So you're a quilter and you've been wanting a lightweight dependable sewing machine to take to quilting class each week, a machine that is sturdy and sews accurately. This guide is about the Singer 301 or Singer 301a which is a relatively inexpensive alternative to the much acclaimed and high priced Singer Featherweight. 

You and your fellow quilters may be in love with the little black vintage Singer 221 (and 222) known as the Singer Featherweight. There were tan and white featherweights as well. Introduced in 1933 at the Chicago World's Fair it continued to be manufactured until 1960 in the US and until 1971 in Scotland. The Featherweight is small, lightweight, portable, and sews magnificently as well.  It is straight stitch only, no zigzag feature unless you buy a ZZ attachment which really is nothing more than a conversation piece.

However, the Featherweight can be a pricey item. This guide is about a second option if you are looking for a lightweight machine to take to your quilting classes. The Singer 301 or 301a is a personal favorite and can be found for about a third of what the Featherweight might cost you.

The 301 is a full-size machine that weighs only a few pounds more than the Featherweight. Like the Featherweight it is a straight-stitch only...there is no zigzag feature on this machine. It is a slant-needle machine with an internal motor with direct gear drive instead of the belt. This gives the motor great power and equally great speed. The quality of the stitch is excellent. A nifty fold-down handle atop the machine allows you to easily pick it up and move it to a new work area. There is an original carrying case that does an excellent job of protecting the machine even though it is not quite as handy in size as the FW case.

Why consider the Singer 301 or Singer 301a  instead of going down to your local dealer and buying a brand-new machine? Because of its dependability. The machines of this era ...1940s-early 1970s... had all-metal gears...no plastics. As long as they are cleaned and oiled per instructions, they'll sew forever. And anyone can follow the instructions in the manual to keep their machine running smoothly.

The 301 came in two versions, a short-bed and a long-bed. Three color options are available... black, mocha, and two-tone cream and tan. This is a true portable and can be set up on a work surface. Or you can place it in an original Singer cabinet by using an insert made by Singer especially for that purpose. Singer afficianados call the insert a "cradle" and you can often find them on eBay. The cradle fits into the older cabinets. A small tab on the cradle allows you to simply remove the machine when you wish to carry it to quilting class.

Singer also made a fold-up table about the size of a card table that had an insert into which the machine could be placed. Tables were made for short-beds and for long-beds.

One word of caution...if buying the machine on eBay be certain to ask the usual questions but be also certain to ask if the bobbin case is included. The 301 uses the same bobbin case as the Featherweight and original ones are no longer available except from a donor machine. There are remakes but to my experience they do not work and are problematic. An original bobbin case will set you back $55-$65 so make certain it is there!

A second word of caution...if you have a 301 or a FW and take it to quilting classes and leave it to go to lunch, remove the bobbin case as they often disappear behind your back due to their value.

If this guide has been helpful in any way, please vote YES below. Thanks!!