Does anyone sew on an old treadle sewing machine? If so, what have you sewn on it?

I don't use mine as I need to find some needles, but I would like to at least try sewing something on it. I have an early 1929 Singer treadle sewing machine I picked up at a yard sale 2 years ago.

Anyone?

I've been meaning to give Grandma's a whirl. :) I put it in front of the livingroom window even. I opened it up to find the belt was broken. :( I have another treadle machine in the basement that was my fraternal grandmothers. I could see if the belt from it would fit. I need something to sew first! I should probably practice first. LOL I can just see me struggling to get the rhythm.

We also have an ancient Singer machine that Mel picked up at an auction. I have no idea if it would sew. The cabinet is in terrible shape but the machine doesn't look to bad. We keep saying we are going to refinish the cabinet and work on the machine but it hasn't happened so far. The machine weighs a ton. The rollers are missing and that baby is really heavy to move.

I have my mom's old Singer treadle machine and I used to sew on it before dh's grandmother gave me a modern machine. There always seemed to be something wrong with the tension and I've never taken the time to figure out how to fix it and I just don't think my arthritic knees can handle all that treadle motion. So it just sets and looks pretty, lol. Recently dh was given a nice old '60s Singer machine that I am cleaning up and looking forward to using; from what I've been able to find on the web it's a very nice machine and sews like a dream.

My dad collects them and uses them. He has sewed parkas, mukluks, polar fleece jackets, jeans, tents that he designed himself and tipis with them. He is a bit unusual and I love him.

He has restless leg syndrome, that is uncontrolled by medication, one of the worst cases the docs have ever seen. He frequently uses the motion of the treadle while sewing to help control the twitches especially in the night when he has trouble sleeping from the attacks.

It also helps that they don't need electricity because for many years he didn't have power at his cabin by Lake Labarge in the Yukon.

When I was a little girl, he used to sew tipis as a hobby (along with a lot of other interests equally arcane and fascinating), and as a result I learnt Plains Indians tilted cone tipi construction from him at 8 or 9. If you ever wonder where I get some of my odd ideas and thinking, blame him.

After mum died, he lived in a tipi for years, in various places, including 2 years by Lake Labarge where he built the cabin. Treadle machines were a part of his life for their practical uses as well as their esthetics.

Over the years he has designed tents, parkas and mukluks by eye without patterns, and produced beautiful things on those treadles.

Now he rescues them when he finds them in good shape and of a particular type. And parts, my goodness the parts to keep them running well.

His name is Alan Fry and if any of you live around Whitehorse in the Yukon, that's my dad-- known locally for his work with the mines and resources people, his writing, and a particular style of ranch fencing known as Russell fence (anyone from the Cariboo in BC will know the type of fence) which he introduced there by building a lot of it. He has written a lot of books too.

Margery,
You dad sounds like a fascinating fellow. Gosh he's done a bit of everything. I can't imagine living in a tipi. WOW

Now I know why Margery is such an amazing lady - she is following in her dad's footsteps. Were now waiting for her to publish a book!!

I was thinking about this the other day. In a small rural town in Manitoba, there is a wonderful tea house and they have used the treadle sewing machines for their tables. They've taked out the machine and the pedal and they serve you tea in antique china cups, while you sit at the sewing machine, aka (table). Its wonderful.

If you ever want to know about ferro cement boat construction that was another of my father's fascinations. He is always experimenting and doing odd things. He isn't conventional by any stretch. Whatever he is doing he researches to the nth degree, and talks it to death to anyone within reach.

During the period of living on Lake Labarge in a tipi, he used to warm his truck up by parking it on a ramp affair that he built so he could build a small fire under the oil pan to heat the engine enough to start it up to drive into town. (Whitehorse) He was always very pleased with himself for that trick.

I was thinking of that with the Ford Van of yours CJ and the cold troubles but you really wouldn't want to do this.

