Singer's lesser-known Heavy Duty superstar

By now it is common knowledge that I am a fan of the Singer 15-91.  What's not to like?  It's simple to operate and will sew through anything you can cram under the presser foot.   

And, like the Model T Ford, "you can have any color you want, as long as it's black."
 
But did you know that Singer produced an almost identical machine in a color other than black?

That machine is the 15-125.  It was produced from 1955-1958 and was the last of the potted motor straight-stitch models.  Singer was modernizing its image and they updated the classic 15-91 with a re-shaped casting and a light green paint job.   The color is similar to the 3/4 size 185k, which was itself an update to another popular model, the 99k.

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So what changed?  Let's take a look at the two machines side-by-side. 
The 15-91 is on the left and the 15-125 on the right. 

As you can see, the changes were cosmetic, not mechanical.  Motor, tension knob, light fixture, stitch length selector and bobbin compartment are exactly the same.  

Which means that if you want a 15-91 but don't want black you have the option of green!   Even the foot control and cords were color-matched.  Which is the one drawback to the 15-125.  If the cord is lost or damaged the only option for replacement is black, which rather spoils the look. 

Otherwise, the 15-125 is a worthy successor to the better known 15-91.  The machine pictured above walked right through several layers of garment leather and even sewed 2 layers of cowhide belt.  This machine definitely has "industrial strength" but it is NOT an industrial model.  It's still a household model, so it's not a good idea to sew belt leather every day on this machine, but it's nice to have the option for a quick repair! 

Happy Sewing!
Barbara