I'm been quilting about a year now. I've been reading all the posts about great finds in vintage sewing machines and thinking that would be fun to have. Suddenly it dawned on me (duh!) that my MIL's old Singer machine is out at my son's house and not being used for many years. She's been gone since 1985. So I asked him to bring it to me to check out and found this Singer sewing machine, 99K, EL 429080. It seems to be in good condition (I cleaned and oiled it this morning) and it sews well. She left notes about her possessions and she calls it a 3/4 head. It's not very heavy but maybe a little bigger than Featherweight? Can anyone tell me about this machine and what year it was made? Does anyone use all the attachments (picture #3)? They're interesting! It also has the original manual. I'm glad my mind finally clicked (thanks to posts I've been reading) but I do feel a little foolish for not thinking of it sooner!! :oops:

I maybe wrong but what I found was
built in 1956 in Clydebank, Scotland

Nice! If you look toward the back of the manual there may be explanations of the attachments and how to use them. Some of my manuals have this--I don't have a 99K though.

http://www.singerco.com/support/machine-serial-numbers
Info here:)

99K 50,000 made May 22, 1956

This is a beautiful machine. Would like to have one like it or a Featherweight. Enjoy! Love my Bernina but like the vintage machines also.

Beauty.

There is just something about those old black and gold machines. Maybe it is because so many of us remember old aunts, grandmas, etc sewing on them.

Congrats! I happened upon one myself this spring. I was so happy to get it. Billy just cleaned it for me since I didn't know about the person that had it before me, he said she took good care of it so I really didn't need to send it to him but she got a good cleaning. I really like mine, you have more attachments but very sweet!

That's great that you were able to bring it home and enjoy!!

Thank you all for your information and comments. My husband guessed his mother got it in the 40's so 1956 was a surprise.

That's a beauty!!!!!!! Have fun :D

I have my grandmothers 3/4 99 which is in a cabinet Manufactured in Great Britain which is in gold on the top of the machine...She was born in 1949...great machine...

That's just fantastic. I hope it can stay in your family for many generations. I had given it to my son not even knowing what it was but he wasn't using it (he had thought he might use it for light mending but he's not really a sewer), so now it's back! O.K. with me now that I will probably use.

You have the darning plate!! That means you can FMQ on the machine if you so desire!! Also it is in a cabinet and they are worth just as much as the machine is.

Congratulations on such a wonderful piece of history!!

Billy

Billy, she not only has the darning plate, she's got the darning "foot" to go with it! That's what the spring thingie is! :)

And yes! I use my attachments...I love the darned things! :)

Yeah Charlee I found out I have a couple of the darning feet here in some of the boxes of stuff out in the garage. I really need to go through all of it but that was in a box next to my industrial.

Billy

Billy and Charlee, how fun to hear of these attachments. I may try to study them (they are in the manual I have) and play with them. I looked for the darning foot but didn't think I saw one with the other attachments. I guess I'll look again! You both saw them so I'm excited. :thumbup:

Miswrote. I meant I didn't see the darning plate. There is one kind of round, flat plate but I couldn't see how it attached. Maybe that was it.

Wow, it's great that you remembered about this 99! I highly recommend this book, to learn how to use your attachments:

http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Machine...pr_product_top

I have it and it has wonderful color pictures and great instructions for using the attachments. Sometimes the pictures in the manuals are difficult to read.

They have a free one on the Smithsonian website if you want to look at it. Here is the link for you.

http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect.../NMAHTEX/0203/

Billy

Glad you remembered that machine! She's a beauty! :)

Thanks so much. I plan to order it.

That is great. I've figured out the darning plate but can't figure out what the darning foot is. I don't see it in the manual either. I must be missing something! I'm saving this website to refer to it.

how wonderful..for you and the machine..a piece of family history so well loved and cared for continueing on to make wonderful things for the family...WOOHHOOO

How lucky you are to have such a treasure :D:D:D

the feed dog cover is not in the manual because it was sold seperately in small flat box with the singer logo. if you do not find the separate instruction sheet go to the singer website

Very pretty little machine-enjoy!

Looks to be in great shape (well taken care of). A piece of family history that you are now the caretaker of. How wonderful , I wish I had my Grandmothers Singer. sigh

I have a 99K made in 1956 in Scotland too!! I bought it on ebay for $90 and it was in perfect condition. I sew with it almost daily. However, I don't have any of those wonderful attachments. You are truly blessed!!!

My husband repairs and cleans vintage sewing machines.
(newer models too) He brought home several old Singer machines from a garage sale and one of them is a 99K.
He cleaned it, oiled it, and that machine sews beautifully.
It's the best one.
If I didn't have so many sewing machines, this would be my next one to pc. quilts with. They are awesome machines!

That is the same machine I inherited from my aunt. It was born the same year as me! Love Singer attachments. If Bernina made them today they would cost a fortune.

Maybe Grandma slipped in a sewing machine when no one was watching. LOL Perhaps our generation is not the first to "hide" a few purchases from the man of the house.

cool...look at all the attachments.I bet these came with the machine, not like today everything is an extra cost

Beautiful machine. Use it you will be pleased with the stitches & you will never wear it out!!!

Beautiful Machine, I have a 15-99 and find I can sew a straighter stitch then on my Baby Lock or my Elna. Enjoy your treasure I am sure you will love the way it sews.

What a nice surprise!!! Bet you're glad you remembered now, aren't you?!! :thumbup:

You have a nice little 99K here! I too stumbled across a 99K recently (for a song I might add) and it is also in a cabinet. The cabinet for this little 3/4 size machine is not so commonly found and is worth as much or more than the machine. By the way, mine was also made in Clydebank, Scotland and was produced in 1954. Aren't they lovely?
I recently acquired another machine, a Singer model 27 (made in 1901!) with Pheasant decals in mint condition and as to the cabinet...well...I will let the picture speak for itself. I am just a proud "mommy" to this one and so happy she came to live with me!
She could have chosen a Queen or a First Lady or a Princess to live with but she lives with me instead, lol!

Thanks everyone! If anyone can describe the darning foot to me, I'm stuck on that. Charlee said she saw it but I don't find it myself. Maybe someone can point it out to me in my picture? Has me stumped. :(

Wow! That is a beautiful machine and cabinet!! I love the decal work on the machine - beautiful. My hubby's aunt had a cabinet like that and I loved it. And her daughter didn't save it. :cry:

Try ISMACS, lots of info there.