Great job!!
Ditter

More power to you. I would have nenver attempted that many thin stripes. Wonderful result. Maybe I will try thin strip quilt although my seams never 'seem' straight no matter how careful I am with my 1/4 inch. Go Girl!

Hi Trolley station. Those are not thin stripes, they are pleats. The strips are sewn on and folded back to make pleats. The 1/4 inch seam is less important than getting the folding measurement right. Which was good for me cause it is my 2nd quilt and I was truely clueless on quilting.

The quilt doesn't need any batting because it's very thick from just the fabrics. I only need to sew the blocks together, back it and bind it. Oh and quilt it of course. I thought I might ditch stitch it.

awesome!

Hi Lostn51. I envy your collection of vintage machines.

Actually learning to quilt was my justification for having a vintage machine collection. I promised myself to make a quilt on every old machine I get working. Right now, my interest in quilting has overtaken my interest in old sewing machines, but I will get back to them soon.

Some work, some don't but all of mine needed some TLC. It's amazing what a clean up and some oil can do.

I still have some awaiting attention, but these old machines are amazing. Its usually only lack of certain parts, especially needles and bobbins which prevent them from working just as well as they did when they were new.

I would be astounded if my modern machine was still going in 20 years, let alone 100 years from now.

Beautiful quilt.

Well at least you can use the 15x1 needles on the machines that you shown. For some of the older machines that use curved needles if you do it just right you can take a commercial needle and heat it up and put a slight bend in it so it can be used. But there were so many machines that use the curved needles that you have to find one that is close to the same length and bend it to match the original.

Also you can still get the bobbins for the 27's they still make them but they are just a tad bit shorter but work very well.

Billy

Thanks Billy for the info. I have my local sewing machine dealer on the lookout for needles for me - I have a couple of hand cranks and an old Jones which take round shank needles. He had plenty of treadle belts on hand, so I don't need to worry about getting those.

My main concern is the very odd tension device on the Class 15. No matter how I put it together, it 'unthreads' after a short time. I think I will have to stop fiddling about with it and get someone with more knowledge take a look at it. It's frustrating cause when it works, it sews beautifully.

WOW :!: that quilt is beautiful :!: :D Where did you get the fabric as I will be in tassie in feb. and I haven't seen it here.

Good question rdem - finding the fabric was tricky. I picked up black and white fabrics wherever I could find them. And because I changed the pattern and had no idea what I was doing, I kept running out of fabric! Be warned, the pleated log cabin takes a lot of fabric (which is why it doesn't need batting)

Of the quilting stores which do stock black and whites, the selections are small - btw it is more common to find black on white than white on black. I picked up pieces from :

Eddy's Sewing - Hobart
Quilting on the Edge - Howrah
Picture Patchwork - Latrobe
also bits and pieces from Spotlight
the sewing machine fabric which I fussy cut (and the centre panel) is a Loralie Harris design which I picked up on an auction site.

I would suggest looking at buying from an overseas site as the selections are larger and the prices cheaper. That's what I would have done had I known better.

I know a lot of people still use treadles, it is mind boggling to me with all the great electric machines offered today. To each their own.

One should never assume that you will always have electricity will be available to you <g> ... I doubt I will ever go to a totally electronic machine for just that reason ... I figure I can figure out how to turn a manual machine to treadle (pulleys and straps) ... but, I will never be able to make an electronic machine all it was designed to do if we start going into power shortages because some "brainiac" decides - - we don't NEED electricity - - or starts rationing it ...
besides that, the newer machines are not as durable and well-made as the old machines were/are ... a hundred years from now (fifty years from now - - heck!) I will be amazed if any of these electric "marvels" are around if fifteen years!
The treadle experts can correct me if I am wrong, but just as with classic automobiles ... a do-it-yourself person would be hard-pressed to be able to manufacture parts for "modern" conveniences ...

For what you pay for a really nice electronic do everything machine I can buy a dozen or more REALLY REALLY nice treadle machines. And in ten or so years after all of the consumables wear out like the motherboards and electronics, all that you will have left is a parts machine at the best. Meanwhile mine are still going and hopefully gained value and are worth more than I paid.

Also if they ever need work I can do what ever needs to be done to them without any problems. The newer ones you have to take to the "Doctor" and you spend several hundred dollars fixing it if you are lucky. (And with that money I can buy a few more nice treadle machines. :D )

I will be the first to admit that all the bells and whistles are neat to have, but mostly I can buy attachments that can do the same things.

For me using a treadle is very relaxing and therapeutic. It is like the world stopped and I stepped back in time and I am actually living a part of history while working on a quilt. But the thing I like the most about doing a quilt on a treadle is the look you get after you hand it over and tell them that it was made on a 100yo machine. For the recipient it seems to make the quilt more special, and the fact that they can actually hold a piece of Folk History in their hands.

To me that is the best part about making a quilt.......


Billy

Yes, Janome does have a treadle machine. They have Amish customers who buy it. I think it is around $200 or a bit more, and it does straight stitches, zig zags and button holes. It cannot be made into an electric machine. I've been considering it, too.

