Singer Model 27 and 127 facts for kids

The Singer Model 27 and the later Model 127 were types of lockstitch sewing machines. The Singer Manufacturing Company made them from the 1880s to the 1960s. The Model 27 and 127 were full-size machines. The Singer 28 and Model 128 were smaller, three-quarters size versions. These were Singer's first sewing machines to use "vibrating shuttle" technology. Millions of these machines were made.

They are built from steel and cast iron. They were made to be repaired, not just thrown away. This means many of them are still around today. Some are in collections, and many are still used for sewing! Singer called them "the woman's faithful friend the world over."

What Makes These Singer Machines Special?

Identification guide

Many old Singer sewing machines look very much alike. But all machines in the 27 series (like VS-1, VS-2, VS-3, 27, 28, 127, and 128) have special features. These features help you tell them apart from other Singer models:

• They have two sliding plates that cover the entire sewing area.
• The front plate is flat. Most have pretty grapevine designs. Very early ones just have a plain, shiny look.

Within the 27 series, there are also differences between the versions. This table shows some of them:

How the Vibrating Shuttle Works

The 27 series was the first Singer machine to use a "vibrating shuttle" to hold the bobbin thread. Before this, older Singer machines used a different design called a "transverse shuttle."

The History of the Singer 27 Series

The idea for the 27 series started with Allen B. Wilson. He invented the vibrating shuttle in 1850. He sold machines that used his invention. Years later, after patents expired, two people from the White Sewing Machine Company, D'Arcy Porter and George W. Baker, created a new machine. It used the vibrating shuttle very well. This "White Sewing Machine" started being made in 1876. It was very popular, and some are still around today.

Figure 1 from Whitehill's patent 326821

About ten years later, a Scottish inventor named Robert Whitehill (1845–1903) improved sewing machines. He started his own company and made machines from 1875 to 1883. Then, he designed the sewing machine that would become Singer's answer to the White machine. He got a US patent for his design in 1885.

Whitehill kept the size and most of the outside look of the White machine. His big change was on the inside. He redesigned the entire "powertrain." This is the system that moves energy from the handwheel to the needle, the bobbin, and the fabric feeder. He also came up with the bullet-shaped shuttle. The White machine quickly started using this new shuttle too.

Model 27 advertising card: "This machine is unequaled"

Whitehill showed his new machine to James Bolton (1832–1916), the Singer office manager. Bolton loved it! He set up a sewing contest against Singer's best machines. Whitehill's prototype won. He sold the rights to his design to Singer for USD 8,000. That would be about USD 212,000 today!

At that time, Singer had two "high arm" machines. The Whitehill design became the third high-arm Singer machine. It quickly became more popular than the other two. The Whitehill machine was first called "Vibrating Shuttle 1." Two years later, it became the improved "Vibrating Shuttle 2."

Scientific American magazine praised Whitehill's design. They especially liked how the machine transferred power. They called it "as ingenious and effective as any device ever introduced into stitching mechanism."

How Many Were Made?

The 27 series was made for a very long time. Singer made improved versions and many different types for various customer needs.

Pedigree of the model 27 series

Different Versions Over Time

Model 27-2 shown in an 1892 trade card

The model series changed over the years. Here are the main versions:

Smaller, Portable Versions

A Model 27/127 machine weighs about 27 pounds. Add the motor, stand, and case, and it's quite heavy! Today's laptop computers usually weigh only 3 to 5 pounds. Because the 27/127 was so heavy, Singer made a 3/4 size version. This smaller machine was easier to carry. The White Sewing Machine Company also made a smaller "Peerless" machine.

Singer's portable versions changed like this:

Modern Updates

Models 127 and 128 are the "modernized" versions of the 27 and 28. They have these improvements:

• A new shuttle ejector button was added in 1910. This makes it easier to remove the shuttle for rethreading. Older 27 and 28 machines could even be updated with this new part.
• The bobbin winder was moved higher up. It now touches the motor belt directly. This fixed a problem with the old bobbin winder belt.
• Special spots for mounting a motor were added to the machine's body. This made it easier to attach an electric motor.
• The machine now automatically released thread tension when the presser bar was lifted. Older machines needed a manual press.
• The shuttle was changed again (see below).

