Fun With People-powered Sewing Machines

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Back during the summer of 2015, in a thread called Do You Have a Treadle or Handcrank Sewing Machine, it was apparent that several members here have “people-powered” sewing machines. Many use their non-electric machines a lot, and some still needed to make repairs to get their machine working. Have any of the second group of folks had any luck getting their machine up and running?

I don’t do much quilting, but I’m still using my Singer 319W treadle to mend jeans for the public, although I’ve changed treadle stands with it.

My latest addition to my group of treadles is a Singer 20U Industrial Zigzag machine. The 20U has a 9mm wide zigzag and can sew with Tex92 thread, so now I can have all kinds of fun treadle zigzagging.

Anyone else added a treadle sewing machine to their “herd” since last year?

CD in Oklahoma

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I found a place in our little crowded home for a couple of my industrial treadles. We squeezed them in along the walls behind the dining table (that we don’t use much anymore since we’re empty nesters). The dining table is on wheels, so we can roll it away from the machines when we want to use them. One treadle is the one that my Singer 20U fits in, but I keep my Singer 95-40 in it the rest of the time. The other treadle (with the folding extensions) has our Singer 96-40 in it. I have that machine set up as a darning machine (no feed dogs, just a hopping foot) so we can play with FMQ (Free Motion Quilting) and FME (Free Motion Embroidery) by treadle if and when we take the notion now.

It’s starting to get crowded in our house. We’ve got nine treadle cabinet/stands set up now. Singer 27K2, White VSIII, Willcox & Gibbs Automatic, Singer 66-1, Singer 319W, Singer 29K70, Singer 31-15, Singer 95-40, and Singer 96-40. The W&G and the 66-1 are just dust catchers that we don’t ever use, but they’re set up where they could be. The W&G will have to be serviced and adjusted to use. The others all get used from time to time, some more than others. And I’m setting up an industrial Singer 16-41 now that I got Friday. I just need to clean up the treadle stand for it, lengthen the pitman rod on it, and mount the top back on.

CD in Oklahoma

[Deleted]

Ok, the 1917 Singer 16-41 is mounted into a 1939 treadle stand and is sewing. I have nicknamed this stand “Frankentreadle” because it came to me minus the moving parts of the treadle mechanism. It had been a treadle before, because it still had the cone bearing for the flywheel, and the top is drilled for both foot and motor belts, but I had to use unusual parts to get it going again.

I found a proper replacement foot plate for it, but had to adapt a flywheel and pitman rod out of a household treadle stand. I just had to lengthen the pitman rod, and now I have an industrial treadle stand with a 12-inch flywheel in it instead of the normal 16-inch diameter one. To add to the nickname, and add to its ghastly appearance, the top on this stand has been used by a previous owner as a spray painting surface, and it has black and white overspray on portions of the surface. It’s an ugly monster, but it works. I don’t think this one will ever be going into my wife’s sewing room. I’ll probably have to keep it out in my bike shop work area..... and maybe even cover it up.....

CD in Oklahoma

[lindym]

I missed these posts somehow. I LOVE older sewing machines and people powered are no exception! I enjoy seeing your machines.

[Deleted]

I was beginning to think that I was the only one on this forum that liked old treadle sewing machines.

CD in Oklahoma

[Maura]

Mine is in my living room, A Singer 27 built in 1901. Works real well and I have quilted with it. Lately I have been using my Singer 301 and Singer 401. Lots of power.

[Deleted]

One showed up recently on our local Craigslist, but I was too late and someone snatched it up before me. I learned on my grandma's Singer.

[ann]

I have a 1930's Franklin (Sears) treadle that needs repairs. Its a long shuttle which I'm not fond of. One day my dh and ds decided to move the machine, the shuttle was dropped and stepped on and hasn't worked since. I hate to put money into that machine because it obviously is VERY used and potentially is worn out. What I really covet is a Singer round bobbin treadle head to put into the cabinet and the Franklin can become a boat anchor. Second choice would be a new Janome treadle head, but no funds to buy that.

I learned to sew in the 1950's on a Minnesota treadle that had originally been my great grandmother's. In freshman home economics class I was able to finish my projects quickly because no one else knew how to use the treadle machine so spent most of their time waiting on a turn on the two or three electric machines. Up until 1966 I didn't have an electric machine. I used and loved the Singer treadle that a cousin loaned me. Wish I still had it!

You have quite a nice collection of machines. I assume you are an expert at rehabbing the machines as well as using them.

[hobbitlady]

@olpoop, I missed this thread originally too; a big thank you for posting those great pictures. Beautifully designed machines! I have grandma's second Singer she used,rats,not her treadle...

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Anyone have experience with a 1911 Sears/Roebuck Minnesota Model A treadle machine? I'm getting details from the seller, including asking for more photos. Does anyone see any red flags or major restoration in the two photos from the ad? (The needed cabinet restoration is clear and doable. I'm up for minor to moderate machine restoration, but nothing major.)

Thanks!