try looking at goodwill. you have to pay shipping, but there are always great deals on treadles.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/

Try EBay - I have seen some beauties for sale over in your state - You should be able to pick one up for around $200 - I have eight treadles and most cost me around $180 on average. Couple were over $300 however they had stunning cabinets. I aquired all of mine from eBay and am very happy with them. :)

I would love to have a WORKING treadle. I learned to sew on them in junior high. lol...we had to learn on the treadles,,then we could move to electrics. My feet swell when i sit and sew for a long time,,,the treadle would help circulation. This is funny, my friend told me that at one time it was said women shouldnt use treadle machines as...are you ready for this???.....

It could get the sexually excited! ROFL

However, maybe fabric/quilt stores would work.

Margie

I buy a lot of machines on this site and they will almost always never ship anything that has a cabinet or treadle. They will ship the machines but nothing any bigger that a bread box essentially.


What I do is usually the certain area will have several treadles or machines and I will bid on all of them and afterwards I will drive to do a local pickup with my trailer in tow. And I try my best to keep the drive to under 10 hours one way but that somehow never works. :oops: :lol:

But you can usually get some really nice deals on machines there.

Billy

I HAD to look ... silly girl! The two of you are going to be held accountable for teaching me these things! LOL had never considered that such a thing existed ... maybe someday I will actually avail myself of the prospects I saw in just five or six minutes looking around ... what a deal! <wave>

<shrug and grin>

I know ... <g> you have to do what you have to do! LOL <wave>

I agree. As long as you have foot power and if you have a hand crank machine, you can continue to sew and quilt. There are many attachments to be had to enhance the beauty of your stitches as well. I own a Treadle and a Handcrank. I'll be ready when we are without power.

Thanks for the info about goodwill. I found a little featherweight I am going to tell my friend about. She has been looking in our area, and not found any reasonably priced.

OK, here comes a really dumb question. I've always wondered..... how can you use a hand crank and guide your fabric with one hand. I use two hands -- right hand on the fabric below the presser foot and left hand at the side or behind the presser foot. Am I weird or what?

:oops:

not to my way of thinking. my necchi, may it rest in piece, had an optional hand-crank, being european. the one time i tried to use it during a power outage, it drove me nuts for exactly that reason.

I do not own any hand cranks yet but I have wondered the same thing.

But the folks that have them love and swear by them.

Billy

Check on Craigslist. This past weekend I found a Singer model 66--(Redeye :D--wooohoooo) treadle in a parlor cabinet on Craigslist this week for only $100. I have wanted a Red eye since the first time I saw one. The woman selling the treadle machine also had a Singer 404 for sale that I went back and bought yesterday! This is a sickness, I tell ya!!!
:thumbup:

The only thing wrong with this is that you do not have a Parlor cabinet. Although you do have a nice machine and it looks like it was cared for very well.

What you do have is a Drawing Room Cabinet which is the most sought after cabinet there is (and the most expensive)!! :thumbup:

I can not believe you got it for that price!

Billy

Cathy, that machine and cab are GORGEOUS!! I'm so jealous! ;)

You will love the 404. I have one (since '62). It does a gorgeous stitch. It has been with my DD#2 for many years. I will soon be reclaiming it (as soon as I can find a spot for it in this house). The red eye is in such fantastic condition.

I would love to have one to use. I had one, and had to leave it when I moved. Now I wish I still had it.

Such a beautiful sewing machine! I'm going to show my ignorance here, but have to ask - what is a 'red eye'? Does that just refer to the paint? Is it that few were made? Hmmm?

Quilt Mom, the "Red Eye" refers to the decals on the machine... :)

Thanks, Charlee! I learn a little each day.

Beautiful machine and cabinet you have cabbagpatchkid - I cannot believe the price you paid!!! Here it would be much much more, You are so lucky. I have two red eyes but yours is mint condition. What a find for you. I am insanely jealous :)