Mending CoverAlls With A Treadle Singer 319W
 

These insulated coveralls have a quilted lining, so I hope it’s ok talking about mending them. After all, they are “quilted”. I just got my Singer 319W and decided to do a mending job to give it the first test in the MUTT (Multi-Use Traveling Treadle). The MUTT is a stripped-down treadle stand with interchangeable tops that is easier to handle for taking to remote venues.

The coveralls are an old pair that I have had for a while, and have a few torn places in them from barbed wire fences. I’ll mend two of them in this post. First, a photo of the Singer 319W mounted in the MUTT.


CD in Oklahoma

To prepare for mending, I trimmed all of the fuzzies off from around the torn place. Then, I found some suitable fabric to replace the missing coverall fabric. In this case, the inside of a piece of denim pant leg was about the right color to match the faded coveralls.

I cut a piece of denim about a quarter of an inch larger than the trimmed out hole, and then slip it in on top of the quilted lining to have a small overlap on all 4 sides.

Then, using a Multi-zigzag stitch, as wide as possible, and a short stitch length, I stitch around the 4 sides of the hole, straddling the raw edge of the coverall fabric. I want to make sure that I have the raw edge of the coverall fabric tacked down good to keep it from fraying. I use a light to medium pressure on the presser foot, and leave the feed dogs up. After the initial stitch completely around the hole, I place additional stitch lines further away from the hole until I’m sure that I’ve stitched down the raw edge of the denim repair fabric. I do this in one of two ways. Either by turning the coveralls to make a sort of spiral stitch going around and around, or by going forward and backward on each side of the hole to build stitches outward. It depends on how hard the garment is to turn. By using a light pressure on the foot, I can override the feed dogs when needed to move the fabric sideways while stitching.

The completed repair, outside and inside.

I trim another torn place, cut a piece of denim repair fabric, insert it, and setup to mend a second hole. What fun! And all on a Vintage Treadle Sewing Machine.

CD in Oklahoma

I know you are loading photos so I will wait to send this but I have some questions about your MUTT? It appears that the top is an actual cabinet top. Was it a treadle top or from some other machine cabinet? Is that piece that sits in front of the machine the piece you switch out for different machines or do you remove the whole top? How do you accommodate different size machines using the same belt or do you use a different one for each machine? If you have answered all of these questions before, just tell me where to look to read about your MUTT. I am fascinated!

PS: Great job on the repair!!!

Thanks for the compliment on the repair. I do this quite a bit on an electric machine, and I’m excited to finally get a treadle machine set up to do it on too.

The Singer top in the photos is from an electric Singer Model 56 Economy Cabinet. The solid top that I took off is the extension leaf from that same cabinet, with a belt slot cut into it for the treadle belt. I change the entire top by removing and replacing the 4 screws that go through the top of the stand. I’ve got a collection started of different brands of tops for different brands of machines, but I haven’t used anything but the Singer and solid flat tops yet.

I use a 2-piece belt (1 long piece, 1 short piece) and change the short piece out for different belt lengths. Each belt piece has a clip crimped into one end of the belt. The other end of each clip is made into a hook that can be taken apart to change the short belts. I keep the short pieces in baggies with the machine(s) that it fits written on the baggie with a marker. The long belt stays with the MUTT, tied on loosely.

CD in Oklahoma

Good job:>