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Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchnripper (Post 7330345)

Joe, if we had a "like" button, I would " like" your post.

It's possible to like Joe's post sans button.

Just wanted to say "Hello" wakrueger....I'm living in Iowa now, but lived in St. Charles County for over 50 years. Seeing that you are from St. Peters Mo I feel like we were neighbors!!

I don't use my treadle except for displaying the antiques I have. Bought mine in the 70s and I still love it for it's history.

I've still never sewn on a treadle machine. My family machines have all been electric, even great-grandma's machine has a motor on the back of it. (It's still in the family!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManiacQuilter2 (Post 7330806)

I don't use my treadle except for displaying the antiques I have. Bought mine in the 70s and I still love it for it's history.

It is history. It's also an excellent tool for precision sewing. After considerable searching, I found a Singer 31-15 ("the tailor's machine") treadle with a 16" flywheel (domestics are usually 12"). It goes like the wind and will stitch linoleum. With the mass electrification of sewing machines 80 or so years ago, most of these wheels were tossed, so now they are a precious commodity.

You may want to check out the Singer web site, they are very good with responding to you with questions and may have a source for you to have the machine checked out, cleaned and repaired. I have an old electric Singer that is all metal (not computerized) and it is heavy with a drive belt. A shop here took it repaired and cleaned it and it works perfectly. The web site also helped me in finding a manual and they may be able to help you as well. I learned on a treadle and maybe that is why I love sewing so much.

There are two treadle machines in my family that I know of. My maternal grandmother Mildred had a treadle, no one seems to know what happened to it.
My maternal great grandmother also had a treadle. My oldest aunt has that one. I would love to get my hands on it. But all I can hope for is that my cousins will keep it in the family. More than likely it will be sold off at an estate sale and turned into a tractor and a table. :(

Joe

If you were closer I would gladly take it off your hands. I have a treadle that had been converted to electric, that I converted back to a treadle. Of my 5 sewing machines the treadle is the only one I use every day. I'm sure someone closer to you would love to have your machine.

Another "like" button for Joe here.:thumbup: In the early seventies and before they were taking all of these old heavy machines as trade ins and Singer would dump them for junk just to get rid of them, so you know if they did that, and the other sewing machine companies did that, then millions were destroyed then and through the years. So I am thinking if some are to stay here for future generations to enjoy it is going to take a lot of machines to be restored!

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Miller (Post 7329977)

Cathy is telling you the "money" end of it, but there's more to it than that. Although Singer did make them by the millions, that was generations ago. They are no longer made and are a finite commodity. Prices vary by region and availability. For instance in Springfield, IL you can't find treadles. Most of mine came from elsewhere.

If you have all the parts it's worth refurbishing. If you don't want to do the work yourself, at least give/sell it to someone who will. Don't let someone destroy it by turning into a table.

Joe