Shuttle Changes Over Time

With each new main version, the shuttle changed. The shuttle is a key part that holds the bobbin thread.

Models	Shuttle assembly part number	Shuttle body part number	Notes	Picture
VS-1	?	?	originally like the White Sewing Machine's shuttle, but there were many changes as the VS-1 evolved
VS-2, VS-3	8227	unknown*	half-circle dip added to shuttle nose
27, 28	8327	8301*	narrow "wasp waist" added
127, 128	54505	54504	oval dip added to shuttle face, half-circle dip removed from shuttle nose, shuttle face larger
* Singer parts lists give contradictory information about the 8301 shuttle body. The parts lists state that both the 8227 and the 8327 shuttle assemblies use it, but the pictures given of those assemblies show completely different shuttle bodies. The correct answer is probably 8327 because shuttles found in the wild stamped "8301" or sometimes "301" are the later wasp-waisted sort.

You can't swap these four shuttle models. If you try, they won't work right and will skip stitches. However, there used to be other companies that made replacement shuttles. Some of these were designed to work with both 27/28 and 127/128 models.

Different Types of Machines (Variants)

Once the Model 27 and 28 were being made regularly, Singer created many different types. These "variants" were designed for different cabinets or power sources. The variant number was added after the version number. For example, a standard Model 27 for a treadle was called "27-3."

When Were They Made?

Many records from the time of the 27/127 machines are missing. So, the exact production dates are not always clear. This is the best information available from Singer's records:

Other Companies Making Similar Machines

White Sewing Machine Company's "Number 8", a copy of the model 127

Singer sewing machines were quite expensive, costing about USD100 (around USD2500 today). This high price meant there was a demand for similar, cheaper machines made by other companies. Big stores like Sears Roebuck & Co and Montgomery Wards & Co sold these "knock-off" models.

How These Machines Got Their Power

The 27 series machines could be powered in three ways: by a foot treadle, a hand crank, or an electric motor.

Treadle Power

Diagram of treadle table from 1896 instruction manual

A treadle uses your legs to power the machine. You push down with your feet on a rocking pedal. This motion turns a large wheel, which then powers the sewing machine. For every full push down and up, the machine makes four stitches.

Treadle machines were built into large wooden cabinets, like a desk. A round leather belt connected the treadle pedal to the machine's handwheel. This belt could be shortened or tightened as needed.

Hand Crank Power

Model 128 with hand crank

Hand cranks made the machines more portable. They fit into a small case, like a piece of luggage. Hand crank machines also cost less than treadle machines. The smaller 3/4 size Model 28/128 was made especially for this purpose.

The hand crank is geared so that one turn of the crank makes the machine's handwheel spin three times. This helps the machine sew quickly.

Electric Motor Power

Electric motors were sold separately. People could add them to their treadle machines to make them electric.

Motors in Cabinets

Philip Diehl's treadle-controlled electric motor

Early electric setups involved mounting a motor inside the treadle cabinet. The treadle belt was shortened to go only from the motor to the handwheel. The foot pedal of the treadle was then used to control the motor's speed, like a gas pedal in a car.

These electric conversions were invented by Philip Diehl. He worked with Singer and made many improvements over the years.

Motors on the Machine Itself

Figure 3 from Frederick Diehl's pillar-mount motor patent

Later motor kits did away with the treadle and cabinet. The motor bolted directly to the machine's main body. This was a big improvement because the motor could stay attached even when the machine was put away. Frederick Diehl and Martin Hemler, who worked for Singer, developed this idea in 1921.

The speed of these motors was controlled by a rheostat. This was a device that changed the electricity flow. It was first on the treadle pedal, but later became a separate foot or knee pedal. These kits also included a special electrical outlet. One part was for the motor, controlled by the pedal. The other was for a sewing lamp, which was always on. With these changes, the electric sewing machine could fit into a portable carrying case.

Electric motors became so popular that Singer started building machines with special spots for them. The modernized Model 127/128 machines had these mounting spots. Some 127/128 machines even came with motors from the factory. These factory-motorized machines sometimes had a lighter, solid handwheel instead of the heavier spoked one. The spoked handwheel was better for treadles because it kept spinning longer. The lighter solid handwheel was better for motors because it started and stopped faster.

