| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| clothedinscarlet |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 07:56:43 AM
So excited! I finally went and picked up my very first treadle machine! It's a White FR, last patent 1911 in a beautiful fancy cabinet. I've been petting it for two days now :) It's so beautiful. I've been taking it apart a bit to clean it up, but I'm waiting on my belt and manual now so that I can get it up and running.
Funny story though. When we went to pick it up my husband grabbed one end and I grabbed the other, not even thinking about the weight distribution. Well, I guess I had the heavy end because the cast iron metal base dug so hard into my arm just carrying it to the car that I think I busted a vein or something and have a huge bruise about 2.5 X 1.5 inches on my forearm. I call it a love wound LOL!  My husband was looking at me wondering why I was carrying it all hunched over like it weigh 100 lbs. I think my end did! bahahaha! 
Anyways, can one be addicted to old dewing machines? I think I've been bit by a treadle bug. I just got this one and I've already been peeking online for another one  I don't know what it is about having such a beautiful piece of history right at your fingertips that makes you crave more....can anyone explain it?
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| graciegreeneyes |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 07:44:25 AM
Oh and Siobhan - I hope you find the part you need - have you contacted the gentleman who works on treadle machines who MaryJane talks about in her recent article?
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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| graciegreeneyes |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 07:42:51 AM
I am loving reading all of your stories - I learned to sew on my great-grandma's treadle machine, she had left it to my aunt when she died, who then taught me one summer when I was staying with her (she taught me to bake bread too, another story). I have a treadle machine now that was left in a rental house I lived in by previous renters - I know, can you imagine? I have lived in a lot of funky places, anyhoo, my dad refinished it for me, but I have never sewed on it. This might be my year....
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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| blueshelties |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 07:08:37 AM
I love that story! I just read it to my daughter who really wants a treadle machine. She sews on her Bernina that she earned the money to buy working for the Bernina Co.. I am so proud of her sewing and she has already made quit a few ball gowns from the 1800's. She is just 18 and has been sewing for years now. She sews circle around her mother
Live the life you have imagined. H.D. Thoreau |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Feb 04 2010 : 06:47:32 AM
That is a great story. I just love to hear about what our great grandms went through just to survive. Thank you for sharing that, Carol
Forget buns of steel, I'd rather have buns of cinnamon!
Farmgirl #680! |
| RaspberryBee |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 9:57:04 PM
Two years ago I organized a quilt show in and to honor our restored train depot. We had some lovely quilts put in the show as you can imagine. But a few took peoples breath away and gave an insight to days gone by. A friend of mine was cleaning out her Uncle's house after his death and came upon a trunk of quilts made by my friend’s great-great grandmother with her trusty treadle machine. Here is the story that went with one of her quilts and her second treadle machine.
In the late 1800’s Emma found herself a young widow in the Montrose area with a small child to support. A very talented seamstress full of entrepreneurial zeal she set out to put her talents to work. Travelling from farm to farm in her wagon with her treadle sewing machine she stayed with local families making clothing for everyone in the household… including the hired help. She also made quilts, draperies, and other sundry household items required by the lady of the house. From bits and pieces of this business Emma made her clothing and quilts.
Moving forward in history her treadle sewing machine was handed down to her great-great –granddaughter who works in the textile department of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. In the 1980’s when the Wright Brothers airplane needed to be restored she used Emma’s treadle machine to sew new wings.
Ladies can you imagine such a thing. Emma would have been flabbergasted to know her treadle sewed new wings for an airplane of all things. Good things come from treadles.
I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.
-Henry David Thoreau- |
| clothedinscarlet |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 09:30:11 AM
Carol, I found a couple bobbins in one of the drawers, but when I open up the plate to put the bobbin in the machine, it's missing the "cap" that keeps the bobbin IN the machine, make sense?
Thanks Diana, I have been looking online, but I just haven't come across the piece I'm looking for yet :( I found one place with it listed, but it was sold out.
Farmgirl Sister #1110
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
| gramadinah |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 09:18:14 AM
http://www.tias.com/stores/relics/
There are places on the internet I just found thisone for a manual. You might try it for your bobbin.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 07:38:41 AM
Siobhan, I just thought of something. Is the whole case gone? My treadle came with a shuttle type bobbin, that looks nothing like a regular bobbin. It looked nothing like what I expected and I remembered thinking there wasn't a bobbin with it. I hope you find something, Carol
Forget buns of steel, I'd rather have buns of cinnamon!
Farmgirl #680! |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 07:33:39 AM
I would try ebay, or look for a sewing machine repair store that has been in business a long time and has aa history of fixing treadles. There has to be one somewhere. What a disappointment, Carol
Forget buns of steel, I'd rather have buns of cinnamon!
Farmgirl #680! |
| clothedinscarlet |
Posted - Feb 03 2010 : 07:22:50 AM
:( I just discovered while cleaning the machine up a bit that it's missing it's bobbin case. What am I going to do? I looked all over online and couldn't find a replacement :(
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
| clothedinscarlet |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 09:48:00 AM
OMGoodness! You're right Candy! I'm officially official! I didn't even notice it LOL! I paid for my membership yesterday, but assumed it would be a while before I actually got my hexagon. So glad you noticed. That made my day <3
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
| Candy C. |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 09:16:03 AM
Hmmm....we have an old heavy-duty Singer that we use to sew leather (hubby makes holsters, chaps, belts, etc.) and someone had put a motor on it sometime in the past. The motor burned up (literally!) just yesterday and I have been thinking about looking at it to see if we can hook the treadle back up. I'll keep ya'll posted.
P.S. Hey Siobhan, you got your "Hexagon!"
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
| gramadinah |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 08:59:49 AM
The treadle bug caught me as did just old machines I have 7 now and 2 sergers I havn't mastered the treadle but I will.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
| clothedinscarlet |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 08:40:33 AM
You're so right Carol! I also wonder about the life this machine has lived and it's owners. I have emailed the lady whom I bought it from to see if she will write me as detailed a history as she knows of it. All I know from my couple of minutes with her is that she is from Germany and was gifted this machine by an elderly gentleman that she took care of in Hidelburg (sp?) and it's been used as a plant stand in her home ever since. When I tipped the machine up to clean it's under parts I discovered a little playmobil construction worker in there so she must have had children at one time LOL!
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Feb 02 2010 : 08:21:27 AM
I got my first treadle this fall and I can see myself getting a few more! I have not mastered sewing on it but I will. It came with a puzzle box full of accessories and I might start collecting these as well! The recent MJB magazine had a great article on treadles. Congrats on yours.
I allways imagine how excited the 'pioneer' must have been when her sewing machine finally arrived, she may have waited a year or more to get it. And it would of arrived in a wooden box packed in sawdust. Just think how her sewing time was cut in half by getting her machine. I cannot sit at my machine with wondering about the previous owners. I named my machine Maude, mostly because it is a name that reminds me of cast iron, hard and sturdy! Ha! Enjoy it, use it in good health, Carol
Forget buns of steel, I'd rather have buns of cinnamon!
Farmgirl #680! |
