I cast my vote here!!! And I add nostalgia.

:lol:

Anyone know where to find a treadle machine for sale?

You have all convinced me!

Quiltmom.....check your local Craigslist.....that is where I found mine at a reasonable price. Just chek it out really good though.

I have my ex's grandmother's treadle. I deemed it a necessity when I decided to homestead. I have oil lamps and camping lanterns, so when - not if - my power goes off, I can still sew, quilt, or knit. I am making it a point to heat and cook with propane. Later I will have battery backup charged by solar and wind power. Lack of power never slowed my grandmother, she frequently hooked rugs by lamp light and I am cut from the same cloth. Looking forward to living simply :thumbup:

Last summer I got to go to Malawi and spent several days sewing with a group of wonderful widows. They sew clothing on treadles and in two days they each sewed an outfit for themselvs. There were treadles everywhere, as electricity is scarce and unreliable in most places. none were antiques, they were Chinese or Indian made knockoffs!

My boyfriend loves old cars and attends car shows on a regular basis during the summer. I'll go with him to keep him company but it's not my thing. Laughing one day, I said that I widh I could quilt while he looked around the show. That led to my buying a hand-crank sewing machine late last summer that is very much like my grandmother's (which my mother threw away years ago!!!!). Can't wait to go to a show with machine, portable table, and chair! Should be quite the conversation piece!

I was given my grandmother's treadle machine. I learned to sew on that machine when I was a child. The cabinet is big, it's very heavy and I don't like dark furniture. I gave it to my daughter who likes antique furnishings. Unless I'm projected back to the time before electricity I have no use for a treadle.

My love affair with treadles began when I inherited my MIL's. It is just a plain hard working Singer born in 1935 with a plain mahogany cabinet. I imagine her excitement and thrill with a brand new machine! She made all the kids clothes on it and DH has fond memories of watching her sew (and getting his finger stuck in the treadle). Then I found a Red Eye in an oak cabinet which I am refinishing. I absolutely love sitting and sewing on my MIL's. I feel as if I am sharing something with so many women who have gone before have experienced. There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when treadling on a flannel quilt in the dead of winter.
Heidi

I have my grandmother's that works great still (it's from the 1930's--a Singer). I've been looking at it lately and thinking about piecing some blocks on it, as she did. The next time a hurricane blows our power out, I hope I remember to open up the treadle machine.

One thing I do remember, do not stop the treadle by putting your foot underneath the peddle! LOL
Having lived for over a year with no electricity I can tell you it's not at all cozy and quiet living the simple life. The nostalgia wears mighty thin in a few weeks. When we did get power, it was solar. Solar power is not that reliable or great. Even the water heater was solar. I hated it. Sold the 'homestead' and moved to the city!