Respond if you have a Singer 15-91
 

If you own a Singer 15-91 post on this thread and tell us what you use it for. Furthermore, we can get to know who uses them so we can help one another. :)

I have several, I use them mostly to look at. I have one dedicated to FMQ, but I don't do a lot of that.

I just recently, beginning of December, got into these old machines and sewing fabric. I do have a Sailrite walking foot machine that I have done some leather work on. I say this because I will display some work I've done on the 15-91 and want to express that I am brand new to fabric sewing. And very limited leather sewing. Also, the fabric I have came free from Craigslist because someone was cleaning out their sewing shop. I got 4 giant garbage bags full.

So, here's the 15-91.

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And here are the two "quilts" I have done recently. My daughter is using one of them at the moment as she sleeps on the couch. I draped the other one on top, so that is both of them right there. Both of these were made from scraps so it was difficult to get matching colors, and I'm new so I don't know what I'm doing, but here they are.

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I have a 15-91 but have to find someone to re-wire the motor. Ihad someone clean it up and get it running, but when I filled the bobbin on it the motor smoked and now it doesn't work. any suggestions as I live in Fulton ,Ms. thanks

I rewired my 15-91 by following these instructions...

http://vssmb.blogspot.com/2012/01/co...ted-motor.html

Not sure if the motor smoking makes it more of a problem or not.

My 15-91 is the one my mother got as a wedding present from her parents. She taught me to sew on it when I was 8 years old. She gave it to me when she decided she wasn't going to sew anymore. (Told her that of all the things in the house I wanted was the sewing machine, so she said, "You can take that now.") It is one of my most prized possessions even though it has very little value.
Currently I use my Janome and Viking more than my Singer - but it has to be the most loved. Think I'll sew my next quilt with it since I am thinking about it now.

I too have a 15-91 that my dh bought for me as a surprise Valentine gift a few years ago. We saw it at a nearby "antique" shop and I drooled a bit too much over it and then said I would not buy it because I had no room for it after downsizing our house. (I know, I know, that never stopped anyone else from buying.) I have only used it a wee bit mostly because it has a small wine fridge sitting on top of it right now and I am pretty sure it needs some rewiring as that all did. It is in an art deco cabinet (desk) that I love and it had a bunch of dodads in the drawers such as a sock darner, flatwork darner, zigzagger with different stitch designs, box of feet, etc. Once we get the kitchen straightened out, I hope to have it available to piece and quilt as I have heard it is great for quilting since you can drop the feed dogs. (I often don't do that though as I get a bit more control with them up but that has been discussed in many other threads.)

DKuehn, thanks for that rewiring link.

I have one that I would actually like to sell, for no other reason than space limitations. It works great though and I have used but just really do not have room for it along with the other modern and vintage machines I aso have.

I have one. It's my second one. The first got rehomed to a forum member. What I'll use it for when I get it serviced and cleaned up, I'm not sure.
I used Rain's blog instructions to rewire my first on.

Joe

I've owned my 15-91 for more than 20 years. I had it rewired by a sewing machine repair shop. I've sewn home dec items, women's clothinq, quilts, packing blankets into speaker covers, and other items.

I've owned my 15-91 for more than 20 years. I had it rewired by a sewing machine repair shop. I've sewn home dec items, women's clothinq, quilts, packing blankets into speaker covers, and other items.

I own one too. As it is new to me I have thus used it for sewing cotton lavender sachets and flannel neck warmers. I am yet to test it out on my unfinished carpet bag.

Right now, I have my 15-91 set up for FMQing only. Before I started FMQing, I used it for piecing also. It is one of those machines that seem to do it all well! Definitely my all time favorite machine!

I have two, one needs to be cleaned and oiled, after the others in line and one is really beautiful and I haven't done anything anything much with it lately. They are both beautiful and I got them for fmq since I had heard so much about how great a job they do. Will find that out
maybe in a month or two.lol

Dkuehn, your machine is really nice. Your quilts look great, just keep going, you have a really good start and have lots of fun. As we like to say there are no quilt "police" so sew what you like and quilt what you like and enjoy!

