My grandmother died suddenly about 3 weeks after we were married. When we arrived at her house to go through her things, the ladies from the church showed up and said that she had promised them her treadle that my grandfather had electrified. We knew she was part of the quilt group, so we let it go. Later, when we were thinking more clearly, we realized they probably just wanted a machine, not necessarily THAT machine. We should have just bought one for them. But, the machine was gone. So, I bought a treadle at antique store, and I pretend it's Gram's. I fiqure it must have belonged to someone's grandma, so I'm giving it the home it was looking for!

Glad it was brought up............it just nudges me to ask my mom for my grandmothers before it's gone. Lesson well received, if you don't ask you will never know. Thanks Bevanger!

Bev, I'm glad you posted this here, I wouldn't have read it otherwise. I know all about sisters and what they're capable of. I'm so sorry you didn't get your Grandma's sewing machine but it sounds like you have wonderful memories!

I'm glad someone clarified "PDA" otherwise, I wouldn't have known what the fuss was all about.

Sorry to hear about your plight and understand perfectly how relationships can unravel over something like this.

It makes me wonder what ever happened to my Great Grandma's Treadle. My love of quilting came from those days when I was a child watching her and being totally amazed at how she made that thing go. Who knows what ever happened to that machine, probably one of my aunts got it. I would love to have it, but I wouldn't approach that bee's nest for love nor money though. I am sorry Bev for that you missed out on getting such a great piece of your quilting history though.

I have learned if you do not ask they may never know. Most people do not value an old machine or old quilt like we do! And that is okay.

I am usually just a "background viewer", but I had to remark on this post. Bev, It is so nice to see that so many "friends" are here with words of encouragment. I'm sorry you didn't receive the machine, but it helps the rest of us realize that we need to speak up and ask for something if it really means that much to us. Hope you're feeling better. Sending you a BIG SOUTH FLORIDA "SUNNY HUG" :)

You HAVE to make your wishes known. Even then you may not get the item or items, but then you don't have to "beat yourself up" as well as the relative who never gave a thought to ask you if you wanted the item before giving or selling it. I left home as soon as I got out of high school. I would have gone as a toddler, but had no job skills then. I joined the military and only took what we were permitted to have with us. All I ever got of anything I left behind fit into a small cardboard box. In later years, while I was visiting my folks, my mother offered me some family heirlooms and I gladly accepted. They were things I really wanted. However, I couldn't take them with me when I left to go home at the time. When I came back to get them, she had sold them at the auction because she forgot she had given them to me. I take no blame for that so I don't beat myself up about it, but it still tics me off as inexcusable Mom behavior. My husband's story is much the same. When he joined the military, his mother gave everything of his away, including his bed, which he had planned to sleep in when he came home on leave.

Item #2: What the heck does it matter to which section of this quilting board a thread is posted??? Read it or don't read it, your choice!

Oh, so sorry Bev what a terrible loss for you, sending you hugs. :D

My grandfather turned my step-grandmother's machine from a treadle to an electric one.
I don't know why I asked, but I asked if it could be converted back. Grandpa Hat said yes, so I kept my eye on that machine for a couple of decades, even though sewing was not what I did at the time (well, I had sewed a couple of maternity tops on that machine, but other than that, I was no seamstress, and certainly not a quilter! <g>)
When Grandma Ethlyn died, the machine stayed at the house until Grandpa Hat had to go to assisted living.
I told my mother I wanted the machine, but Grandma Ethlyn had a daughter and she received the machine, which was a really GOOD plan. I made sure that Shirley was told that the machine was valuable and versatile and could be converted back to a treadle (this was in the 90s).
A decade later, my mom calls from the beach and says: Your sisterinlaw is having a garage sale and has a treadle BASE she is selling for $5!
I told her: BUY IT!
don't even know what I will ever do with it, but <g> it gives me options.
anyway,
mine is not a tale of losing anything important to me, so that is a good thing, but the whole topic has put me in mind of what my father told me when I was growing up:
No one can shoot you for asking, but they can say "no" ... if you never ask, you will never know ...
Bottom line, these machines, wonderful as they are, are just THINGS!
I'm glad I never had any sisters .... LOL

Oh, my. I can SOOOOOO relate to all of this.

Lesson learned: ASK - sometimes one gets!

