BackgroundThe story
Singer brought out the 99 in 1911 as a lighter, more portable home machine that did not need its own table (singersewinginfo). It took the mechanism of the full-size 66, drop-in bobbin and all, and put it in a smaller 3/4-size casting. Sewalot calls it identical to the 66 in all but size.
In 1921 Singer offered the 99K with an optional electric motor, and singersewinginfo calls it the first portable electric machine. Early hand-crank machines could be converted, with a knee or foot controller. Over the years the 99 moved from wooden bases with bentwood covers to crocodile-pattern suitcases and, later, plastic bases. Sewalot says a reverse was added around 1949, after the Second World War.
The end date depends on who you ask. Singersewinginfo says production ran until around 1958, and pungolivinghome says the 185 replaced it that year; ISMACS gives 1963. Sewalot describes the 99 being updated into the 1950s-style 185K. Many 99s are still sewing today, from fine fabrics to denim and leather.
ReferenceSpecification
Specification plate
- Years made
- Introduced in 1911 (ISMACS and singersewinginfo); an optional electric motor followed in 1921. The end date varies: singersewinginfo and pungolivinghome say about 1958, when the 185 replaced it; ISMACS gives 1963. Sources vary
- Factories
- Elizabethport (99) and Kilbowie, Scotland (99K).
- Size
- 3/4-size portable, low shank — sewalot calls it identical to the 66 except for size.
- Hook and bobbin
- Oscillating hook, Class 66 horizontal drop-in bobbin.
- Needle
- 15x1.
- Drive
- Usually an external motor with belt drive; some have a knee-lever speed control. Treadle-fitted examples are also reported.
- Stitches
- Straight stitch only; the feed dogs don’t drop.
IdentificationHow to recognise a 99 / 99K
If your machine looks like a 66 but noticeably smaller, and takes a flat drop-in bobbin, it is very likely a 99. Later 99Ks carry a plain decal; “Filigree” decals also appear on the 99 (ISMACS).
The bobbin sits under a slide plate that you draw to the left, then you lift the bobbin case latch with your forefinger. This is the same layout as the 66, just smaller.
The earliest machines have a screw-in knob with no scale. Later ones have a lever with a graduated scale, and the last type adds a separate indicator; on these, raising the lever fully gives reverse.
The face plate changed from the 'Egyptian' scroll design to a plain striated one in the mid-1950s, which helps you place a machine roughly in time.
Knee-control machines have a metal lever that plugs into a hole in the base and rests against your right knee. There is no foot pedal, just a single plug wire.
Flywheel sizes changed over the decades, and late machines such as the 99K-24 and 99K-31 have a solid wheel. The bobbin winder design also changed towards the end of production.
VersionsVersions and sub-models
| Version | What sets it apart |
|---|---|
| 99K-1 | Early version with small 3/4-inch tension discs. |
| 99K-10 | An uncommon version with an aluminium head. |
| 99K-13 | Electric portable with a wooden cover or case and knee control. |
| 99K-16 and 99K-17 | All-metal electric portables supplied with a case. |
| 99K-24 and 99K-31 | Electric machines with a solid wheel, reverse and graduated tension. |
Parts and accessoriesBobbins, attachments and the parts it takes
Original Singer part 32590 fits the 66, 99, 99K, 185 and 192, but not the early 66-1. Check the spring and screw are present.
Use metal Class 66 bobbins, sold as part 172222 (also 32522). The same bobbin fits many later Singers such as the 201 and 401.
15x1, also sold as 130/705H. Fit it with the flat side to the right and thread from left to right.
It takes standard low-shank, screw-on feet. Singer manuals list a hemmer, binder, ruffler, gatherer, quilter and under braider, and the later Class 99 manual adds a zipper foot and seam guide.
The feed dogs do not drop, so you need a cover plate for darning, embroidery, free motion work or a buttonholer.
Early bases are wood with a bentwood cover; later ones are plastic with a clip-on lid. A 1934 portable used a steel base with a hinged extension table in a front-opening plywood case.
MaintenanceLooking after it
The Singer manual says to oil daily with constant use and occasionally with moderate use. Oil the needle-bar parts behind the face plate, the felt that feeds the oscillating hook and the hook shaft, then run the machine fast for a few minutes so the oil reaches the bearings.
Use thin sewing machine oil. Avoid 3-in-1 oil, WD-40 and car oils, which can gum up the bearings.
Singer external motors use either grease or oil. Push a pin into the lubrication tube: a gap of about 3/16 to 1/4 inch before you hit the wick means a grease motor. Never put oil in a grease motor, and don't use modern Singer grease tubes in a motor.
Brush lint and fluff out of the hook area and under the slide plate regularly, as the Class 99 manual advises, especially before storing the machine.
If the winder slips, the manual says to loosen the adjusting screw so the rubber ring presses more firmly on the handwheel.
General advice from the sources listed below. If in doubt, follow your machine’s Singer manual.
Before you buyWhat to check on a used 99 / 99K
In-person checks
QuestionsFrequently asked questions
Does the 99 take the same bobbin as the 66?
Yes — both use the Class 66 drop-in bobbin.
Was the Singer 99 the first portable electric sewing machine?
Singersewinginfo says so: in 1921 Singer offered the 99K with an optional electric motor and calls it the first portable electric machine.
Does the Singer 99 sew in reverse?
Only later ones. Sewalot says reverse was added around 1949, and singersewinginfo lists it on the 99K-24 and 99K-31.
Is a Singer 99 light enough to carry?
It is portable but not light. Singersewinginfo gives about 22 lb (10 kg), plus the base and case.
What presser feet fit a Singer 99?
Standard low-shank, screw-on feet fit the 99.
Can I do free motion quilting on a Singer 99?
Yes, but the feed dogs don't drop, so you need a needle plate cover over them.
ReferencesSources
Where sources disagree we show each figure rather than choosing one. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-99-sewing-machines.html
- pungolivinghome.com/home-2/our-collection-2/the-singers/singer-model-99
- sewalot.com/singer%2066.htm
- www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/99k
- www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/singer_machines/domestic_machines/models/99k
- ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-99-sewing-machine-manual.pdf
- www.manualslib.com/manual/154300/Singer-Class-99.html
- pungolivinghome.com/2019/09/28/vintage-singer-external-motors-do-they-use-grease-or-do-they-use-oil
- oldsingersewingmachineblog.com/2011/08/15/singer-knee-lever-sewing-machines
- oldsingersewingmachineblog.com/2011/11/23/oiling-your-vintage-singer-part-1
- www.vintagesingerparts.com/products/original-singer-bobbin-case-models-66-99-99k-185-192-part-32590
- www.vintagesingerparts.com/products/singer-class-66-metal-bobbins-10-pack-part-172222-32522-fits-300-models-66-99-201-401-403-500-503
Last reviewed October 2026