My Singer 301 sewing machine has become my favourite sewing machine for piecing quilts.  It’s one that I would recommend to any quilter looking for a solid straight stitch machine.

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase
Fresh from the thrift shop, a little grungy and dirty, but still charming.

I never really sought out the Singer 301 – it wasn’t on my list of must-haves.  I had read great things about the machine, but I didn’t think that I actually needed to seek it out because I had machines that could do the same things that the 301 could.  So why did I add this machine to my collection?

The Back Story of My Singer 301

I wrote a post recently about my two Singer Featherweight machines.  My first Featherweight was missing some parts, including the bobbin case.  Whenever I go thrifting for sewing machines, I always look inside to see if there is a bobbin case included because they tend to get lost over time.  Bobbin cases can unfortunately be quite pricey for such a tiny piece of metal!

I came across the Singer 301 while thrifting at a deal of a price.  The Singer 301 and the Singer Featherweight share the same class of bobbins, so the bobbin case can be swapped between the two machines.  I actually picked up the Singer 301 cheaper than what I could find a Featherweight bobbin case, so it was like I got the Singer 301 for free!

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase

More About the Singer 301

  • The machine is portable. Unlike other machines from the time, the 301 actually has a built-in carrying handle, not just a handle on the case. It’s a light weight machine, weighing about 16 lbs, which is much lighter than most other machines at the time.  However, it still has a base that can be set into a cabinet.  It’s the best of both worlds!
  • The machine uses a slant shank system, meaning that needle bar comes down at an angle towards the front of the machine instead of being perfectly vertical.  Slant shank machines have their own specific feet and attachments, so you can’t share your low-shank or high-shank feet from your other machines.
  • The slant needle makes it a bit easier to see what where you’re sewing as you’re sewing it.
  • The motor, light, bobbin winder, etc, are all encased in the machine.
  • My favourite part: it stitches fairly quietly, almost a purr of a whir.  It feels smooth to use.

It took me a while to get this machine in working order but there were no major problems..  There were issues with tension but eventually I was able to get it to output a perfect stitch.

Singer 301 badge
Singer 301A Badge

 

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase
Singer 301 serial number and sticker: Patented Canada 1949, 1951, 1953 Design Rd. Canada 1948 Other Patents Pending Printed in USA

 

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase
I like that the stitch length lever is clearly marked and has the ability to be reversed.  My Singer 66, for example, has an unmarked dial so you have to play around with the dial before settling on a stitch length.  The 301 can be switched from one length to another with ease.

 

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase
I removed a price sticker from the head of the machine, but I decided to leave the repair sticker pictured above from the base of the machine.  The previous owner got the machine repaired in 1977.  I feel like this sticker adds to the machine’s history.

My Singer 301 came with two bobbins. They were wound with thread already, and when I unwound them to replace with a full bobbin of black and white thread respectively, I found multiple colours of thread hidden inside.  Many of my other vintage machines had bobbins with multiple threads.  It was a common practice, done as a way to conserve thread.  I don’t think I would personally have the foresight to be able to plan when I could go back to one of my hidden colours.  I’ve since purchased more bobbins so that I wouldn’t need to worry about not being able to match my bobbin thread to my primary thread.

Singer 301 review and vintage sewing machine showcase
I have fallen in love with this machine, so the next step on my journey with the 301 is to accumulate more slant shank attachments.  I have the standard foot and the quarter inch seam foot so far.

Do you have a Singer 301?  Share in the comments below!

 

Singer 301 – How to Clean, How to Thread the Sewing Machine, and How to Wind the Bobbin Instructional Video

Jump to the following timestamps to access a certain part of the video!

  • 00:20 – Singer 301 Information (similar to this blog post)
  • 02:29 – Cleaning Tips
  • 03:33 – Singer 301 Upper Threading Tutorial
  • 06:12 – Singer 301 Lower Threading Tutorial
  • 07:12 – How to Wind the Bobbin
  • 08:57 – Sewing Demonstration
Singer 301 video on the Craftcore DIY & Sewing YouTube channel.

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