spring.
So I compared working springs with the floppy one: no luck so far but I ordered four new springs along with some vintage machine feet the machine did not have. 

I love The Featherweight Shop! Their products are great, they respond to email questions quickly, they're a wealth of knowledge easily tapped - free of course - and they ship quickly. Putting the new spring in was a little difficult because the curled end has to fit under a very tight screw in the hinge. But I was keeping my fingers crossed that this would solve the floppy problem. Soaking the screw with 3-in-1 oil and WD-40 overnight losened it enough to take the screw out, then insert the new spring.

After I installed the hinge pin and put it back together.....the leg still flopped. Darn!

Okay, so I re-examined the 'good' legs, and they did not wiggle back and forth when folded down. The floppy leg did, so that was the problem! Too much room between the leg and the hinge frame. Off to the hardware store to buy some washers same size as the original one (the washer laying on the table bottom below). I inserted the new washer between the leg and the frame closest to the hinge pin top (where the red arrow is pointing)

and YEAH! it worked!!!!

The table is finished...thank goodness!! Here's a photo of it all set up with the 221 Featherweight "Eva" and the feet, some old Singer grease (came with the machine...only for show, not to use), her case and the instructions that came with the machine. She's beautiful!

Incidentally, the instructions that came with her are for a tan Featherweight....wonder what the owner did with the original instructions that came with the machine??

It doesn't really matter to me. The machine sews beautifully, purrs like a kitten, so I'm very happy with both the machine and table. Now on to other projects after finishing the Singer Featherweight Folding Table. Happy stitching to everyone!

Drunkard's Path Quilt Finish!

It's done. Another UFO is completed. And I can't believe I designed the whole quilt around the vintage purple and white Drunkard's Path squares.

This is my third quilt made and completed in a year and a half thanks to the pandemic. Many, many thanks to wonderful Lori M. who long arm quilted two of the quilts including this last one. She did an outstanding job on the Drunkard's Path Quilt using all different designs to fit the various squares and relate the designs back to the original Drunkard's Path squares.

After getting it back from Lori I brought Eva, my new Featherweight, downstairs to the dining room table (for more room) to sew the French bias I had ready to the quilt edges. Notice the little acrylic square on the needle right: it's an ingenious gadget from The Featherweight Shop, their Adjustable Seam Guide. It's very easy to use and comes with instructions and the screw and washer to set it up to the correct width. I'm using my 6" ruler to measure from needle to the seam guide. 

A French bias is just a bias strip folded and pressed the long way so there is one raw edge and one that is a fold. The raw edge is lined up to the already trimmed and ready (again by Lori) quilt right side raw edge.

Corners are folded up and back down to get the diagonal fold with stitching stopped before the corner and started again after the corner. After it's all sewn on the bias is pressed away from the quilt in readiness for hand stitching it down. 

The bias is folded over the quilt to the quilt back and stitched down, and the corner folds are also stitched both front and back. I sewed one side a day...Love having a goal and knowing when it would be completed!

I'm so happy to have designed this quilt! Another UFO completed, so what next?? Besides working on an embroidery project I could start to tackle the Featherweight Folding Sewing Table....

Happy Stitching!

Featherweight Love 6

 It's getting close to the end of this restoration. I have to put the Tolex I ordered into the case bottom. Then I have to start the painting on the machine bottom edges, which I suspect will take a while to do it carefully. "Bottom line" for this 221 Featherweight is the bottom of it got wet at some point in it's previous owners life. The cast aluminum has been "powdering" (for lack of a better word), it's exposed to the air and it is oxidizing. After contacting the Featherweight Shop for suggestions on how to paint the edges, I purchased a bottle of Ronsonol Lighter Fuel and some small metal bristled brushes. The brushes are to get the white powder off, then I wipe with the lighter fluid, then paint in small layers to build up the paint to match what's still hanging on. Should be interesting to say the least. What gets me is how did the original owners let this beauty get wet just on the bottom?? What were they thinking? but you never know what happens, you just try to fix the problem(s) and move on.

So, the easy part: new Tolex for the inside case bottom. The paper pattern is ready to go so all I have to do is lay it on the new Tolex and cut it out. I used wood glue on the case bottom and carefully smoothed the Tolex onto it and weighted it down with books (embroidery ones of course!).

 The case is finished!

 I started working on each bottom edge to remove the white powder and clean with he Ronsonol Lighter Fluid using those blue gloves so popular with Covid. (I knew they'd come in handy some day...)

Next, the machine. I learned how to take the motor off so I could get underneath it to remove the oxidation, then paint and polish. The black paint is from The Featherweight Shop and it came with a tiny brush.

I worked around the machine bottom edges. Then I noticed a couple of dings on the bed and on the rotary wheel:  easy touch up with the tiny brush included with the paint!! After drying, I installed the rubber feet and began polishing the machine to protect it. I'm fortunate as the decals are in really great shape: no damage from fabric sliding around over them. Here are the finishing photos! Look how she shines!!

