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The perfect Singer sewing machine

11/12/2012

5 Comments

 
It's no secret that I love vintage Singer sewing machines.  From the 201 to the 301 to the 401 each model has its merits.  But every time I sit down to test a 15-91 I realize that this is the one I love the best.

Not only is the 15-91 beautiful to look at, it's crafted from nearly indestructible steel.  The rear-mounted potted motor and steel worm gears add up to tremendous punching power.  It doesn't slip, stall, jam, or bog down.  If you can fit the fabric under the presser foot, the 15-91 will sew it.   
Singer produced myriads of 15-91's from the early 30's to the
late 50's.  Early models were highly decorative with fancy embossed
scrollwork on the cover plates:
Later models had a simpler satin-stripe motif but are still graceful, elegant machines:
The 15-91 is a straight-stitch machine, but Singer produced a wide array of attachments for zigzagging, hemstitching, blind stitching, and buttonholing. There was almost nothing that couldn't be done with patience and practice.
Eventually the zig-zag models took over the market and the 15-91 became obsolete.  But the surviving machines are a testament to Singer's heydey.  The oldest 15-91's are upwards of 80 years old but still get the job done.   
 
So if you need a heavy duty straight-stitch machine but don't have space for an industrial model, you can't go wrong with a 15-91. 

Happy Sewing!
Barbara
5 Comments
Sara
7/20/2014 01:30:16 pm

I love your writing, Barbara. Not just your love of sewing machines, but how you write about them.

I have a new-to-me 15-91 missing a spool pin, and a 15-91 with a busted hand wheel no wiring With a spool pin. How hard would it be to remove spool pin from B and install in A? Does anybody have how- to instructions online?

Reply
Alexander Thompson link
12/9/2015 09:42:05 am

Hello Barbera-
1st of all love your attitude.
Second of all gotta brag: SCORE!
My local thrifts store, where I go two times a week to see what I can find has had in the past few months two 99's in very choice condition in perfect cabinets with all veneer intact and the kits of attachments etc. Not averse to treadle's but I had to pass because they were too big for the apartment and I already have a Futura II 925 with all its attachments and desk size cabinet.
My wife's been suffering with a couple of jam prone Japanese clones, an 'Edison', which died when the top end finally slipped. And a 'Dressmaster' which wraps the hook all the time and the tension is impossible.
SO!
Yesterday I saw a singer at the thrift. I sat down to it, it was clean and ran really quiet. I bought it for $20 in it's small two leaved cabinet with hide-away seat.
On further inspection I found the original Instruction book, 15-91.
On even further inspection, tan and blue centennial badge and the square button style foot switch.
So now the Japanese clones are out of a home.
Thanks for your review of this machine!
It's going to absolutely make Christmas!

Reply
Barbara
5/12/2018 01:38:06 pm

Barbara crays@yahoo.comI love all singers love to learn about them

Reply
Rick St. James
9/5/2019 06:34:04 am

Help!,
this morning I rescued a vintage beauty by a Green Dumpster ready 4 certain death. She's a Black & Gold Leaf Singer Sewing Motor S.S. AU50-15-1, Catalog B.R. 7S, Ser. No. 6304880. It rained last night so it was soaked when I got her.
The wood table she folds down into has simple wood legs, no fancy Iron frame/footrests. My concern is how the rain will affect the motor. Should I dry it out with a hairdryer, or saturate it with WD-40 to keep from rusting out? I'll be using it to make guitar backpacks and leather bike seats of my own design. Former T-Shirts designer in High School, and took pattern making at F.I.T., NYC. So happy I found her! Please help save her! Thanks 4 any help/advice keeping her alive!

Reply
Gary link
5/15/2021 09:11:56 pm

How did it turn out? Mine was water logged too. Rewired the whole thing. New machine.

Reply



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  • Blog
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