Dad never blew up his truck, but I always felt a bit nervous about that. He had alternate transport in the form of several huskies that he could hitch up to a sled when he liked.

When my dear step mother consented to marry she drew the line at living in tipis. I agree with her, tipi living is fun for a vacation, not a lot of fun year round, but it can be done.

So dad built the cabin, which now coincidentally has more room for treadle machines. He has recently put electricity in there, but the outhouse is still down the path and talk about freezing your buns off!

YES I SEW ON MINE ALL THE TIME. I HAVE THE BLACK EARLY 1900'S SERIES SINGER SEWING MACHING THAT BELONGED TO MY GRANDMOTHER WHO IS 93 YEARS OLD NOW. i HAVE ALL THE ATTACHMENTS AND THE ORIGINAL BOOK OF DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO USE THE MACHINE. i HAVE MADE A QUILT BUT MOSTLY USE IT FOR SEWING REPAIRS. i LOVE THAT MACHINE.

TONIA MIRACLE

I have my grandmother's treadle machine (I don't know its brand) which she used for many many years. I haven't tried to use it, but I would like to know how. Its wonderful Tonia that yours still has the instruction book! I wonder if instructions are available on line anywhere?

I don't, but I have fond memories of my mom using her singer treadle. She wanted to give it to me, but a close friend was going to fashion design school and we decided to give it to her. She then passed away from cancer and was only 23 yrs old. I was so thankful we gave it to her and she got to enjoy it.

She made my mom the most beautiful dress and it's just one of those fond memories I have from my teens.

Gabe's first gift to me was an old machine in a cabinet. it had accessories and the manual still, but I couldn't get it working. I think it needed to be serviced. Unfortunately, it is one of the items that was lost in the shuffle of storing it at a relative's home. It's what made my new sewing machine such a cherished gift from Gabe.

I think many people have treadle machines or just the cabinet for decoration.

I'm actually saving my "pin" money to buy a reproduction treadle machine! I love them so much, and I've tried to pick one up at auction or estate sales, but they go very dearly around here. Since I mostly use my electric machine for straight stitching, I think I'd use a treadle quite a bit. And it would feed my pioneer fantasies...LOL! ;)

Linda, it's too bad you don't live close by. Here you can find treadle sewing machines at yard sales anywhere from $50 to $200.00. I paid $80 for mine. It's from 1929, had all the attachments along with the original instruction booklet. It sews beautifully although only one stitch.

It is one of my prize possesions that date back to pioneer times. I love it.

A friend recently picked one up for $50 at a yard sale. It needed a little work, however worked perfectly.

Wow, CJ! I'd be so thrilled if I could find these at yard sales -- I'd probably fill the house addition with them...LOL! The reproduction I'm hoping to buy is $300 plus shipping, so it's not outrageously expensive (unlike the fancy embroidery machines I was drooling at yesterday when I was at JoAnn Fabrics! ;) ). I think I'd use a treadle machine much more than an embroidery machine, too.

Speaking of JoAnn's ;) , I went to town with DH yesterday just so I could get in on the last day of their Columbus Day sale. I got over 10 yards of cozy, bright flannels to make into jumpers, pantaloons, and shirts for Lili. I'm going to make a jumper, shirt, and pantaloons from each color, so we can mix and match. There should be enough left to piece together a small snuggly quilt or perhaps some patch-work stuffed animals. This colder weather puts me in a sewing mood!

You are so lucky to have a Joannes near by. Probably good we don't though because it would do serious damage to our budget. :icon_smil I'm bad enough in quilting stores, never mind a place like Joannes.

Are you quilting lots?

I have my granny's machine and sewed on it until I wore out the belt. I've just done simple things like aprons and small projects. I still have the needles and lucked out finding some in an antique store. Alot of people collect the needles for the packaging I wanted the needles! But the belt is a hard issue to resolve. Dh has looked at fan belts and some other type of belting thinking he could modify it. So far no luck.