The Singer company has apparently revived the featherweight: http://www.singerco.com/products/2856/c240-featherweight. Actually,
this machine appears to be a quite new model, introduced within the past
year as near as I can determine, but whether or not they revived the
name just recently, or if the name has been in continuous use use, even
after they stopped producing the 221 (1969, as best as I can determine).

I can't even determine if Singer ever actually "officially" called the
221 "featherweight," in the manual for mine, the actual word
"featherweight does not appear.

The c240 is a much more sophisticated machine. The 221 can have its capabilities expanded with attachments such as the buttonholer, but all
the machine itself can do is sew a straight line either forward or backwards(and I think the backwards sewing is a bit of a pain, at least compared to just pushing a "reverse button" it in lengths from 30
stitches/inch (just under 1MM) to 5 stitches/inch (~5MM).

The c240 is a computerized machine and is quite sophisticated. The
price of a c240 is $499, and most 221's on ebay seemed to be between 200
and 400 dollars, though I did see a model with "1920's Red Eye
decoration" that was ~$3200. The 222 (freearm featherwieght) was
generally around $1000.

The c240 probably costs a lot more to fix than the 221. In reading
about the 221, much of the time any problems can be solved just by
cleaning and oiling it and perhaps replacing the needle. I don't really
know what is involved in repairing a computerized machine like the c240,
but it is probably much more involved, much more expensive, and even for
the simplest problem more than changing the needle, probably requires a
sewing machine mechanic.

I looked at some "video reviews" of the c240 on Youtube, and they seem
to be quite positive, and it looks like a quite nice "entry level"
computerized machine. I have to wonder, though, if it as well made as
the 221. There is a reason that 221's have been around for 70, 80, and
even in some cases close to 90 years, but I cannot imagine anything made
today lasting 30 (let alone 70) years.


--
My Yonkoma: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian0908/albums/72157680223526176

The E-mail associated with the account is a "spamcatcher" account that I
got to every couple of months to empty out, and anything sent to it will
not be seen for probably several months, if it is seen at all.
Brian Christiansen

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello Brian,
Are you planning on buying one of these featherweights?
Sandy$

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 09/24/2017 08:09 AM, sandydollar2015@gmail.com wrote:

Hello Brian,
Are you planning on buying one of these featherweights?
Sandy$

Unless you are plannning on sending me cash, a check, a money order, or
an Amazon gift card for $500, no I am not.

In a get-together I was at the other night, I mentioned my Singer 221
and how it was my "inheritance" from my late mother.

One of the people at the table I was at looked up "Singer Featherweight"
on his phone, and showed it to me.

When I got home, I did some "research", and found the Singer page about
this machine, the Amazon page where it could be ordered, and a few (it
seems to be a very new machine, so there are not many yet) YouTube
videos, and I found my results interesting, and decided to share.

--
My Yonkoma: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian0908/albums/72157680223526176

The E-mail associated with the account is a "spamcatcher" account that I
got to every couple of months to empty out, and anything sent to it will
not be seen for probably several months, if it is seen at all.
Brian Christiansen

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello Brian,
They have a used one like new on Amazon.com for $199, so check them out.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 09/25/2017 07:34 AM, sandydollar2015@gmail.com wrote:

Hello Brian,
They have a used one like new on Amazon.com for $199, so check them out.

Perhaps I was not clear enough: no, I am not going to buy this, or am
even thinking about it. If I were in the market for a new machine, and
had the money, I might.

I just thought what I found was interesting, and decided to share what I
found. I did not think my original post indicated that I was thinking
about buying it, or that it came out as asking for advice about doing so.

The one that is 199 is no longer there. I just looked on Amazon, and
the new ones were ~$499, and the "used-like new" ones were ~$450.

Either the one that was $199 was snapped up real fast, or what I think
is more likely is that when the original posting was made, and error was
made where the wrong price was typed in, then was corrected very quickly.

--
My Yonkoma: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian0908/albums/72157680223526176

The E-mail associated with the account is a "spamcatcher" account that I
got to every couple of months to empty out, and anything sent to it will
not be seen for probably several months, if it is seen at all.
Brian Christiansen

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello Brian,
Didn't mean to upset you, just thought you might reconsider because of the price of this used one. I would buy it but I already have three sewing machines, so don't need any more. I apologize.
Sandy$

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)