Harder pill to swallow and process: Sometimes relatives can be such

"impolite nouns"

I'm so sorry Bev.

My older sister got my Grandmas treddle, and somehow just lost it in one of her moves. Yea right --she just left it.!!

Rock on sister!!!. Don't let anyone push you out!!!!

Bev, I know how you feel. Like you I will not ask for anything because I feel like if they want me to have it they will give it to me.

I always get disgusted when someone you loved passes and then all of the greedy relatives come out of the wood work and start grabbing things, holding their hands out knowing they have never even bothered to call or come by and see them on a regular basis.

I have never had any relatives into sewing other than my mom, and she still hanging in there with the best of them. :D

Sorry to hear about the loss of a family heirloom.

Billy

So sorry to hear of such a sad thing, to lose track of a machine that meant so much to you.

((Hugs))
Connie

I have to agree.. this is a topic about treadle machines... which to me deals with the "Main" topic section.

I just want to mention, don't be surprised Bev if this post you sent gets locked by the moderators. I had a little hiccup myself the other day when I posted of my cat's passing and it was considered put in the wrong spot. When I went to apologize that post was also locked as it became a place for people to get upset again about how some subjects are being put into the wrong places and people getting upset... Just a little heads up.

Sorry about your treadle machine that you would have so wanted. My grandmother never had one, or at least not when I knew her. I know she sewed, but never saw a machine. If I did, then Yes I too would have wanted claim on that heirloom.

Hugs and Cheers
Andrea

thats a good idea to buy another gmas treadle. i'll look in that direction on freecycle too
thanks for the idea

your welcome. i hope you get it.

I'm sorry you lost a family heirloom you would have treasured. All you can do is learn from the experience and LET IT GO!!!!
Sending you smiles, Sheree

Yes, many many of that "silly" machine grandma loved. I was fasinated after she showed me how it worked.

Oh, please don't misunderstand. I still talk to my sister, just hurt cuz I wasn't asked before she got rid of it, knowing how I loved it. I don't hold grudges or hate. I don't have it in me. I just had a dream of owning my g'mas sewing machine and that dream died.

I see many gals on here show pics of the treadles they got and it brought up TONS of memories. Maybe way back as a small girl grandma knew I'd be a quilter all because of her "silly" machine as I called it. Now I think IF I had hers. I could say "Because of that "silly" machine, I am now sewing. THANKS GRANDMA :D (I CAN STILL SAY THANK YOU)

thanks punkin.... like many have pointed out, i still have memories

You are so much higher evolved than I am. I try not to hold grudges or hate because that takes up so very much energy that can be directed elsewhere, but once I've been burned, I am ever so much more cautious and wary.

thanks hun.... i'm hoping with all my heart theres at least a picture out there of her with it or just the machine.

Reason I kept quiet was #1 I thought for sure my Aunt Nita would take it (only girl) and I didn't want to sound greedy. I was shocked later when I heard my sister got it. That was fine too. I even told my sister "darn, wish I asked for it. I always loved it".

thanks connie :D

I have to agree.. this is a topic about treadle machines... which to me deals with the "Main" topic section.

I just want to mention, don't be surprised Bev if this post you sent gets locked by the moderators. I had a little hiccup myself the other day when I posted of my cat's passing and it was considered put in the wrong spot. When I went to apologize that post was also locked as it became a place for people to get upset again about how some subjects are being put into the wrong places and people getting upset... Just a little heads up.

Sorry about your treadle machine that you would have so wanted. My grandmother never had one, or at least not when I knew her. I know she sewed, but never saw a machine. If I did, then Yes I too would have wanted claim on that heirloom.

Hugs and Cheers
Andrea

thanks for understanding hun. :D

thats what i'm doing but i did ask my uncle (only one in the family living now) if he knows of any pictures of it

Bev: so sorry for your situation but I'm really glad you posted it here. I'm like you-I won't ask for anything but with all the encouragements posted here I called my mom just now and said: Mom, you don't sew, no one else in the family sews, please don't give away your machine (she's down-sizing) cause I'd really like to have it. Her reply: Oh your cousin is coming to get it Sunday so I can get it out of here.
My cousin doesn't sew-she sells antiques on EBay. I guess I needed you guys to empower me before this. Bev-hang in there; I guess we can be pissed off then move on. Thanks again for posting this and to all you guys for your suggestions. We are all friends and that's what I love about all you!

