for years I would tell quilters of the wonderful machine I inherited from my great grandmother. I went on the web site to get the year of this Singer Treadle- 1880-1885. I was so excited I went to my Dad and told him the year, he was looking at me strangly and said "what are you talking about?; My grandmother didn't sew, it was my GRANDFATHER - he was a shoemaker in Brooklyn NY, he used the machine to sew the free motion fancy swirls on the leather shoes worn by wealthy men on 5th ave in New York City" - I was totally shocked! He made 12 pairs of shoes a year and raised 10 children on what he made. Teresa

Plus they are so cool looking..They weren't just a sewing machine but a piece of furniture. Like the antique radios and televisions.

No that is a bad thing to do! I treadle barefoot so I know how it feels to get your foot under the peddle by accident. :oops:

The solar panels I bought came off of an office building that was torn down in Chicago and just one should be enough to run a house but I have 5 of them and only paid a grand a pop for them. The contractor that I picked them up from said they listed for over 15 to 20K each brand new. I even have all of the battery racks and the inverters that came out of the same building. The panels are around 8'x25' each, so they aren't the residential type by far. But I am going to power my home (a little over 4200sqft) and a shop I am going to build.

I should not have any issues with the power (I will even have 240v3 phase) but like I said earlier there is that guy Murphy that his laws will bite you if he ever gets the chance! :lol: :lol:

Billy

I sewed doll clothes for my 8" Muffie doll on my grandmothers treadle machine (I think it was a White). I wish I had it now.

is there a guarantee for foot power? :lol:

and callouses. you should have seen my grandma's feet. and she didn't have buns of steel. that's just a rumour. :lol:

I owuld love to have a treddle machine. I love antiques, not that I have any but I do so love them. Unfortuately it looks like I may never have one.

Kyia

As long as I own the whips and chains (and padlocks) you BETCHYA! LOL <wave>

Funny thing is I am selling off all of my vintage emachines so all I will have is treadle operated machines. I have only one left and I am really torn about if a want to sell it or not. The 1963 Pearl Iris Kenmore that is 1 of less than 4000.

I might by another electric machine but it will only be so I can flip it and buy another treadle. Right now I have a house full of them along with my studio.

Billy

That's it...I am definitely stepping up my search!! Saw three in an antique emporium last week....not working...pretty rough condition and over a thousand Aus. dollars each. They are hard to get at a good price here on the west coast. I have wanted one for years, so am looking for the "right" one at a reasonable price.

Just love the idea of using treadle power to produce quilts...somehow they just seem to belong together. They also look so fantastic....and just think the stories they could tell....