Once upon a time there was a lady who had an 1896 Singer 27 bonnet top treadle. It was passed down within her family, but after almost 120 years no one in the family wanted it any more. She was going to throw it away but fortunately another lady rescued it because it looked JUST like HER grandmother's treadle. She put it in her storage shed.
Sherri's 27 cabinet |
Singer 27, long bobbin machine |
Myra and Dexter did a nice job on the cabinet |
And I held on to this one for years because after all that generosity and love there was no way I was going to turn around and sell it. I knew it had a higher calling and that its ultimate purpose in the universe would eventually be revealed to me.
OK, that IS just a bit over the top, but you get the general idea.
Once upon a time a lady called Janet (again, because that IS her name) bought a Singer treadle with a 66 Red Eye in order to turn it into a plant table. Do not judge her, vintage sewing machine crazy people. There are a bazillion unwanted Singer treadles languishing in attics, basements, and barns all across this great land.
So Janet, also a fellow guild member, kept the treadle base and donated the cabinet and machine to me. The drawers are now in my work room usefully holding parts, the cabinet top is in the studio usefully serving as the base for a rolling stand of plastic drawers, and the machine got the full spa treatment.
Janet's Singer 66 Red Eye |
I used this machine to demonstrate treadling at a couple of guild events. The colorful decorations on a Red Eye attract a lot of attention and EVERYONE wants to tell me about their mother or grandmother's treadle.
Once upon a time there was a lovely lady named Helen who decided not to take her modern Janome with her when she went to live in assisted living. She didn't want to take up space in her room with a sewing machine, but ended up missing it for hemming and other alterations. She is my mother-in-law, and my whole "career" as crazed sewing machine restorer began when she gave me her mother's Singer 66 Red Eye treadle. That machine lives at my daughter's house now.
I suggested either a hand crank or treadle for the activities room. The activity director was enthusiastic about this idea, and decided on the treadle.
The machine finds a home at Mebane Ridge Assisted Living |
So a successful marriage between the bonnet top cabinet (without the bonnet) and the Singer 66 was born. I prefer sewing on that type of cabinet because the surface is flat. On the cabinets where the machine folds down inside, the machine sits about 3/4" above the cabinet surface. The extension leaf on the left hand side is another plus to this style cabinet.
Helen tries out the machine |
Helen with Susan, Mebane Ridge's activities director |
Susan asked me to give instructions to other residents at Mebane Ridge and of course I will. Because I LOVE talking about and working with sewing machines.
What a great way to save and use machines. What a great rescue! Glad you are a crazy machine lady (like me).
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea!
ReplyDeleteTo everything there is a season and sometimes it just takes time to play out for us to see. I always enjoy your machine postings. But the best part of this is what memories it will bring back to the residents of the home that learned how to sew on a treadle.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! We moved a piano to a friend's house this past month (we got it for free and did not use it much), as she had to leave hers behind in a hasty move across the country with her children. When people need things and you can provide them (because someone else made it possible for YOU), it's such a happy confluence! Everyone wins!
ReplyDeleteWhat great tales!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog posts. I came to the same realization today about drop in bobbins as I was auditioning sewing machines for my 93 year old mother in assisted living. And she wants it to have zig zag so she can also hem pants. Can you recommend one?
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures! The machines are beautiful too! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures! The machines are beautiful too! Thanks.
ReplyDelete