This blog will be old hat to Featherweight owners but to new Featherweight owners it might save the day.
Occasionally we get a phone call from someone who has purchased a machine from us who is in panic mode. Their machine will no longer sew. The solution is usually very simple.
The first question we ask is “Have you removed the throat plate?” In most cases the answer is “Yes”.
After having removed the throat plate to clean the fluff under the plate, clean the feed dogs, remove thread caught around the hook assembly, etc. you have to replace the throat plate with care.
When replacing the throat plate there is a ”position finger” (A2 in the diagram below) on the bobbin case holder. This position finger has to fit in the notch in the middle of the position plate on the underside of the throat plate (B2 in the diagram). If the finger is not in the notch the machine will not sew no matter what you do.
This is all explained with a diagram at the bottom of page 12 in the 221 Featherweight instruction manual and on page 14 in the 222K instruction manual.
If the finger is in the correct position the other possibility to easily check is the needle. Unlike a lot of sewing machines, the flat side of the needle shank is to the left of the operator.
This is explained on page 13 of the 221 manual and on page 16 of the 222K manual.
WHAT!! You don’t have a manual for your machine? Shame on you! Luckily for you we usually have manuals for sale in the store.