csharp

Very nice quilt, love the random selection idea, and yes we do like to know those vintage machines get used...just affirms our collecting habit ...

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First off , I have to tell the machines story.It came out of a close down commercial chicken barn 80 x 300' barn, stuff full of non selling auction junk. every thing it there is covered with dust BIG time dust..I already had one of these machines. I've had it for well over 30 years, reason I found this , is that I talked to the lady about treadle machines. she had a new home treadle stand ( super rusty) after 3 months of getting her to let me look, I got the stand for $10, she showed me in another huge barn 4 machines. I bought this one for $5, it was covered with dirty dust, on the exterior , inside it was as clean as new,, a little work and time I came up with this ..singer 237. in a new home stand .. it's the one on the left ...in the first month I made 4 quilts on this, 3 being denim. all are king sized..the denim's don't have batting. the cotton patterned one does..in doing these 4, and piecing the top on #5 I used the same needle that was in the machine, resharpen it once. I broke the top thread twice on purpose, why ? because I was finishing up #3 and wanted to see what it would take to foul up the machine.. I have ran over 5000 yds of thread through this thing at this point ..this month and just finished last night is another denim, but this has a very thick , store bought quilt as batting, with a heavy plaid flannel as it back. This one was only pieced on this machine. It was way to thick to even go under the foot, so the quilting was finished off using a singer 31-15 basting put on with a singer 16 - 188, basting is also denim. this quilt is 100% dickies, carhart and key pants.. most where new,I hope all the photo's show. I'm on dail up , use photobucket, both have been giving me a hard time today.. now the quilts.. back of the one above I'm missing a photo of one denim..this is the thick one, I just finishedso you can see the back and then, we need a place to keep and carry our quilts on those long walks on the Beach LOLOLOL.. small beach I've made two of these so far, they are now a must have for any thing in the future and a few in the past..These would be easier to make from women s skirts with belt loops, if the waist is big enough...

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This is the missing quilt . So that 237 has earned it's keep

Cari-in-Oly

Those are some great quilts. While I love the fancy quilts, the art quilts, etc. my favorites are the more serviceable quilts, the ones the kids can drag around and the dogs & kids can cuddle up in.

Cari

Crossstitcher

Glenn I know what you mean by less thinking. I need to do more of that and maybe I'd get more done.

Glenn

Trish, I am not sure you will get more done but it is much more fun,
Skip

purplefiend

Nice quilts, XXXXXXXXX! The Singer 237 is a lovely machine as a treadle too. Nice machines too. Who made the nice tops for the treadles?
Sharon in Texas
treadle Singers: 66-1,237,115,15,201

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Sharon. that 237 I had a aftermarket spoked hand wheel on it and my 6 piece belt. The belt gave it up, so I went back to the motor. I won't buy any more of the cheap online belts, when I get belt charges $12 but there real leather belts.

The stands/ tops are my doing's. There my 3/4 size almost industrial's .. I have enough wood to do one more, but have two stands ready LOL out of nice wood . see my left leg doesn't bend. my treadle is with one leg, the left side has to be where the drawers hang on a normal cabinet, a 6 drawer is a real PITA.

If you really look that 237's treadle frame is a silver gray color, It doesn't show the dust anywhere close to what a Black one does

purplefiend

Now I notice that the 237's treadle isn't black. The original hand wheel on the 237 treadles just fine, its a bit heavier than most and a bit larger too. The local Singer dealer wants $15 for a treadle belt, don't know if its real leather or not.
Sharon in Texas

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lately I've done a few stands in different shades of that silver gray color, it's also metallic. mainly because black gets old, I did different types of black. Then it hit me that a lighter color wouldn't show dust as much.

I have a few treadles, last thing I need is to become a professional treadle stand duster

By real leather I mean cut from a hide. it will have one or two smooth sides and not perfectly round , then two cut sides, kinda grainy looking.

The recycled stuff is round grainy all the way around, often red and coated with something that cracks.

not saying don't buy these They do work just fine.

I tell ya. I would have never known this about belts, I have bought two machines that had brand new spare belts, still in the boxes in the drawer. one was a singer belt by brand name. known to be 50+ years old.

I've have both belts in use. they adjusted first time, there smooth treadling, never slip, the 12$ belts I've bought locally are working the same way. keep in mind I can only use one leg, maybe I feel the difference more than a two leggier

But then I prefer alcoa brand tin foil for making my hats


I've bought those red one's off ebay and the brown one's plus a 100" roll. This is the type that sells for $6 per 72". The place here use to sell the same red coated belts. The belts that came in 72" pieces have per installed staple on one end. I have never bought one yet, that the staple didn't tear out in the first few pumps of the machine. What I found to be the cause was. whoever installs that staple, heats it red hot. pushes it through the belt and smashed down the end. Doing this burns the leather, plus there off to the side a bit. so there is almost zero leather holding that staple, then the belts are coated it something like shellac. The belts are made from ground up leather that has been spit back out as one long piece, which means there is no fiber to make a grain in the belt.

anyway long story on belt quality cut leather VS recycled leather.