JudyTheSewer

You are kind of asking the wrong crowd about which one to choose because most of us have both machines (and more!). I own 21 different types of machines at this time and am willing to buy more as they fit within my desires and budget. If you can, I suggest that you get both the 201 and the 15. If you want to do FMQ and can only purchase one, I would buy the 15. I have not even tried to FMQ with my 201 because I have several machines that do a great job at FMQ and my other horizontal bobbin machines have not been great FMQers. Please let us know what you decide.

vmaniqui

totally wrong crowd to ask (ha ha ha). i know some members here have multiple nos. of one model. i wish i could afford it (not in a financial way) but my wife doesn't have the same passion as i do with all these treasures. i just wish she has that passion as all the members here. she's just so happy with her Husqvarna. in fact i was the one who insisted on her taking sewing lesson and buying a sewing machine. otherwise she'll be happy with manual sewing. if i have my choice i will keep on buying and just deal with other issues later on (like space, quantities, et al). it's just so hard to justify to her on why i need to have more sewing machines. even if i tell her it's my passion (i don't drink, i don't gamble, i don't smoke) she will not accept it. how do you guys/gals managed to do it ? maybe another question, ha. i envy the couples who go on a hunting trip (for a sewing machine) and quite frankly you guys are so lucky that you got a family support. you know what my wife told me - ' why do you need so many sewing machines'. i was like - ehhhh, sooooo, because, it's like, why, hmmmm can't answer her correctly. oh well...

miriam

I'm catch and release. I love to make the derelict machine work (not that I don't love the good ones, too.) but I learn so much from the machines that don't work. Then I'm happy to see the machine go to a good home. I love to mess with the different machines - it a whole new puzzle with each machine - you can put two machines of the same model next to each other and they will be different. It is fascinating.

deedum

I prefer the 15-91 hands down. You just can't beat them. I do FM on the 15 and I piece with the 15. I have 2 and might get another one.

ArchaicArcane

One thing that hasn't been mentioned about the 201, the -2 or the -3:
It's much quieter than a 15. I like it a lot for that. Virtually silent and powerful.

The 15-91 is great, but the 15-90 isn't really less powerful, in practical use. The most practical benefit to the 15-91 is the motor is higher, so it interferes with the harp space less. I had a guy bring me some really old naugahyde, and wanted a machine that would stitch a few layers together. The 15-91 balked, but the 15-90 did it. Add to this the fact that if the fiber gear breaks in the 15-91, you're done. I don't know where to get them. If the 15-90 has trouble, the belt will slip.

My first quilt was FMQ'd on a 15-90. Not a single hiccup, but it sure was loud.

pennycandy

' why do you need so many sewing machines'

Each one has something that the others don't do as well. DH has been supportive because I've been selective. I am more interested in function than collecting or fixing. It amuses him that I'm thrilled to bits over finding the $20 White to replace my ailing 1036. The only "frivolous" purchase was the treadle.

oldsewnsew

I prefer the bobbin case of the 15-91 because it's less fussy to clear out threadjams. One of my 201-2s I've worked on the bobbin case and the retainer clip wants to nick the needle and thread. On top of that someone put grease into the brush ports and I just redid the motor. It sews at only about 550 spm so i think the brushes may still be contaminayef. I turned the armature down a bit. Put in new wicks and rewired it. I'll post w pics tomorrow. Not the fault of the 201 but both of mine run slow.

Carol34446

I know what you mean, wish my husband would get more into to the old machines, but his passion is guns and we have way to many of them as far as I am concerned, and he has way to much space with stuff he doesn't even use and will not organize/move it so I can have some of that big bedroom for my machines. Have two tredels in there (white rotary and 66), along with grandmothers 201-3 but can't use them as there is no, I mean NO room to use them, they just sit for now.

purplefiend

I have 201k treadle and a 15-90. I've been quilting for over 25 years, I've tried to FMQ with the 201 and I don't seem to be able to do it. The 15-90 does it much easier and with no problems at all. I've been doing FMQ for years with a Bernina 930 & 1031, they both have the vertical bobbin.
Sharon

Mitch's mom

Now I admit it has been about a year since I took apart a 15-91 and even longer since I took apart a 201. Can someone clarify for me where the fiber gear is in the 15-91? I know on the 301, 401, 403, 404, 500, and 503 it is on the inside of the hand wheel and meshes with the worm gear coming up from the bottom of the machine. The hand wheel on a 15-91 is a solid piece of metal that slides over a metal shaft there is no fiber gear on the back side of the hand wheel.

The 15-91 was built and marketed to farmer's wives because of its ability to sew through heavy fabrics and light leather while being able to also do fine heirloom sewing. The 201 was marketed to tailoring shops as the 1200 in an industrial table with a knee lift and to women who were more into dressmaking than mending feed sacks. I have had both. I still have my 15-91. I use it for making buttonholes and ruffles.