The Eldredge

Last year, I took pity on a machine that had been listed on CL for months by rescuing that poor thing. It sat in the garage through the winter looking dejected. Well, last weekend I cleaned the machine, cabinet, and treadle just enough to bring inside the house.

Trying to bring life back to once a beautiful machine started with a spa treatment on a warm sunny day. While sitting outside working on the machine, the sun provided the needed heat for me to loosen some screws that wouldn't budge. A blessing from the heavens!

She still needs more cleaning, but that will just have to wait until a later date.

I found a space for her. With all her weathered flaws, she graces my dining room.

The machine seems to be missing it's soul, but the treadle irons have a beautiful, smooth, rhythmic balance. I asked myself, How could a machine once so gorgeous lose its will for life; and yet, the treadle that is married to it breathes?

And with time will that change?

A Conversation with Eunice

I know, I know...I said my focus will be on vintage sewing machines that I had never before experienced. Treadles, those are the ones I will only rescue. And I did just that. I told myself that I'll concentrate on meeting more folks that sew with their vintage machines instead of me collecting more machines this year. And so, I added to my reading list by signing up to the Yahoo's vintage treadle sewing machine group for that search.

Yup, I did just that!

I decided to read from the summer of 2010, the time I started collecting vintage machines. I read until one post captivated my interests and brought me to a halt, "anyone wanting a Necchi Supernova to treadle contact me". I told myself, NO!!! And reminded myself that I grew up sewing with a Necchi Supernova; I know this machine. But that post haunted me for days... and I found myself researching Supernovas.

Well, I have always said that the machine has a way of finding its new steward. This one sat waiting patiently for me.

So, I introduce Eunice, quiet, sweet, and innovative.

I figured a way around my dilemma with the bobbin winder cover and treadle belt. At first, I thought I could just remove the bobbin winder cover from the bobbin winder so that the treadle belt wouldn't hit the cover, but that couldn't be done.

I discovered after taking the motor plate cover off that the bobbin winder extends down to this point which then clears the bobbin winder out of the way of the treadle belt.

And so, Sebastian lends me a claw with a smile. He's my hero!

On this clear winter day, I marvel at my wintergreen Necchi Supernova Ultra and Sebastian...such an odd couple...and I'm sure Eunice approves.

Thank you Eunice Winters.

She's up and running!!!!!

Rose! She is a sweet machine!
After I got the cabinet and machine all cleaned up, I gave her a test drive. Well I tried to give her a test drive! At first, I couldn't get the machine to pick up the bobbin thread. I looked online for a manual with no avail. My first thought was that the bobbin must not be in correctly. So, I read White Rotary manuals, Domestic Rotary manuals, and any other rotary manual for a treadle machine that I could find on the internet. The Standard bobbin looks just a wee bit different from the Whites, but not too much of a difference in technology for me to understand the correct direction and threading of the bobbin. I decided that the bobbin wasn't the issue and decided to study the mechanism for picking up the threads. Well, a light bulb went off! I realized that I needed to turn the hand wheel away from me, just like if I were using a White Rotary.

She sews a pretty stitch. I'm looking forward to making a cute baby quilt with her.

Spa Day for VicOtoria!

The elderly lady got a spa treatment today. I decided to take some time off from working on my son's belated birthday quilt and worked on assembling the cabinet to the treadle. I also gave the old lady an overdue spa.

The day started with cabinet top on floor with drawers, and the long center drawer resting on treadle. They were all waiting to be dusted off and then sealed with Tung oil.

And how they shined by the end of the day!

Halfway through assembling I realized that I was missing the gadget that holds up the small side top. I knew some hardware was missing since I was told this when I picked up this free machine and cabinet. This was the cabinet that someone else started refurbishing 25 years ago and had lost the jar full of screws, drawer handles, and other parts. The deal was free machine/treadle to anyone one willing to finish the project. Well, I'm the one dolling her up! I just didn't realize that I would have to rig something up for the section of the top that swings down. I think I have a quick fix for this, just have to test it out.

Close up of cleaned Singer VS2 fiddlehead from 1889 with coffin top sitting behind.
VicOtoria sews! She makes a beautiful stitch top and bottom; not bad for a woman that's 122 years old!