Hugs to you, Bev. You must be so disappointed.
Disappointed that your sister didn't understand how attached you were to the machine.
Disappointed that she didn't think to ask you first before she sold it.
Disappointed that a precious link to your past is lost.
Disappointed at yourself for not asking for it earlier.

Well, what's done is done, no two ways about it. I'm glad you don't hold a grudge because they hurt the grudgee as much as the grudger. (Don't you just love making up new terms?) Sounds like she didn't do it to spite or hurt you. To her, it probably was "just" an old machine, and she figured that you being a quilter (quilter extraordinaire in fact), you probably have new and fancy machine(s).

Oh man, that sucks big time. Some people see antiques and see MONEY. We as sewers/quilters see memories OR I WANNA SEW ON IT....I had a spot in my front room where I was gonna put it, with gma's pic on it. I'm so sorry you missed out. But as you say we'll get pissed, then move on.

When Admin brought the subject up again recently we in the PDA were encouraged to bring back any topics to the main section /GCC and the pictures sections that would interest other quilters (who do not frequent the PDA). The concern was that we were insulating ourselves from the rest of the board.

So Bev is bringing back a quilting related topic to the main section. To be read by those who are interested. And considering the number of pages I think she has demonstrated that there is considerable interest by others that do not frequent the PDA.

Therefore it is in the right section for the topic.

Here on the board we are about supporting our members and helping any way we can. I love the show of support Bev has received here! She deserves it!

Bev,
I too know how you feel.
I learned how to sew on a treadle.
Not my Grandma's but one my Mom had.
Mom gave the treadle to my sister-inlaw who didn't sew.
She no longer has it either.
I too bought one to replace it and use it like the one I learned to sew on.
Our precious memories can't be taken from us.

Sandi

I never occurs to me to look at the PDA and never will.

The thing that people don't realize is that these tangible items, these heirlooms, don't belong to one person. One person has control of them, but grandma's sewing machine belongs to the family, NOT to the person that has possesion of it. Before I "got rid" of anything that had belonged to my mother, grandmother, etc., I'd ask EVERYONE in the family that I could connect with first...and I'd make sure that they would in turn pass it down...

But then, I'm a genealogists that would KILL to have some of the heirlooms...I have a few...and I'm not even sure that my sons will get them...they may go to nieces or nephews that I think will care more for them...for the sentimental value.

I'm sorry that you ladies have lost those important links to your pasts... I've lost a few of those myself...

I'm adding a correction to my own earlier response. My mother did not sell or give away my Singer treadle, which I bought when I was 16 for $16.00. I still have it. Nor did she give away my teacup and saucer (that I won) commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, but otherwise, she condensed 18 years' worth of my belongings to 1 boxful ... and for no good reason ... they were not moving nor using my old bedroom for anything.

It is all in what you enjoy Weezie. I compare it to hanging over the back fence enjoying my neighbors. We talk about what ever is going on whether that is support that is needed or asking advice or just being there for a friend. But I am a country girl and because I am home all day I have more time than most people do.

But I gladly acknowledge that differant strokes for differant folks is a good thing.

If Bev had kept this on the PDA a lot of people would have missed out on this converstation.

If it's still there, is there a chance you can still get it? Even offer to pay for it, if necessary?

I just remembered something that happened at a quilt show this last summer.
I was walking around looking at all the other vendors and happened to see a "portable" older Singer in its wooden case. I just walked passed it figuring I had better not look because I probably couldn't afford to own it, and I didn't need the temptation.
On the second day of the quilt show, a Veteran came over to our section to learn about QUilts of Valor and sewing for veterans. He was a pretty neat Viet Nam Vet, and of course, he really slathered the compliments on us quilters ... he was so happy to FINALLY meet some of the women who have made quilts that he has passed on to the Veterans at the facility where he works. He left the booth really excited by all he had learned.
About half an hour later, he came over to show us his new "find" ... he was just so interested in quilting all of a sudden!
Under his arm was that little old Singer in its wooden case. He didn't even know what he had just bought! We are looking at it and admiring his purchase and then I saw the PRICE TAG!
$20 !!!
I offered him $40, but he was a man which is not to be confused with stupid <g> ... He knew when he had a good thing! :oops:
The moral of the story ... ask (and you may receive)
Look - - (and, you may very well be able to afford it!)
LOL