| The 301 is often called the "big sister" of the Featherweight (Singer model 221), because it's small and lightweight, yet far more powerful than the Featherweight. These were made in basic black, a solid tan called "mocha," and a two-tone version. I've got two cleaned up and sewing sweetly at the moment... This black short-bed in a beautiful mahogany Art Deco-style cabinet (a #42 cabinet)... |
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| ...And this two-tone version (known as an LBOW, light beige oyster white), retrofitted into a cabinet that originally accomodated a model 201. |
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| Since the 301 is designed to be portable (see the handle on top? it folds down and out of sight), it takes a special "machine cradle/cabinet bracket" as well as the complementary brackets to install in a cabinet. |
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| This is the machine cradle/cabinet bracket. It fits into the cabinet in the standard manner--slides onto two rods at back, tightened down by set screws--then the machine just pops into the bracket. This snap-in design also makes it easy to pop out when you want to go portable again. |
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| I got this cabinet with a 201--another machine I really love--but really wanted to put my 301 in it. I lightly refinished the cabinet, and then did some carpentry to get the 301 cradle and brackets installed properly. Where there's a will, there's a way. |
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| The Art Deco-style cabinet,on the other hand, was made to fit a 301. The foot controller is built right into the cabinet. The wood is mahogany, and it refinished beautifully! |
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| The rounded door at right swings out to reveal a shelf and two drawers, and there's an additional drawer at top left. |
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| The 301 was the first of Singer's "slant needle" machines. The needle bar is set at an angle, which allows a better view of what's being sewn. The 301 is a gear-driven sewing machine--no belts, just strong intermeshing gears--so it's quite powerful, and you never have to worry about the belt slipping when you're doing heavier work. While the Featherweight is great for piecing and other light work, it's not strong enough for heavy fabrics and quilting. The 301 can do it all... and more! Yet is still lightweight and portable. It's the perfect machine for taking to class, whatever you're sewing. |
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| The short-bed extension table (there are long-bed versions of the 301, too, but only for the black and mocha colors, not the LBOW) hinges up for easy access "under the hood." The bobbin case and bobbins are the same as for the Featherweight, so those pieces are interchangeable. The full rotary bobbin is faster, smoother, and quieter than an oscillating-hook machine. That black rod to the left of the bobbin assembly is the feed-dog drop mechanism; just turn the knob and the dogs drop. Really nice for free-motion work. |
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| I mentioned that this is a slant-needle machine. That means the presser feet are different from most machines (which are generally short- or long-shank). See how much longer the "leg" is, as well as the different angle, of the foot in front (slant shank) versus the short-shank foot in the back? |
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| My LBOW machine came with a treasure trove of feet--the full complement and then some, in the original box. I tried the ruffler just out of curiosity, and it really, truly works! Not that I have much need for ruffles these days... it's funny to think how these were such standard feet in 1956. From left to right, there's a multi-slotted binder, edge-stitcher, adjustable hemmer, ruffler, gatherer, foot hemmer (for rolled hems), a zipper foot, and something else. Both of these are very sweet machines. |
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If you're interested in purchasing either of these machines and need more details, please email McKenna. Note that they are in Bradenton, FL, if you are interested in the cabinets as well as the machines. |
