Originally Posted by
HisPatchwork
It is nice to hear the history of these machines. I have had my 1919 Singer treadle [in my avatar] for almost22 months. I bought it from a goodwill store in Michigan thru a friend that brought it to me in Georgia. I also have my grandmothers Free #5 treadle, but by the time I got it, there was no one that new anything about it...other that it was probably bought new. I had never even seen it before or knew my dad had it until I was home for my mother's funeral. I was telling about my Singer and showing him a picture of it. That is when he told me about having his mom's. I asked him if I could have it someday and he said it's yours, you can take it now. So I did! It is in a parlor cabinet and since I wasn't living at home when he got it, I never knew there was a sewing machine in it. {i wasn't quilting then}
Thats so neat! I'd love to see photos. Mom and I were talking and I asked her why, when my grandmother kept everything under the sun (and I'm not exaggerating) would she not have older machines that were hers when she was younger, or perhaps from her mother. I mean she learned to sew from her mom and was the only daughter so I would have expected her to have her mother's machines. Mom said that she did at one time have a treadle, but that my uncle ended up with it last she knew and that was 30 some odd years ago. Well, I hunted down my uncle and aunt who are in their 80s now and asked about the whereabouts of the machine, and asked them to please contact me if they ever decided to part with it....turns out his wife gave it to her childhood friend, and she still has it, so she did offer to go take photos of it for me and send them. I really hope it hasn't been turned into a plant stand. I'd drive all the way up to Kansas City to go get it if I had to. Can't wait to see the photos. My great grandmother was a trick skater in Vaudeville and made her own costumes, 2 of which I have, along with one pair of her skates. I never got to meet her, that I recall. I think she passed away when I was a baby.