I had a question about my Free treadle pictured on page 627 that I got answered in a book Cathie bought for me about treadle sewing machines that I thought I'd share with you all!
My Free seams to want to pull the fabric sideways when I am piecing with him. According to this book, that is because the older machines sometimes have feed dogs that were different lengths - a short and long feed dog -- well, when the feed dogs are different lengths they tend to want to feed the fabric kinda sideways. This book says in the case of the different length feed dogs, you will have to really hold onto the fabric to keep it going in a straight line! I thought, WOW so that is why I always have trouble keeping my 1/4 seam straight on that treadle!
Also, thought I'd share something else. Kathie to answer the question about the tension spring wire, I said last night some of the machines are not so picky about having that tension spring wire. Well, Billy is right (of course). You do need the wire. Someone else on here has a problem with her 201's thread sitting on top? My Free did that too until my DH and I figured out that the tension spring wire was not rocking up and down with thread correctly which is what keeps the thread from bunching on top of the fabric when the take up thread guide goes up and down! That tension wire has to rock with the thread to keep enough tension on the thread to give you uniform nice smooth stitches!
Nancy