Look what I brought home from Craigslist yesterday! She's a 1916 Singer 66-1 Redeye treadle in the original cabinet. She needs a new belt, a new side-clamping presser bar (she's got her original back-clamping bar at the moment) - both of which have already been ordered - and she needs a lot of cleaning up. But after 93 years, I think I would need some cleaning up too.
The cabinet is in near mint condition. No significant blemishes at all. These pics below are the seller's, which show the cabinet better than mine.
All of this for the amazing bargain price of $60 and a car ride into South Tampa. The machine has been in the seller's family since it was new. No one has actually sewn on it for years and years (attested to by the rusty needle still in place!), and it has spent the last 40 years or so being just a side table. The sellers were downsizing and she had to go. Their loss, my gain.
This is my first antique sewing machine. I don't think I'm going to go nuts with collecting (although you should never say never!), but I've thought for a long time that these old treadles are quite interesting and beautiful and have wanted to grab a bargain on one for years. I think $60 qualifies.
The cabinet will live in my bedroom for now. Our bedroom takes up half of the upper floor so it's pretty big and there's plenty of room for this (and about 6 more!) without blinking. The machine head is already out of the cabinet and back downstairs in my kitchen at the moment, as I start the spiffing-up process. After working on just one coverplate (not finished yet), I can see this will not be instant gratification.
DonnaH has already been a great help to me in dating the machine and pointing me to sellers of parts. Donna has quite an impressive collection of her own, as you'll see when you follow the link to her blog, here.
Here are some more "Before" pics of mine. One day in the near future, I hope to have her ready for the "After" shots and for actually sewing. Treadling ought to be an adventure!
Purdy! Big Red takes class 66 bobbins. The metal ones work best. I never even bother with the plastic ones. It doesn't matter if they have holes or not. The older ones didn't, the newer ones do. I bought a bunch of class 66 bobbins, I think from the guy you buy your binders from on eBay. Check him out. I think I bought 20 and they're cheap. Never a problem with them in ANY of my machines.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to my blog. I'm behind blogging about machines. Take care and enjoy!
Wow! Looks like you good a good deal and once its all nice and shiny, it will be beautiful too.
ReplyDeleteNice find. Lucky you! I have a nice treadle, in working order. Accesssories even. I look at her and wonder who sewed on her and what they made. BTW--have you seen the Simplicity Amazing Fit pant patterns? I bought 2 this last pattern sale at Jo's.
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous as I have always wanted a treadle machine although I don't have space for one. I wishing for a Pfaff. Maybe one of these days I'll luck up on a deal like that. Check out some of antique sewing groups on yahoo plus the we fix it group. Lots of good info there.
ReplyDeleteI agree, she's purdy! I attended a Featherweight repair class and found some wonderful maintenence products. One of which is Greased Lightening (available at Publix) that I sprayed on the end coverplate (very similar to yours) and the brown stuff (oil, scum, nicotine, whatever) DRIPPED off. I was thrilled because I loved that beautiful scrolled plate (like yours). Happy cleaning and sewing.
ReplyDeleteETA Of course I removed the cover plate before spraying on the Greased Lightening.
ReplyDeleteGuess who'll still be sewing during the next big power outage? Just make sure you have plenty of lighting, and you could just keep sewing along.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That machine is going to come in really handy one of these times when the power goes out!
ReplyDeleteI have my grandmother's treadle and it needs just as much work! That however is something that will have to take place in the future! Your new baby is very pretty and I can't wait to see the after photos!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! You scored big! I love the table part too!
ReplyDeleteIt is gorgeous! I have been wanting one for a long long time. I have an old Singer table that needs a new top. Congrats on your great find!
ReplyDeleteDebbie - I learned to sew as a small child on a Singer almost identical to the one you've bought except that ours didn't have a lot of the scroll work - or I don't recall it, if it did. I was mainly taught by my father who had the patience in the family and I remember a lot of barbie dresses churned out on it. I hope you enjoy your purchase.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! I inherited mine from my grandmother and treasure it dearly.
ReplyDeletehttp://sarahsdaughter.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/46255.html
OMG, from Tampa? I could swear that is my grandmother's old machine! It didn't come from a house on Central Ave, between Hillsborough and Sligh did it? Wow, memories. K
ReplyDeleteBeautiful machine and cabinet. Sewing on a treadle is such a blessing, especially here in Florida. I know you will get a lot of enjoyment from your new toy.
ReplyDeleteCheck out www.treadleon.net for a great community. If you have space for more treadles, they will come! If you don't have space, they will come!
ReplyDeleteAwesome machine, Debbie. It's really beautiful. Although I learned to sew in Home Ec., any sewing I did at home was on a treadle machine. How ancient does that make me? :{
ReplyDeleteLovely machine Debbie! I love my treadle, I haven't sewn on it for a while as I haven't had time but it stitches better than my modern machine.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh, how beautiful. A great find!!! I *love* the older machines. I have 2 of them - one was my Grandmother's. When I was very young we had my Great-grandmother's treadle - it was amazing. But my parents had to sell it - feed the kids, or keep an old sewing machine type of decision. I am forcing myself not to "collect" machines - but if a treadle ever crosses my path it *will* come home with me, LOL.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Patti