I’ve been doing some reasearch on the history on the sewing machine.I am so fascinated that I think I’ve developed an addiction.
The cost of those machines cost the equivalent of a year’s salary.So singer arranged a payment plan where people would take years to pay it off.I now understand why theses machines were made to last for many years.Unlike the machines made these days.
I’m no stranger to these machines because I learned to sew on a hand crank at school and my mother had a treadle which she later converted to electric.
When her grandfather bought the machine for her, my mother was too embarrassed to choose the zig zag machine.
I still think of the beautiful free motion she used to do on her straight stitch treadle.
I was fortunate to get this Arrow from my husband’s barber.I have never of this brand of sewing machine before.It was made in Czechoslovakia.I’ve since learnt that it is a Singer 15 clone.I try to do most of my straight stitching on it not to wear out my computerized machine too quickly.
I like the way it stitches so much that I decided to use more of these machines to teach kids to learn to sew.
For that reason,I’ve been looking for another one for some time,hoping to convert it to hand crank.I did not want to spend too much money on one so I was quite patient and even turned down a few I saw.
Well I found this 99K 13 on Kijiji.From the photo I could tell that is was in a fair condition and fortunately it was still available.
I was impressed with the condition and was surprised that it included so many attachments even a button hole maker.I was familiar with some of them but have never seen some of them before.It also has a knee control which I’m so excited about it that I won’t even bother converting it to hand crank until the motor dies.
It also included the original manual for the sewing machine and attachments and a general sewing book
According to the Singer Company records, my 99 was made a the Kilbowie factory in Clydebank Scotland in 1937.Forty thousand of these 99s were manufactured at that location in that year.
I found a good tutorial on how to clean it at http://sewdelish.blogspot.com/2007/12/cleaning-old-sewing-machines.html
Fortunately mine does not need that much cleaning.
My intention is to make projects using the attachments and then blog about it.
Ooooohhhh!!! This looks very exciting! I can't wait to see it in real life. Congrats on the new singer!
It sews beautifully and the attachments are exciting.I tried some but it takes getting used to.
I have the same identical Arrow machine only mine is in a cabinet. It has the knee control. I have some of the attachments as well. Any suggestions if I need to have it serviced? Any idea how much it would cost? I'd like someone to adjust the tension.
Since it's a basic machine, You can try and service it yourself. It probably just needs a cleaning. I joined a yahoo group " wefixit". They are very helpful even with finding parts. I downloaded the manual for the singer 15 from the singer website.
If you would like to send it for a service, any sewing machine repair person should be able to do it. Here in Toronto a basic service would cost between $45- $100.
Good luck with it.
I have an Arrow machine as well. The arm (the piece that the thread goes under after going through the tension unit and check spring) is broken. I'm trying to find a replacement part. I was hoping you could help me research this machine
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Hi, I know this is 7 years after the fact, but we've moved into a new house and there was a Arrow sewing machine in the closet. I can't find out anything about it. It looks similar to yours but has a gold plaque with "deluxe family model" stamped on it.
Hi
I apologize for the late response. But if you need information on this machine. Any instructions for the Singer Model 15 will work.