I recently got a treadle machine. I want to make a quilt with her so I'm slowly learning how to use her. My question is this: Is there some trick to get her to sew forward when I start pedaling? She sews a beautiful stitch but BACKWARD when I start pedaling!

My husband asks if you're sitting on the wrong side of the machine.

Seriously, I have read that you need to grab the handwheel and spin it toward you, then get the feet moving. I also understand that later models had a reverse, but don't know how it worked.

Isn't there a little nob type thing near your right knee that has a keyhole looking thing that you can move back that has the belt part going through it?

I remember my Mom had one that had that and although I never remember her sewing on it, I would move that back and forth when I was little.. don't know really what it did though.. just guessing here.

That is exactly how you get it started. If you have done it for a while you can tell where you stopped the pedal and can start it with out grabbing the handwheel.

But in most all of the user manuals they will tell you to grab the handwheel to start it.

Billy

My grandma's threadle singer used to have a level on the front that when pushed down it ran backwards. Do you have a pic of the machine/

Maria

Thats what you use to take the belt off of the flywheel to store the machine if it was a drop head type of treadle.

The knob that macks the machine run backwards is for back tacking and was available on several manufactures machines but for the Singers it was on the later Model 66's, and the Model 15's.

Billy

Thank you Billy! See, I remember that part of it, that knob thingy that looked like an eyelet, but like I said I know absoutley nothing about it..so I'm just guessing..

Thanks for all your help. I'll give the wheel a turn toward me when I start.

I do need to clarify this one thing though........Some of the treadle machines do run the opposite way depending on the manufacturer.

Billy

I was remembering my Grannies treadle when I was little. I would start a seam and be going forward and all of a sudden I would be going backward. As a memory it's funny,as a little girl trying to learn to sew it was very frustrating.