See her scroll plate??

There is a "tradition" to name your machine after the previous owner. I contacted the store where I bought the machine and table and asked if they could find out the previous owner's first name. Her son was coming into the store soon I presume to collect his check from the sale. Her children decided to sell this beautiful 221 Featherweight Singer Sewing Machine after their mother passed away. 

So now this lovely machine is called "Eva".

Next is to work on the table...but after spending so much time on this wonderful project I'm going to take a restoration break. Until next time: Happy Stitching!!

Featherweight Love 5: Mail Day!!

My purchases from the Featherweight Shop arrived today!! I'm so excited to get back to work on the1947 221 Singer machine.

First up: put the oil pad onto the drip pan and set aside. I'll install it after I'm done with oiling the machine.

Next was using this ingenious Jam Removal Tool for getting out tiny stuck threads behind the bobbin case base.

Tiny little threads (and there were plenty of longer ones I'd already removed) will seize the machine. I really didn't want to take the hook assembly apart...frought with danger if done incorrectly, and expensive to repair. This little tool worked like a charm!! The wheel now turns easily and the needle goes up and down. Yeah!!

Next up: deodorizing the case. I removed the awful mold in the bottom and bleached the bottom bare wood a few days ago. After sanding it still smelled...so The Featherweight Shop to the rescue again with their special case deoderizing spray. I used five squirts in the case and closed the lid. (Three to four are recommended for smelly cases so I figured an extra spritz wouldn't hurt.) 

Then the most important part is oiling and lubricating the machine itself....now mind you, I still haven't plugged it in and turned it on yet. By the way, turning the switch on only turns the light on. The machine is "on" when it's plugged in....just an interesting little tidbit of info. I have three books on these babies, and of course, the Featherweight Shop has video(s) so this will be fun. I noticed after checking the thread removal the machine sounds "dry" so it should be humming nicely after it's oiled. Love the Featherweight "Sew Retro" oil with it's long applicator for this: makes it so easy to get just one drop of oil where needed. Can't wait to actually plug it in!!

I decided to put the drip pan onto the machine before plugging it in, and also the rubber feet. The machine had no feet at all when I bought it, and luckily I had a set of vintage screws that I cleaned up.

After correctly installing the needle (flat side of needle shaft to the left) and threading from right to left, I was almost ready to go. I plugged in the machine and turned the light switch. The light bulb was still good! I wound a bobbin from my other Featherweight (the 1937 one) and the winding went fine.

Next was threading the machine....good to go. But the machine wouldn't pick up the bobbin thread when I rotated the wheel correctly (towards me).....hmmmmm. Nothing seemed to work so I declared the workday over (since it was almost dinner time) and I wandered off downstairs to start dinner, thinking I was going to have to pull off the bobbin "guts" and set the hook timing. Oh well...

Fast forward to today after a good night's sleep. I went over several videos from The Featherweight Shop and I thought maybe I should re-look the machine needle positioning.  Maybe I had it "crooked" and the flat side wasn't facing exactly to the left, so I took it out and put it back in correctly and WHA-LA! It worked and the machine is now sewing! I must have been really tired late yesterday afternoon and just couldn't see straight to put that needle in the right way. The machine sounds so smooth, the stitch is really good and I'm very happy after several days of work.  Next up: the painting dilemma and waiting g for the Tolex I ordered for the case.  Happy Stitching!

Featherweight Love 4

 Working on the Featherweight case is rewarding, especially one that's in good shape. BUT...you occasionally run into some "nasties". In this case it's brown mold......after I removed the wrinkled, torn Tolex of the case bottom I saw it.

So, down to the kitchen to clean it up: gloves, wet paper towels, the waste basket close by and bleach.

I carefully wiped the mold with wet paper towels and quickly dropped them in the waste basket. I repeated this a couple of times. Then I took damp paper towels again and added bleach and wiped down the bottom and insides of the case. Then I put the waste basket bag into our trash can outside. There is a musty odor in the case and machine, which can be "normal" for an old machine. The smell comes from where it has been stored and also the old oil pad in the bottom of the machine, which I've already disposed of. I'm hoping the bleach treatment reduces the odor, and I have some special case deodorizer from The Featherweight Shop on the way to also attack the smell.

Now the fun begins: I get to rub the Kiwi black shoe polish onto the outside of the case and make it look beautiful! It's fun: I used to polish my dad's shoes when I was a kid (besides mine) so it's nostalgic for me, soothing, too. I enjoy seeing a pair of shoes cleaned and shined, back to their original beauty. It's the same with the case.

Then I put some of the black shoe polish on the cleaned lift out tray, which was in really good shape. No gluing or repair work was needed. It buffed up to a nice shine.

That's enough 221 Featherweight work for today. Time too work on some other projects!

Featherweight Love 3

Today I could only do a little work on the 221 Featherweight: I cleaned and spray-painted the "nut" that holds the drip pan cover on the machine. I also ordered some black paint from The Featherweight Shop for touching up the paint that's gone from the bottom edges of the machine. Whoever owned this one really banged it up around the base (where the screwdriver is pointing) but it's fixable.