The lady has some fancy handles!

Photo with all the handles on the drawers. I'm still hunting down a bracket.

One treadle, two heads!

At present, my Singer 328K sits in my Singer straight-leg treadle. But before purchasing the 328K, I had a National Two Spools sitting in my Singer straight-leg treadle.

I had my first Two Spools in a modified treadle that my husband did the modification for me (clever man!).

Since the Two Spools machine is narrower, he took a wider portion of another Singer cabinet (lighter color wood shown) to hold the machine on the front lip.

The front and back of the piece that gets switched out in the front. My husband just fixed the wood for the hinge to sit into the wood.

All I do is unscrew the hinges from the wooden front piece and switch the wooden pieces that fits with the correct machine. The older light wood which is wider goes with the National Two Spools and the newer narrower wood goes with the Singer machines.

Both Singer pins can't be use to hold the Two Spools because the pins holes on the Two Spools don't line up with the Singer hinge pins.

Since only one pin will line up for the Two Spools and can only be used, my husband used a metal piece for support for the second pin. The machine rests on the hinge pin and metal plate.

This metal plate can be moved out when using the Two Spools and swing back under cabinet for the Singer Machines.

Location and how the metal plate is attached to cabinet.

I hope this helps others in their one treadle, two heads projects! Have fun treadling!

Twins! Jade has come home!

This Davis NVF had been sitting on CLs for over a month. I waited and waited for someone to pick it up, but nah that never happened. So when I called to inquire about the machine, I was told that it was a donation and the money from selling this machine goes to an after-school program that benefits the handicap. When he told me that, I told him it's sold. He was so elated that he started telling me how the machine's foot and needle operate to move the fabric. I told him I already own one in treadle that I use in making quilts. He asked if I would like to teach a class!

Well, this lady's name is Jade since some of her decals have turned green. I moved her twin sister, Penny, out of the treadle so that I could test Jade. She did come with a motor that I removed (that ran way to fast for my liking). Since she stitches better than Penny, Jade will be staying in the treadle. Penny gets the honorary spot on the bookcase to oversee Jade's work.

The Newylweds!

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Two Spools, the Cowboy and Melinda. They make a cute couple. The Cowboy has an honorary spot under Thistle Marie on the bookshelf were he sits watching Melinda work.

Not another machine! YES!

My Davis Vertical Feed (NVF)! I had to have her! So, meet Penni! This machine is way cool since it has no feed dogs. The foot and needle push the fabric. Another project for me and another beautiful treasure! The seller's son gave her this machine as a gift. He had found it at an antique shop for $50. He knew she wanted a machine like the one she had learned to sew on, old VS Singer, and made her wedding dress with. Her mom still owns that machine but her sister has claimed that machine even though the sister doesn't sew (time for a deal if you ask me). Well, this isn't the machine (VS yes, Singer no). Since it needs more work than she was willing to do, she put it up for sale. All she wants is a Singer VS treadle like the one her mom owns. And all I want is to play with this machine. Now the eclectic attachments are another prize that I purchased with this machine. Some are for this machine, others for Singer machines, and another set for what may work on my Free machine.

Work needs to be done on this cabinet. The hinge area is in need of repair.


And Penni is named after the person that directed me to her. Thank you Penni!

Mr. Two Spools

Meet Mr. Two Spools! I purchased him from a cowboy (and I'm not kidding, DH was there as witness). I stated that Ms. Graybar led to this machine. Well, when I picked up free Ms. Graybar, the lady told me that a Graybar is just a National. After returning home and studying her, I researched National sewing machines. During my research, I came across a quilter's blog on her National/ Western Electric Two Spool machine that she uses. I realized that the decals on her machine I had recently seen on a machine that was listed on CL. So, of course I called the poster to see if the machine was still available since I was fascinated with the use of two spools, one in a can/bobbin. A lady answered and stated that she had posted for her cowboy friend (a cowboy?!). Next day, DH and I take a drive to the wild west of California...and here is my dusty cowboy, Mr. Two Spools.






He'll be real handsome after his mineral bath.