Last week we received an email from a customer who purchased one of our Featherweights just about a year ago.
She had broken the machine needle and when she replaced the needle the machine wouldn’t sew. She thought that perhaps she had bought the wrong needle or a needle that wouldn’t work.
She had bought a 15x1 (Schmetz needle - good choice) which is the standard needle for most if not all modern machines. No matter the size number of the machine the needles are all the same length. The number refers to needle thickness not length. The higher the needle number the thicker the needle.
The solution was simple. Unlike most other sewing machines Featherweights must have the flat side of the needle going to the left otherwise the machine will not sew. The needle is threaded from right to left. Occasionally the needle will twist as it is being inserted into the machine so it is important to make sure the thread comes out on the left when threading a newly replaced needle.
This little blog will be old hat to long time Featherweight users but may be helpful to those new to Featherweights.