The Featherweight Shop must think I'm crazy for continuing to order items and instead of putting everything all in one order. Oh well....shipping is free using First Class mail.

So to keep moving ahead on the restoration, I'm working on the case. First I cleaned the whole case, inside and out, gently with damp paper towels. Easy!

Then according to the Featherweight Shop's video I cleaned all metal with Nevr Dull, a metal cleaner, the can behind the case. The shoe cloth sitting on the case is great for polishing.

You can see the difference on the back hinges from grubby

to bright and shiny. I used the blue gloves for this (ones left over from the beginning of the pandemic): great to use to protect my hands from the chemicals.

Then I brought out the wood glue and damp paper towels to glue down any of the loose Tolex (the black "fabric" covering the case inside and out). I used cheap paint brushes from the Dollar Store to apply the glue.

The bottom of this case was pretty wrinkly but now looks better. I'm only working on the outside of the case right now: inside will come later.

Then it was drawing time with large Sharpie permanent black markers to cover marks, etc. I used them (2 markers) over the entire surface, then used Kiwi Scuff Cover over the case outside and the handle. Luckily, the handle is in great shape and will not need to be replaced.

Next will be using Kiwi black shoe polish all over the outside and buffing to a nice shine...but that will be another day.

Featherweight Love 2

 I kept thinking about this machine all night long. Couldn't wait to get my hands on it again today. 

First problem I noticed was the wheel was locked: I could only turn it a little bit. Obviously there was a jam somewhere. The Featherweight Shop to the rescue with their video "Is your Featherweight jammed?"

I had already discovered the jam but needed some instruction and encouragement from the video, along with the hemostat I already owned to pull out the offending threads. Wha-LA! It worked (or so I thought), so I cleaned up the pieces with rubbing alcohol (note: do NOT use rubbing alcohol on any of the painted surfaces!!) and cutips, then cleaned out some really old dust bunnies. So far all parts I've worked on are original Simanco parts: a good thing. The more original, the better.

But when I put the plate back in the machine and turned the wheel it still locked up. Hmmmm....  Back to the Featherweight Shop video only to learn that there still was a very small piece of thread somewhere inside of the bobbin case "guts". I could not get the gibbet unscrewed to take it apart to remove any offensive thread. So I ordered a special tool from he Featherweight Shop that can help me with this since forcing the little crew has bad consequences. So I went on to wipe out any dust bunnies and old grease from underneath the machine.

Any parts and screws I removed for cleaning were put into small plastic bags so I wouldn't lose anything.

One item that came with this was an old tube of Singer Motor Lubricant in its' original box...interesting ephemera for looks only at this point. I would never use this old lubricant on any machine now!

I also painted the oil drip pan with some flat black paint after using 240grit sandpaper on it. It looks much better.

Now I'm off to the store to retrieve a few things for the case restoration while I wait for the shipment of supplies.

Until next time:  Happy Stitching!! 

Featherweight Love

 I love Featherweights. They're cute, easy to maintain, extremely portable and just plain fun to sew on. I stitched my last quilt top on my 1935 one, a 221 Featherweight  (the quilt is now at the "long armer")

.

But this past weekend, while visiting very dear friends near Cary, North Carolina, and on a shopping excursion to Apex, North Carolina, I found another 221 Featherweight....... It had only been in the "junk" shop for one day. There was no price on it. And it came with a folding table.  Let's spell it "Trouble with a Capital T" as the song goes. The family brought it to this store after the mother had passed away.

I asked the store owner about it and the price (which I will not divulge so you don't question my sanity) and I gulped. He gave me a brief history and said they had brought it in the day before. Okay, I admit it: I'm a sucker for old sewing machines. I thought "too expensive" but thought again knowing what the machines go for, not even considering the table: more than the price of the two combined. My dear, wonderful, understanding husband said "I'll buy it for you...go ahead!". Well, I brought that case and table up to the register so fast and whipped out my charge card faster than you can say "sold!". And we loaded it into the car with me dreaming of the cleaning, restoration and researching yet to come.

The Featherweight is dated in the June 26, 1947 production run. It's in pretty good shape along with it's original carrying case. But it stinks because of the old, nasty drip pad underneath. So the restoration begins..... I've removed the bottom plate and was able to easily pry up the old, smelly pad and throw it away. Below is the underside of the machine with the plate removed.

The bottom plate had to be soaked in rubbing alcohol (I really didn't want to use kerosene, which is recommended) to remove any remaining gunk. It came out nicely and certainly smells a whole lot better!

So far, so good. I'm happy. Next I have to start cleaning the innards and do basic maintenance. If you ever want to learn more about these fabulous machines, I highly recommend The Featherweight Shop for their wonderful supplies, parts and goodies, plus their very informative videos and online instructions. Until the next Featherweight chapter: Happy Stitching!!