Singer 15 vs. Singer 115 Sewing Machine
Singer 15-88 with CV bobbin hook system, vs. Singer 115 rotary bobbin hook Sewing Machine differences
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| Singer 15-88 |
The Singer 15-88 (treadle or electric motor added), 15-89 (hand crank) 15-90 (rear mounted belted motor), 15-91 (potted motor) has an oscillating bobbin system, which spins one way, then back the other way, which is believed to waste a little energy, every time the hook has to move back & forth, while the 115 is a rotary, which goes in a continual circle, supposedly allows the machine to sew faster, with less wasted energy, since it doesn't have to stop & change directions, every stitch.
15 115
Reverse- Yes. No
Bobbin hook- Oscillating. Rotary
Bobbin type- Class 15. L bobbin & case according to Patti Bartel. She tried the 20U, but they did not work, but L bobbin and case DO work in her Singer 115!
Calibrated
Stitch length- Yes. No
Needle flat
side to- Left. Right
Needle threads- Right to Left. Left to right
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| TIP- the Singer 15 oscillating hook sewing machine models have completely opposite directions for installing the needle, and threading it, from the 115 rotary oscillating bobbin hook models. The upper manual is instructions for the oscillating 15-88, 15-89, while the lower manual is for the 115. |
The 115 uses an industrial size L bobbin, and a unique bobbin case, which has no "finger" projecting from it, like the typical class 15 bobbin case. (Patti Bartel says the L bobbins and bobbin case work in her 115, not the 20U I was originally told fit. I believe the man who originally told me the 20U fit, mixed it up with the L bobbin case, since both L and 20U have the same open top and pigtail thread guide.)
Singer 15-88, 89, 90, 91 models use class 15 bobbins, and bobbin case.
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| Singer 115 original warranty and receipt December 13, 1944, |
Singer feet and attachment charts at bottom of this blog post.
Both 15 and 115 models use the same low shank Singer presser feet and attachments, the feet included with each Singer sewing machine, varied a little, depending on when it was sold, and when, as well as which machine was purchased. The black low shank straight stitch only models, all can use the same feet and attachments.
Both 15 and 115 models use the same low shank Singer presser feet and attachments, the feet included with each Singer sewing machine, varied a little, depending on when it was sold, and when, as well as which machine was purchased. The black low shank straight stitch only models, all can use the same feet and attachments.
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| Blackside attachments were from World War 2, when many metals, like chrome and nickel, were restricted to military use, only, which took time to resupply after the war ended, some parts were shiny, others blackside. Ruffler, binder, adjustable hemmer, rolled hem foot Shirring foot, class 15 bobbin, quilting foot and seam guide, thumbscrew for seam guide, large and small screwdriver These accessories fit Singer models 15, 27VS, 28VS, 127VS, 128VS, 66, 99, 101, 201, 221 and 222K, as well as other low shank straight stitch sewing machines, including non Singer class 15 clones! |
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| Partial blackside ruffler |
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| Partial blackside binder Later binders were larger, with slots for a variety of sizes of binding and a guide at the end |
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| Another partial blackside accessory set Ruffler binder rolled hemmer adjustable hemmer adjustable low shank zipper/cording foot Class 15 bobbin original Singer tape |
To see a video showing Singer's low shank feet and attachments, including the buttonholer sewing a buttonhole, click this link to my YouTube video-
To see the rolled hemmer video-
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| Singer 15-88 |
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| Underside of 15 |
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| Singer 115 Rotary bobbin, notice bobbin case has thread feed out through the little apostrophe shape, carved into the center top, of the bobbin case "face". |
The Singer 115 has a knee bar built in, to raise & lower the presser foot, hands free. This expedites sewing, particularly quilting by machine, or production sewing.
A rotary sewing machine can be chain stitched, without jamming, because the thread is literally creating a candy cane like swirl, while an oscillating bobbin system, creates a locked stitch first one direction, then the other, so it jams more easily, if you attempt to chainstitch, by "sewing on air", instead of sewing from your project's last stitch, to a scrap of fabric, before cutting the thread tails.
I do know that Pfaff rotary sewing machines jam very easily, because they are so tightly engineered, that one thread, or a few lint pieces, can cause a jam in their bobbin area, if you try to "sew on air" chainstitch, so not all rotary sewing machines are safe to chainstitch on. The Japanese class 15 models usually have more gap in their bobbin hook areas, so they are noisier, but less likely to jam.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/singer-mdl-15-vs-115-whats-difference-t216990.html
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| 1930 Singer Feet and Attachments parts list |
1938 Singer feet and attachments chart
