3/14/11 NOTE: THE MACHINE HAS SOLD. Thanks for asking!
You may remember when I bought the Singer 401a sewing machine. I was thrilled. It is a wonderful machine. And now it’s time for me to move on to a different machine and let this beauty of a workhorse find a new home.
You can see 11 detail photos on Flickr. The photos below don’t get bigger by clicking, but you can see the entire set in larger format on Flickr.
Front view of the Singer 401A Slant Needle sewing machine.
I want to do a lot of experimentation work with paper and metal, including free stitching, which means finding a machine on which I can lower the feed dogs and pop wheelies and take corners on two wheels. A machine that the local repair guy will see a lot of. I’m through being careful.
So I’m selling the Singer. I’ve never sewn anything except cloth on it, has been recently oiled and lubed, so it is in great shape. It sews frontwards and back, has decorative stitches, and is an all-metal machine, weighing in at 21 pounds. But I respect its 50 years, and because of a childhood incident, too respectful to rip into copper sheeting with this model, although it could probably take it.
Stitches available by making adjustments on machine
It comes with:
- Foot pedal on cord (pedal to machine)
- Connector cord (wall plug to machine)
- working light
- working bobbin-winder (built into machine)
- bobbin (takes standard size)
- needle (takes standard size)
- Original instruction book (It’s 50 years old, and the covers are no longer attached, but still with the book. Book is clean and completely usable, readable, and not brittle.
- Standard throat plate for regular sewing
- AK3 Throat plate for use with some attachments
- Plastic box (probably original, but I purchased it separately) with 3 cams and attachments. Hinges in place, but lid now lifts off.
- utility foot
- seam guide
- zipper foot (feeds over pins, thick seams, also for corded welting)
- foot hemmer (for sheer seams, fine hems and lingerie finishes)
- multi-slotted binder for doing commercial bindings and applying self-fabric bias to an unfinished edge.
- Ruffle foot, which looks like sculpture to me, but makes gathered and pleated ruffles separately or made and applied at the same time.
- shirring foot
- edge stitcher
- 3 other feet I can’t identify
- 3 cams for extra-fancy stitches
It does not come in a case, and while it comes with thread on the bobbin, it does not come with the spool of blue thread in the photo.
I took it to UPS for a shipping estimate, and asked for
Original book comes with the machine
the price to ship it to Portland, Maine–as far away as I could get from Arizona, where it is now. If you live in Maine, it will cost you $50 in packing and shipping. If you live closer, it will be somewhat less. It should stay in the U.S.–overseas shipping makes it prohibitively expensive.
Price: $119, for machine as described above, all attachements, box and book included. Shipping is extra, about $50. If you live close and want to pick it up, you can save shipping. Paypal for payment. I’ll send you a PayPal invoice, you pay with a credit card or your PayPal account.
Contact: QuinnCreative [at] Yahoo [dot] com
You can see 11 detail photos of the Singer 401A on Flickr.
And own a sturdy, all metal machine that is a lot of fun, particularly if you like the details of sewing.
QuinnCreative 