Cleaning My Featherweight
 

Can someone direct me to the page about cleaning and oiling my Featherweight. I just got it today and it smells terrible, especially the case. It runs well and quietly but it needs cleaning and maybe a new belt. The cord and footpedal are very good.

If you have any of those silica packages that come with new shoes, toys etc...toss a few of them in the case and it will help remove the odour.

Hi Maureen!! Good for you to get a Featherweight!! They are such fun. Cleaning them is just like any other older Singer...there are some good tutorials on here, just search for them. There are also several places to get the 221 manual free online to download and print out. The manual shows all the oiling places. It's not hard at all!! You can do it. Put your case in the sunshine with some used dryer sheets inside (open)...the smell comes from the glue they used in the case. It will go away, but it takes some time.

Great idea! Thanks.

Go to my Youtube channel - see below (sorry, since the board changes the link no longer works) and watch my videos about cleaning a vintage machine.

Shame about the smell. You might have to make it its very own lavender sachet!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...v-t167789.html
quick link to Muv's videos

You may want to replace the felt drip pad ... turn over the machine, unloosen the large screw, take off the whole bottom plate. The pad will be stuck to the plate... probably yuckky. I replace mine with felt pads from JoAnns cut in the same shape. Good luck getting the smell out of the case.. I dropped some cinnamon oil in mine after I tried all the other remedies. It's just very difficult to get to the moldy glue that's holding it in place. PS.. don't put it in the sink with water.. all my black fabric came off!! however, the wooden boxes are lovely. Sue

Nova Montgomery from around Huntsville Texas teaches a class (which I took at Houston Quilt festival this year) on cleaning featherweights. Use only sewing machine oil and kerosene to clean the inside. She has a laminated cheat sheet on all the places to clean and grease. Look at her website. I thought it was a valuable class.