Some older 27 and 28 machines also have solid handwheels. This means they were likely updated with an electric motor later on.

Belts for Motors

The add-on motor uses a rubber belt to turn the machine's handwheel. The bobbin winder also needs a belt. On Models 27 and 28, the bobbin winder used a long belt connected to the motor. On the modernized Models 127 and 128, the bobbin winder was moved. It now used a small "ring belt" or "bobbin belt" that acted like a tire, running directly off the handwheel.

Challenges with Older Bobbin Winders

An extra pulley tack-welded on, to drive the bobbin winder

Models 27 and 28 were designed before electric sewing machines were common. Their bobbin winder was placed to use the treadle belt. When a motor was added, the treadle belt was removed. This created a problem for the bobbin winder.

To fix this, the modernized 127 and 128 models moved the bobbin winder. It could now run directly off the handwheel with a small tire. But the older 27 and 28 machines needed a separate belt for the bobbin winder. Motor kits usually only had one pulley. This led to issues:

• If one belt tried to power both the handwheel and the bobbin winder, it often slipped.
• If a separate belt was used for the bobbin winder, the main motor belt couldn't be the standard V-belt. A less ideal "stretch belt" had to be used.

One clever solution seen on some old machines was to add a second small pulley to the motor pulley. This extra pulley could then drive the bobbin winder.

Sewing Lamp

Diagram from Diehl's Singerlight patent

Singerlight clone and motor from Mercury

Motor kits often came with a sewing lamp. Singer offered two main types of lamps:

• Spotlights shone light in one direction and could get hot. They attached to any screw hole on the machine.
• Singerlights had a long bulb and shade. They lit up most of the sewing area. They attached to a specific port on the machine's pillar. The Singerlight for 27-series machines was part number B428. Frederick Diehl invented it in 1921.

Many other companies also made their own versions of these add-on motors and lamps.

Colors and Designs

Most machines in this series were painted in a shiny black lacquer called Japan black. However, some later versions (like 127-12, 127-14, 127-23, 128-8, 128-12, 128-14, and 128-18) had a newer, less shiny "black wrinkle" finish. All machines were decorated with eye-catching designs called decals. Some common decal sets had names, as shown below. Others had general floral patterns.

• 

  La Vincendora (28/128 only)

• 

  Ottoman Carnation

• 

  Peacock tail

• 

  Persian

• 

  Pheasant

• 

  Rococo (28/128 only)

• 

  Rose and Cornflower (aka Painted Roses)

• 

  Sphinx (aka Memphis, Egyptian)

• 

  Tiffany (aka Gingerbread)

• 

  Victorian

Helpful Accessories

27-series machines have a standard "low shank." This means they can use many different sewing attachments. Singer also made many attachments specifically for their machines. These attachments helped people do many kinds of sewing tasks easily. They helped home sewing look "smart and professional."

'Style' Boxes for Accessories

"Style No. 14" puzzle box

Singer sold accessory kits in special fold-out "Style" boxes. These boxes were numbered, from "Style No. 1" up to "Style No. 14" during the time of the 27 series. The boxes included tools for hemming, braiding, tucking, shirring, binding, quilting, and ruffling. They also had extra needles, bobbins, screws, and screwdrivers.

Today, these boxes are often called "puzzle boxes." However, this name is new and wasn't used in the original manuals.

Hemstitcher Attachment

Singer also sold a hemstitching attachment separately. It worked with 27-series machines. The first version was a simple device. Later, a more advanced attachment was offered.

Buttonholer Attachment

Singer model 489510 buttonholer

Since 27-series machines can't sew a zigzag stitch on their own, they can't easily make a buttonhole. To solve this, Singer made special "buttonholer" attachments. These attached to the machine and allowed it to create buttonholes.

Zigzagger Attachment

Singer model 160985 zigzagger

Singer also made an attachment similar to the buttonholer. It helped straight-stitch machines create a zigzag stitch. Two "Singer Automatic Zigzagger" attachments worked with 27-series machines.

Blind Stitcher Attachment

The blind stitcher was another attachment that made a specific sewing task easier. It also attached to the machine's needle clamp. Singer part number 160616 was compatible with 27-series machines.