Connie, If you need some bobbins, please don't go to Walmart nor Joann's to get the #66 bobbins. They don't work, just ask me, I know! sew-classic has the ones that do work and they are very helpful with anything you want help with.

I have 2 Singer 99's. One is a 99-13 with the knee bar that fits into the base of the bentwood case. The other 99 has a HUGE metal foot petal, and also the bentwood case.

99 and 99k (I don't know the difference, but I have several of each and they all look and sound alike to me) are wonderful little tiny HEAVY machines. Think FW, except for weight. I love all of mine, buttonhole makers, zig zaggers, ruffle, whatever I want to put on them are not any trouble attaching and working without a lot of agony (this usually ruins me when I am in the mood to do something different with a sewing machine today); I love that they are quiet and easy to train a new sewer on.

I also have a 99-13. Mine doesn't have great decals, so I don't mind using pins or doing paper piecing on it. It's a nice, reliable machine, if heavy.

There is something nobody has covered yet, and that is fmq. Even though you can cover the feed dogs with the proper cover, this machine is not good at fmq UNLESS You get and use a Stoppax Embroidery Attachment. These were made in Denmark about 60 years ago and go for about $60 on e-bay. You can easily fmq on a Singer 99 with a Stoppax. For that matter, you can easily fmq with any of the older --and many other --machines using a Stoppax. It's just amazing! The Stoppax attachment is the best discovery I've made in ages. (I have two.)

This is what they look like:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stop...item3f26c88267

JoAnn, the 99 was made in the US, and the 99 K signifies that it was made in Great Britain. A 99-13, for instance was made here in the US, and a 99-K13 over seas.

Cricket, that is a neat little attachment that you have. I've never heard of them. I'll be on the outlook to see if I can find one. I'd like to find one cheaper. I'm wondering of some of the guys here on the QB that are into making things could make some of them?

Could the feed dog cover, like the one to a buttonholer woudl work for FM. With the feed dogs covered, they can't move the fabric. I've heard that putting the stitch length like on a FW to 0 would work too, but I haven't tried it. Turning the knob on my 99's down to 0 would be a pain. I get them where I like the length of the stitch and leave them.
No, the 99's don't have great decals, but they are cute in their own way, being 3/4 the size of the 66's. I agree that the 66's and other full size machines have a lot more decals.

I LOVE my 99-K!!! it sews the most perfect straight stitch of any machine I use- I use it as my (travel) machine because it is not computerized- less chance of anything happening to it when I take it places & it's easy to maintain/service- I love using it for quilt projects with lots of pieces- (like a lonestar) because I can piece the most accurate seams with it. and I picked it up in pristine condition for $20! it is the best $20 I've ever spent. :)

My 99 is a wonderful little machine! i love it! was going to convert it to a hand crank but couldnt bring myself to do it because it was near mint and everything worked so beautifully. so it stayed electric. :)

The K just refers to where it was made (Kilbowie, Scotland). AFAIK they are identical to the U.S. made ones. The U.S. ones would be 99W(?)

EDIT: Darn, I should really have read the whole page first. Someone else already replied to this

I have one and love it. It was my first machine, bought used, and I sewed many many clothes and other things on it before my husband surprised me with a Singer GT&S (I love mine despite their bad rep). The 99K just keeps on keeping on. As Ed says, if it's well maintained it will outlast us all.

I have a 99K it belonged to my Mother-in-law, she was a professional seamstress and used it exclusively for all her sewing.

I have 99k electric in rectangular case but recently got a 99 handcrank that looked so new. Really haven't used the HC one much yet but do like to use electric one when out in my screen room on nice day. Seems more sturdy than my FW which I use on Wed at group. But, I love'em all. Write to us again after you used it .