Featherweights that is.  I absolutely wasn’t planning to buy another one, but it all came about because we were discussing the ‘white’ 221K Featherweights in a FB group, and how desirable and rare they were in comparison with their black 221 brothers, so I thought I’d have a quick look on eBay to see just how much more expensive they were.  Most were starting at well over £200, actually not incomparable with the price of the black ones that were in good shape, but then there was this one lonely little one, in what looked like pretty immaculate condition, and it had a starting price of £120.

I popped it on my watch list on the Friday, and then forgot about it until I got the reminder on Sunday morning that the auction was ending that afternoon.  It was still sitting at £120 with no bids.  So off I went and did some sewing and had my lunch and wrote a bit of pattern and it was *still* £120.  I began thinking exactly how much I would be prepared to go up to, how much I could afford to go up to without eating beans on toast for the month.  With 7 seconds to go I placed my bid, shut my eyes, sure I would get sniped at the last and… I won, at £120.

I have to say that the seller’s packing was absolutely amazing, and when I finally removed all the layers of cardboard, polystyrene, bubble wrap and old sheets, I found that the spool pin and bobbin winder had been carefully removed and packed separately so they couldn’t be damaged, and the fold up part of the bed was carefully cushioned to stop it being scraped on the face plate.  The finish is completely perfect on it, not a single bit of wear and tear, not even on the belt.  The manual looks like it’s never even been opened, and the attachments and their box are in beautiful condition too.  The seller had bought the machine new and I don’t think it was used more than once or twice, it just got to live in the loft for years!

The only bit that suffered a wee bit from the banishment is the bobbin case, but I think I can clean it up easily enough:

I’m now armed with sewing machine oil, lubricant, Zymol and cloths, so part of my weekend will be spent giving all 3 of my Featherweights a good clean and service.  Living the high life me ;o)

Now the only thing left is to find him a name.  He’s definitely a boy, they all are, but so far it hasn’t come to me.  I suspect something may come out after the spa treatment, after all, Little Sod and Cussed happened to get their names while trying to get them going, so watch this space.