"New" Old Baby Comes Home

[Mary K.]

Nancy - congrats! What a great find! Mary Kay

[Lynn K.]

I'm sitting here wishing....wishing......wishing.......I had my grandmother's old treadle (Singer) that I learned on! I wouldn't even know where to begin to track it down in South Dakota! I learned in the early 50's when I was 8 or 10 years old and used it until I married when I moved to Chicago.

My mother and father came to visit new hubby and I and my mother took DH aside and advised, "She needs a sewing machine!" DH went out and with her advise, brought home a Singer Touch and Sew (602 or 603??). My mom liked it so much she went back to SD and bought one for herself. I had lots of tension trouble with mine and eventually in 1972 bought a Bernina 830 and felt like I had been given the moon and the stars!

My non-sewing daughter now has my old one (I have a Bernina 830 and a Janome 6600) and my mom's niece has hers. She says it has sewn millions of miles and still works great!

My main machine today is my Janome 6600 but my Bernina 830 served me well through two daughters and years of garment sewing!

I'd still like to have that old South Dakota treadle!
Lynn

[Lynn K.]

Pat!! She sews!! I've been fiddling with my treadle and she actually sews. For some reason, I have 2 shuttles and the one that came in the machine is backwards from the 2nd one. I was having trouble with the upper thread catching and breaking and so I tried the other shuttle and it works better. I even took it apart and cleaned it after reading some of the info at the links you posted. Do you know why I would have 2 that are different? Maybe a previous owner tried to buy one and got the wrong one?

I have a couple more questions: I took out every grimy little felt disk that I found in the tension disks and the "wick" in the bobbin area. Is there anything special I should do to replace these? I cut some wool felt and put the little circles in. I haven't tried winding a bobbin yet; that might bring up a whole new set of problems!

I'm using the hand wheel like a hand crank for now. Beautiful stitches!!! I'm hoping to get an new belt so I can get the actual treadle working. It's amazing to me that our foremothers sat there and sewed with a crank and were using the latest technology and were thrilled and grateful for it. So cool!! Nancy

[Patti P.]

Nancy Ann, it is really fun watching this thread and seeing your adventure unfold.

[Patti P.]

It's very possible that someone did buy the wrong shuttle many years ago, or that someone gave them that one and it wasn't right. Sounds like you're taking good care of that new baby. Did you call your nearest Singer dealer to find out about a belt? If not, try Cindy Peters on the Treadleon Flea Market, she's a good lady and a good businessperson.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[Patti P.]

I actually have a belt. I'm not sure why it was taken off, maybe so the machine could be taken off the cabinet and stored? I think I'll try and put it back on. One end is frayed a bit, but the staple is there and maybe it will go back on. It's leather, and it doesn't seem to be brittle or anything.

When I was unable to find any books at the library about old machines, I went to Amazon.com and found three, very inexpensive, that I've ordered. 2 are about antique machines and the other is about how the sewing machine revolutionized the housewife's life. It's called the Queen of Inventions and might be of interest to all members, not just the ones with antique machines.

After Santa brings them, I'll let you all know! Nancy in BRRR NY

[Patti P.]

Yesterday I went to a shop where the guy repairs sewing machines and vacuums. Isn't it wierd that they usually repair both? Are they that similar?

Anyway, he had treadle belts! For only $9! Easy to put on!

For some reason, when I push the foot pedal all the way down, it seems to reach a point where it wants to come back but the wheels (both the big iron one below and the one on the right side of the machine) want to reverse instead of continue on around in a circle. I have to give a bit of help with my hand and then it goes. Does that make any sense? Can anyone shed any light on what I need to do to fix this? Is there a certain way I should be using my feet better?

Any suggestions are appreciated! This is so exciting!

The sun is shining and the sky is blue! Great day in Western NY!

[Annette R.]

My ex son in law bought a house and found what he calls "crafty things" had been left behind by the previous owner. So since I am the "crafty grandma" in the family' he sent them to me. One of the items is a Kenmore Buttonhole Attachment that is in a brown velvet paper box. I have not been able to find a date on it but it says sold only by Sears Roebuck & Co. The attachment itself is brown and has several "plates" for different size buttonholes. I have no use for it as my Kenmore went to "sewing machine heaven" a few years ago.

If any one has an older Kenmore or just likes gadgets, I would be happy to send it to a new happier home. All I would ask is reimbursement for the shipping cost as it is heavy for its size.

If you are interested in this, please send me an e mail with your address. First come first served. Hugs, Ann

[Annette R.]

When your treadle pedal is not making a complete movement, it will want to go back and forth instead of around and around. Is your treadle sitting on a carpet? Sometimes that will make it do this. If so, either move it off the carpet, or ask DH to make "treadle skiis" for it--strips of wood to put under the wheels to lift it off the carpet so the wheel can make a full revolution. I will be looking forward to seeing your first project made on your lovely old machine.

[Annette R.]

Thanks so much Pat, I'm sure we have some wood around that we can put under the feet. They are wheels, but hopefully it will work.

I have already pieced a block even though I had to use the hand wheel since I hadn't found the belt yet. I decided that each quilt that I make from now on, will have at least 1 block or part done on the treadle.

Another thing I've yet to try is winding the bobbin. Luckily, it came with beige thread, so I've just been using that!

Thanks for your expertise! Nancy in NY

[Annette R.]

My husband tried the treadle and it worked perfectly for him. I guess I just wasn't using enough force. We found those little plastic squares that you can put under the feet of furniture and used them to raise the feet up out of the carpet. That seemed to help.

He and my daughter are restoring an old spinning wheel so suddenly he's an expert on all things antique! She's painted it and intends on using it for an art sculpture! She's going to entwine long lengths of red candy licorice or something. I don't pretend to understand her artist's vision!

At the estate sale where they found the spinning wheel, they bought me a little bag of very old thimbles and some really tiny silver crochet hooks that must have been used for making lace. Cool!

[Annette R.]

OMG- I now have a COLLECTION! My daughter and I went to an antique co-op and she spotted a sewing machine. It was in it's wooden case and hardly noticeable, so that's probably why no one else had seen it. $40!!!

It's from about 1906 and it's another White. It's in beautiful condition - all black and shiney with gorgeous gold details. It is electric and the foot pedal is a funny style. Lovely, heavy wooden case.

I couldn't get it to work well, though. I took it to a repair guy and foolishly asked "do you repair the old machines too?" He looked at me as if to say DUH! For $50 he adjusted the tension, cleaned her out and showed me that I did have it threaded right, but the hand wheel is turned backwards not like modern machines. Works great now.

Now I'm keeping my eyes open for just the right pretty little table to display her on. I guess these antique malls are dangerous places!

Nancy in western NY

[Sue R.]

Great find, Nancy ! It's so much fun to treasure hunt for old machines, but too many of them follow me home :wink: