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Thursday, April 11, 2013

old sewing machine love

Here's the sewing machine story I promised...

We've got a few treadle sewing machines in the family. Mom has the one that was originally Great-Grandma's (and isn't there something just wonderful about having one that's been in the family since it was brand spanking new?!)  I've got my accidental treadle  and my other treadle.  Mom's and my "other" treadle should both work when we replace the belts.

And Grandma has this one, which she bought a couple of years ago at a garage sale down the road from her house.


 
According to the book she found it in, it's a Victor (F/4) circa 1875. None of us had  ever seen anything like it. It's so completely bare bones, and still so neat looking. When I was taking the pincuchion pictures, I noticed that there was bobbin thread coming up through the throat plate. Could this thing possibly still work?  It needs a new belt, but Grandma says all of the moving parts still move. 
 

Sorry for not getting pictures of the machine without the pincushion, but getting the pictures for the tutorial was the whole reason I was up there looking at the machine.
 

This post is linked to Time Travel ThursdayTreasure Hunt ThursdayVintage Thingie Thursday, Ivy & Elephants and Junki Joe,

9 comments:

  1. Absolutely incredible!

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  2. Anonymous6:27 AM

    Hi Michelle...
    Wow..I sure have never seen a machine like that before~ 1875??? I had no idea that machines were around that long ago~ Thank you for sharing and I'd sure love to see it up and running but probably isn't workable at this point~ I love my 1938 machine I sew on all the time from my grandmother~ ♥♥♥

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  3. I have never seen one like that before! It is so neat.
    I have my aunt's Singer. Instead of using an electric machine, she always used the treadle. I did have "custody" of my grandmothers until my sister finally moved back and took it home. It did go to her but she didn't want to take it to Texas. Anyway, it is an Elgin. It is a beautiful one and I miss it being in my home!
    Belts were still available a few years ago at a Singer store in my area. I haven't bought one since.

    Mecky

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  4. Very cool machines. Wish I had one but my house is too tiny :0(

    Crispy

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  5. I never learned to sew so I have never had machine. However, our mother did and used it well. She made all our cloths out of flour sacks.

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  6. It will be so much fun if you could get this old beauty working. I still have the antique sewing machine that belonged to my grandmother, but the machine is long gone.

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  7. Finding one of these at a garage sale is on my bucket list, lol!!! Gorgeous!

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  8. A Real Beauty!!! Thanks for sharing :) hugs...

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  9. I love old sewing machines, and yours are just fabulous! The one that came from your Grand is precious. I'd love to have a treadle one. Thanks so much for sharing with us. I love your blog and am your new follower.
    Hugs,
    Patti

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