Cricket

I love your quilt! And the fact that you did it on a treadle is so cool.

I have two treadles. One is a Singer 127 from 1906 and the other a New Home from 1912. I have meched both of them. (I am a certified sewing machine mechanic, but it is not hard to do.) The Singer had not worked for at least four decades when I got it and the decals were worn, although the cabinet was great. In two evenings, I got that baby purring. The New Home, on which both decals and cabinet is in great shape, is running great after maybe 6 hours of work.

I have the Singer 127 in the living room, in front of the window. You have inspired me to make my next quilt on it. I believe I could put a walking foot on it and quilt it as well. I haven't tried free-motion quilting on it yet.

Which brings me to a tip for you: You can free-motion quilt on ANY machine with a Stoppax attachment. This was made in Denmark 50+ years ago and is a heavy gauge wire which you attach to your machine. The only source I have for these is e-bay, usually under darning attachments. Thy usually go for $40-$60 each.

Now for the person that has a Singer 27, a Singer 66, and a Singer 15 and was wondering which to fix first? The 27 is a good straight-stitch machine on which you can zig zag and do other things with the right attachments. The 15 is excellent for piecing and quilting and is a wonderful, adaptable machine. You can use attachments there, also. It is an excellent quilting machine and can be used on a frame, such as John Flynn's frame. It sews nicely. The 66's value lies in the fact that it has more power than the other two and can generally sew through thicker things. Again, you can use attachments, but if it is a 66-1 model, they will be hard to find as they attach in the back and are specific to the model. My vote is, fix the Singer 15 first.

Cricket

I went looking for one of those machines and can't find anyone selling them. Do you by any chance have a supplier that you know of? <wave>

Also ... my mom found a treadle stand at a garage sale a number of years ago ... I keep it because I have two old singer models (don't ask the models, cuz I have them packed up and don't know :oops: ) anyway, I just always remember that my grandfather turned my grandmother's treadle into an electric and I asked him if I could convert it back.
He said "yes" ... so I hold on to the treadle stand just in case I ever need it ... I couldn't believe that ANYONE would sell those things - - but, then ... my SIL was not a quilter at the time (and, no, I have NOT asked her if she wants it back :thumbdown: )
but, I thought it was a good thing to have ... what to y'all think?

Hi Jingleberry

I have a few treadles and I love to use them, but I also have a whizz bang Pfaff with all the bells & whistles and I love that too. I do all my garment sewing on the Pfaff but I want to quilt on a treadle for a few reasons - including relaxation, a love of old things and also a respect for those of the past who had no choice.

The black and white quilt was made for those reasons above but I am a beginner and have gone back to the Pfaff while I learn the basics - yes all the do dads make it easier. But I will continue to treadle quilt if for no other reason than who said quilting was supposed to be quick and easy? It wasn't easy in the past - are we all getting lazy?

Thanks for the tip - I'll do a bit of digging on the Stoppax. I was also wondering if the feed dog cover from a buttonholer would work. The buttonholer I have is not made for Singers, and the cover doesn't fit. Have you tried this?

Try allbrands.com. I've done business with them for years and never had a problem.

I am new to this board and don't know if links are permitted. Moderators, if not, sorry, and please delete it.

http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp08912.html

Cricket

I have not tried using a feed dog cover not made for the machine but would guess it would not work well.

Some machines do allow you to cover the feed dogs, set the stitch length to zero, and free motion quilt with them. I've tried that and can tell you the Stoppax works much better.

Cricket

Links are very welcome ... the Board is here for quilters <g>

How pretty!

All I do is either drop the feed dogs (the 15) and take all of the tension off of the presserbar or I put a card over the feed dogs (my 27 and 66) and take the tension off of the presserbar and I have never had any issues and works lie a champ.

Billy

i just came across the photo of your quilt that you pieced with your treadle machines. i love them...i recently bough and restored a "free" treadle sew. machine and i am still practicing filling the bobbin and sewing seams but getting pretty bored with it...i think i am ready to try piecing and quilting at least one project with this machine. do you have any tips? i did discover that the machine will take schmetz needles so i am stocked up with those for a good while.

I do all of my quilts on treadles and I do not think I will ever use any other type of machine to be honest with you. But as for tips I really do not have any other than take your time and enjoy the process.

For me making a quilt on a treadle is the most relaxing experience ever. When I step into my studio and start sewing it is like I stepped back in time to the early 1900's and it just stands still. I am in my own world and nothing else matters. If you have seen my studio you will see I have 19 vintage machines that I can use for my central treadle and there are lots of vintage items to go along with them sitting around. All of that just adds to the experience.

Billy

thankyou billy- my machine is a "free", that was manufactured in rockford illinois. it was dusty and the belt had rotted when i found it. some wd40 and good furniture wax cleaned and shined her up pretty good. i think i will enjoy using this machine especially on these long cold days of winter.

That is one amazing quilt!! I totally love it, especially the center design. How did you do that?

Very impressive! Proud for you. This is AWESOME for a first quilt!

I was raised in Rockford, IL. I'd love a machine made there!