So thrilled to have found this site! I just posted my new acquisition (an Ambassador zig zag deluxe, yikes!) over on the Japanese badged thread, but I had to come brag on my Singer 15 clone.
I am new to sewing, let me say, so I appreciate all your advice. I have always wanted to learn, so four years ago I bought some beginner Singer machine. It was so scary, it sat in the box for two straight years! Finally, I took a class where I learned to use it, and made a few projects... in between fighting tension problems, constant jamming, and the inability to sew more than 2 thin pieces of cotton together. That machine is IMPOSSIBLE and sewing was no fun. Thankfully, along came my husband's grandfather, who asked me one day if I wanted grandma's old machine. "I've tried giving it away for years, and none of the girls will take it!" It is a turquoise 1955 Morse, with all the accessories, presser feet, case, buttonholers, and paperwork included. The Morse changed my world. It is SO easy to use, and so far has even powered through 6 layers of upholstery fabric without a hiccup. It has made me one happy sewer! I love that all grandma's information is still inside-- she died long before hubby and I were married, so it's a way to be attached to her.
Just a hint, in case anyone ever runs into a calamity like mine: in the middle of a project which HAD to be finished by the next day, the belt broke. We are in rural Montana, so the nearest possible sewing shop is 3+ hours away. My brilliant husband sent me to Ace Hardware (just an hour away) to pick up the rubber gasket for a Culligan water filtration system, which comes in three sizes. It was a slightly smaller diameter, so I bought several in case one broke, and it has held up great! Easy fix without waiting for online shipping, what a relief. Anyway, I'm going to lurk about admiring more photos of these beautiful machines. I appreciate your tips and advice, and thank you for letting me brag about the machine that has rocked my world![ATTACH=CONFIG]530218[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]530219[/ATTACH] (In case you can't read the photo, the back of the original manual has a handwritten receipt and guarantee, selling the machine and all the accessories for $135 to my husband's grandma, just a few years after they were married. Lots of sewing has been done on this machine!)