Best treadle sewing machine for actually sewing?
 

If you could only have one machine, a treadle, to sew on which would you want? The 15-90 and 201-3 are apparently great machines for this but they're straight stitch only. Does that make a difference? Are the White Rotary machines as nice? I remember reading that the Pfaff 130 can be used on a treadle - does it require a special base or might it by chance fit a Singer base without significant modifications? Others that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance!

I've got 4 fully functional treadles right now and two under repair. Plus an extra 66-1 head with no home. Two are Singer 66s, one is a Singer 9W-7, and one is a Franklin 1911 which is a copy of the Singer 27. I'm kind of partial to the Singer 66s though. Big arch, easy to treadle and they sew very nice stitches. If I were going to set up one for my only treadle I'd use a 66-16 or -18 so I could have the back tack on it.

I don't know what to say about a ZZ machine because I have no experience with treadling them. I've read that the more mechanics you have inside the machine the more effort it takes to work the treadle. I'll have to put one of my complicated ZZ machines in a treadle and find out.

Joe

Here is an interesting You Tube video of a green Singer 319w that was converted to a treadle. It made me put a 319 on my wish list and I did find one on CL but haven't put it into a treadle cabinet, yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7PVL...E82789647888E5

As you'll see in the video, you can treadle even fancy, shmancy stitches :thumbup:

I have a Singer 328 that can be converted to a treadle. It uses cams to zig zag and do other fancy stitches. Never used one in a treadle, though...

Joe, need your expertise please!!!
My daughter just bought a Singer treadle machine that seems to have been made around the 1890's.
The machine head comes out of the cabinet when the lid is lifted open....
Can you tell the model by my description? I'm going to visit to-day and will try to get a picture and post it....

Morag,

I'm sorry, I don't have a clue. My Singer knowledge pretty much stops with the Mdl 15s. The 27s, 28s, 127s, 128s are a guess and all the older ones are a big question mark. I'm learning, but don't know them yet.

Joe

The head comes up when the cabinet opens? Cool! I've seen that from some White's but not from a Singer. Looking forward to pictures.

My Franklin 1911 is hinged at the rear like a Singer, but it raises and lowers as the cover lid is opened and closed. There is a chain attached to the lid that actuates the lifter parts.

I've seen pics of one where the machine is hinged on the right side and pivots from there as the lid is opened and closed, and I've seen pics of one that pops straight up when you open the lid. The text said if you leaning over it when it came up you could be hurt.

Those I've not seen in person yet.

Joe

When I'm using my National Two Spools for piecing that is the machine that I think is the best at the time of use. When I'm using my Davis NVF for quilting and attaching binding that is the machine that I think is the best. Each time I sit down to use one of my many different treadle sewing machines I fall in love with that machine over again.

If I had to pick one machine that could do it all, make a quilt from start to finish with FMQ and decorative stitching for binding, that machine would be the Singer 224 (takes flat cams and 15x1 needles).

But today I'm in love with my Two Spools and tomorrow I will be in love with my Davis NVF; each day is different.
One just needs to explore to find out what feels comfortable and suits their needs.

Happy Treadling!