Originally Posted by hazeljane
Ok- I took all the advice I have gotten over what it is I really should be looking for in a back-up heavy duty machine. It seems like the consensus is a 15-91 will sew multi-layers and handbags with no problem at all.
I've also had a couple of people recommend a 201??
(Secretly, I really, really want a 15-125 because I love love love the mint green, but can't justify the boost in cost. Damn it.)
So, what does the 201 get me that the 15-91 doesn't. Or vice-versa?
You guys rock!
I have a 201 in a treadle and a 15-90 in a treadle. My daughter has a 15-91 which I have pieced and quilted with, but now I just use my treadles. I love the 201 for piecing and straight stitch quilting. It is a very very quiet machine and produces one of the prettiest straight stitches I have seen. I use my 15-90 for free-motion quilting since I feel it does a better job than the 201 for free-motion. I had read that that is because of the difference in bobbins. The 201 has the drop in horizontal bobbin (rotary hook), while the 15-90/91 have the vertical. Both are straight stitch machines with a back stitch. 15-90 have external motor and 15-91 pot belly internal motor. Also, you can use the 15-91 for everything and it does go through many layers of fabric. These machines are real work horses that are hard to break.