Mine

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...a-t247935.html

sandy

I have several. One has beautiful black chrome. It is in a desk with the inkwell still in it - nice set up. I have one with the silver stitch length cover, too. There are others needing new homes. I also have a 15 that belongs in a treadle but I have a hand crank on it. I just finished refashioning a jeans skirt for my grand daughter - it sewed through all the layers slick as butter.

I have one in a cabinet that is one step above firewood -- barely! However, the machine is quite beautiful. It has a knee controller, which is very nice. The plug needed rewiring, but otherwise it has tested o.k. My plan is to sew on it this winter. OOPS!! It is now this winter. Better get to it!

Dianne in Colorado

I have a refurbished 15-91 that came in a blond cabinet that I had purchased on craigslist from a local hobbyist. I plan to use it on a home-made mid-arm quilting frame for which I have the plans and materials to construct. The quilt frame project is still a WIP currently, so interim uses include:
1) a quilt block that was donated for a QB member's daughter who had cancer at the time.
2) a leather cos-play/renaissance festival costume that I had made for my son (another WIP).
3) up next is a 3-series thread painted canvas mural as a commissioned gift set.

I have one in the art deco cabinet and it needs to be rewired. I will be gifting it to a friend who sews Swing Coats to sell on Etsey. She doesn't know how much she wil like this machine.

:) I love my 1932 Singer 15-91 and wish that I had started using it sooner than just 2 years ago when my 1991 Singer broke a gear!!-- I use it for quilting my tops as it sews easily through the layers and often for my piecing as it is threaded and ready to go --my other machine is a fancy 1978 Kenmore!! -- if my old Singer had zigzag, it would perfect for me!!

A 15-91 was the first machine I got in the 1970s when I wanted to try my hand at upholstery. I used it on and off for many years for kimonos (Simplicity 5685 [out of print]), the only thing I knew how to make. I've made about 30 of them through the years as gifts, refining my technique (French seams, interfacing, closure variations). I now have several 15-91s, in my opinion the most durable and forgiving machine Singer made. I hope I'm not straying too far off topic here by saying I also snap up the 15-125 when I see one; it's really a 15-91 dressed for the 1950s.
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I have 3 of them,2 of which I just enjoy looking at and the 3rd one is set up for FMQ, but I don't do much of that.

I have one. I use it to learn how to use it. still haven't done anything more than run test fabric through it.

I think I have about three, maybe four picked up cheap at thrift stores. I pieced a quilt on one of them this past summer and it worked great. DH is taking a sewing machine repair class in April and will be making sure the tension is good with the other ones before I sell them. They are all in excellent condition and sew, just need some tension adjustments.

I have one as well. I actually don't get it out that much, as my serger is on top of it. It was given to me by a friend who found it going out to trash in an apartment complex. It is in nice shape, runs well and has a beautiful stitch. I get it out once in a while because it is fun to use, and to keep it running. I've often thought it would make a good FMQ machine. Can anyone give me advice on what type foot I would need, and where to find one for FMQ? And then have you had better results with the feed dogs down or up? Thanks!

I've used mine for FMQ and like it for that. Many generic low-shank darning feet will work (listings will specify the Singer models it fits); pick the kind you prefer. I've used a couple of different feet and sometimes I have to bend the post (that sits on the needle screw) a little to get the proper range of motion. I've always dropped the feed dogs and it works fine.

I have one that is a work horse. Used it to repair jeans, hem them...used it for production work in crafts.
Haven't used her much since I got my industrial machine...but will get her out for sentimental sake and work for a day....after giving her a little drink of oil.

I have a portable one that I got from eBay about 4 years ago. I haven't sewed with it much but it does sew beautifully. It's sitting on an antique sewing cabinet in my bedroom. I hope to use it more when I move it into my sewing room. I'm waiting for my daughter to drive from Colorado to pickup a couple of sewing machines I'm gifting her so I can have room to put the 15-91 in the room.

