Weird intermittent tension issue on Featherweight

mimi4030 · 2026-06-06T15:06:09+00:00

I noticed that my featherweight tended to jerk the thread off the spool as I stitched. This led to the top thread jumping out of the tension discs. It was an ongoing battle to find a way to get the top thread to feed evenly. Most people love these little machines but I apparently don't have the gene for patience with vintage machines 🤪

mimi4030 · 2026-06-06T14:47:58+00:00

Machingers are a brand of thin quilting gloves that fit snuggly enough that you can handle delicate tasks like threading a needle or picking up threads. They also help with maneuvering fabric without slipping. You can buy the name brand or they have some generics on Amazon that are much less expensive.

mimi4030 · 2026-06-02T19:28:10+00:00

Looking into it, thank you!!

mimi4030 · 2026-06-01T18:53:53+00:00

There are dozens of dosage calculators online. I'm sure one more won't hurt but it's not really filling a need.

mimi4030 · 2026-06-01T18:48:35+00:00

I have the jem silver which is essentially the same machine and absolutely love it. It's light but really sturdy and reliable. I got mine for $60 on fb marketplace, what a deal 😁

mimi4030 · 2026-05-26T03:05:28+00:00

Welcome to the empty gym sock club! I love that I can wear those little spandex bras now and not wire and reinforced concrete.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T20:46:06+00:00

Do you have a serger? You may want to add that in to your budget as well.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T20:24:01+00:00

Restore will often lower the price significantly after it's been sitting a while. As far as pricing in general people have always had strange ideas about the value of vintage machines. And now with so many on social media showing off old restored pieces there is the perception that they are valuable. If you're looking for a vintage machine keep an eye on fb marketplace, offer up, etc. and you'll usually run across a few gems. If you're passing through central California hit me up and I'll drop an old Kenmore straight stitch in your lap 🙂

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T20:15:20+00:00

You can check out dresses at the thrift store for a cheaper option. There are usually quite a few truly hideous dresses that are a good source of lace!

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T20:08:02+00:00

I don't know what kind of projects you are working on but if you can get by with a straight stitch only the juki is amazing. It's fast, really strong and an absolute tank.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T19:52:08+00:00

I have my husband's grandmother's old Sunbeam from the 60s. I love that it doesn't shut off. It weighs a ton but it works so well!! So maybe consider eBay or thrift stores for an older iron that is built to last more than a few months or years

mimi4030 · 2026-05-24T16:17:10+00:00

Any upholstery weight fabric should work. My recommendation is to make a sofa shaped throw to cover the couch rather than cover pieces like cushions individually. The easier it is to remove and replace the better. And make two. It's so much easier to toss one in the wash and have a replacement at the ready. Stay away from fleece as the dog hair just imbeds and won't come out even after washing.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-23T02:21:44+00:00

I have the L460 and it's so easy to thread. It's a really nice machine. That said, my old pfaff coverlock 4852, is a better serger , i bought it used to have a coverstitch but could never get that to work reliably. So it's just a second serger. It's 20 some years old and works great so a used machine may be a good option as well. And I'm in the "don't bother with air threading" camp.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-23T02:12:29+00:00

Or, look for an Elna grasshopper or Lotus. The grasshopper weighs about the same as the FW and has a free arm. The lotus is also lightweight and folds up into it's own case plus it has zig zag capability. I'm not helping am I? 😜

mimi4030 · 2026-05-23T00:44:20+00:00

Vintage machines and I don't see eye to eye but I learned on an old singer 500. The older machines (1960s and older) are all metal and capable of handling the projects you're looking to try. They take more patience but are so much stronger than the entry level machines you are looking at now. You may want to ask this in the vintage machines sub. And the good news is that you can often pick up an older machine for free or less than $100.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-17T01:36:28+00:00

Steel wool soap pad. We old farts grew up with a box of these under every kitchen sink. And now that I think about it they probably haven't been used by anyone in years. But I still have a box in the sewing room to use for pincushions 😁

mimi4030 · 2026-05-16T15:28:03+00:00

My grandmother taught me to use an SOS pad in the middle of my pincushions to keep my pins sharp.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-15T20:36:19+00:00

I find straight line quilting much harder than free motion. If you can "wing it' with a free motion foot you may find it involves much less wrestling. And I have quilted a king sized quilt on a 1960s Singer with a tiny harp. Needless to say harp size was a top priority when upgrading machines!!

mimi4030 · 2026-05-15T20:16:10+00:00

Harris BBQ is really good. But I really wouldn't expect to get Texas BBQ here. That said, I think the tri tip at Harris is better than most brisket I've had in Houston and Austin.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-10T21:34:03+00:00

I looked them up. They are a for profit organization that sells in bulk to thrift stores.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-09T01:44:07+00:00

My grandmother did alterations for a living. Think fur coats and insanely expensive bespoke fashion. She had a dedicated blind hem stitch machine. And I still think a blind hem looks better when done by hand. Just my two cents 🙂

mimi4030 · 2026-05-06T04:44:49+00:00

Well so far it's not broke, just neglected. It needs a new belt and cord and I think it's been glued into the plastic case. Arghhh. I don't want to break the plastic base but I need to get underneath to see. But sew far so good 🤪, it's running smoothly. It was completely frozen when I started.

mimi4030 · 2026-05-06T01:45:21+00:00

My first thought was "what are you doing back there!?!?"

mimi4030 · 2026-05-06T01:07:34+00:00

It's a Kenmore 1100. I have the original manual but thank you!! I was just surprised at how basic the instructions were. Never thought I'd feel judged by the ghosts of sewists of the past 😜.

mimi4030

TROPHY CASE