I love reading all the stories, and what they are used for and are going to be used for. :)

Any low shank darning/ FM/embroidery foot should work. It's up to you to decide what works best for you and your machine. I use a couple different darning(hopping) feet on various machines for free motion work but when I use Orphan Annie, my sorry little 15 class clone to fm quilt, I leave the feed dogs up, set my stitch length to zero, and (gasp! quilt police!) leave the regular straight stitch foot on her. That's what she likes.

Cari

Mine is a conversation piece on my breezeway. My "young sewing machine guy" gave it to me, and at the time it was a boat anchor. It may still be, but I got the gunk off it with GooGone. You couldn't even see the decals until the camera flash showed that they were there. It moves, but the electric connections have been broken off and it needs a bobbin case. Someday I may put a hand crank on it.

I have 2. One is a centennial badged. Picked up both at thrift stores for 20.00 each. They both sew great. Used to fmq on it until i was gifted with a 201. It is even better to fmq and has a drop in bobbin. Use the 15-91 for piecing and sometimes fmq. I look ar them and the others I have in my little sweat shop and ask. Who wants to play today?

Mine was my mil's that I inherited when she passed. I wasn't very interested in it because I thought it would cost more than it's was worth to repair. After joining QB and reading the Vintage & Antique Machine section, I read the instruction manual. Once I had it threaded properly and understood it only needed a bit of basic rewiring I decided to keep it. I've done lots of repair work on clothing ( denim and duck pants) quilts, curtains and anything else that I don't need a zig zag stitch. It also let me into an interest in older machines and finally buying a treadle which is my "toy".

I pretty sure one of the vintage low shank zigzag attachments will fit the 15-91. I have one that fits my Featherweight, haven't tried it on the 15-91 but I don't see why it wouldn't work. It's fun to watch because the attachment moves the fabric side to side instead of the needle to create the zigzag!

I have 3 15-91s and a 15-125. I use one of them as my resident machine in our home. My favorite Singer is a 201-2 at our lake home but prefer not to exchange when we go from one place to the other. The 15 has the feel of the 201 but not the finesse of the 201. Also, I will use a 15 when I'm working with heavier material. I'm told the 15 is better at FMQ. I have not tried it yet.

If you are interested in a Singer Zig Zagger attachment, click on the link below. Make sure you get one designed for a 15 class low shank.

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...tachments.html

I have this zig-zag attachment for my 301 slant needle. I used it for a few years when I got it (in 1956), but not since. I got a Necchi Lydia 3 zig-zag machine in the late 70's.

I have the large Singer zigzagger attachment in question, the black with cams that look like red knobs (I think there is a yellow cam set, as well as a blue). I can confirm it will work on any low shank machine like the 15. It's probably not the best zigzagger made, but it has the highest number of stitch patterns. For me it hasn't been practical at all. It does zigzag, but nothing like the swing needle zigzag on my vintage Bernina or Elna Supermatic. It's hard to maneuver, particularly along edges, and it misbehaves on thinner fabrics; there is nothing like the sating stitch fine tuning you get on the 1950s Berninas and Elnas on this attachment. I rather go for the narrow Greist version, or Japanese made versions. The Swiss zigzagger cost a bit too much, but isn't impossibly expensive if you really want it.

Thank you Cari-in-Oly and Manalto. I may even have a low shank darning foot around here somewhere. I'll see if I can locate one and give it a try!

I have a 15-91. It was my grandmothers, then my mothers...they have both passed away now but I remember my mom using it to sew my sister and I dresses when we were girls. I am not sure why, but she always gave the hand wheel a turn before she started sewing...like you do when using a treadle. Now that I know how to use a treadle it makes me laugh to think about her doing that (the 15-91 is electric remember). Anyway, DH rewired mine (by Rain's instructions) and while the machine worked OK, it was not great. Just before Christmas I came here trying to figure out what was wrong, and by reading my manual I realized I had been putting the needle in wrong!!! For 2 years!!! Anyway, it sews great now and I use it for everything. I have not tried FMQing yet though. I have the zig zagger too, which works well and is fun to watch but have only played w/it so far. I was not happy w/this machine until recently but I am glad I did not give up on it.