Ann-Marie Where have the last three weeks gone? I simply don’t know. In my defence, I can only say that I have been so busy doing sewing that I simply haven’t had time to write about it! Which is a very good thing really because after all that is what my life is all about – sewing as many “Beautiful Stitches” as I can and then sharing that passion with as many people as possible. And it just so happens that for the last few weeks that sharing has been in the physical world rather than on the web 🙂
Now that I am back online, I have a very exciting story to share. I have just become the proud owner of a beautiful Singer treadle sewing machine.
Isn’t she beautiful? Using the Serial No on the front of the machine we have confirmed that she is a treadle operated Model 201K. She was manufactured in Clydebank, Scotland in 1948, thus making her a fairly young model in the history of Singer sewing machines (the very first Singer machines were manufactured in 1851). But she still has all the beautiful detail that makes me love these old machines.
Since her arrival just over a week ago, my 14 year old son has completely stripped down and cleaned all the working parts with sewing machine oil. The mechanism is now moving beautifully smoothly but not quite sewing properly. We may need the help of an expert to fix the timing? And we need a new leather cable to operate the treadle.
And as an added bonus, she arrived with drawers full of old cotton reels, buttons etc. My 10 year old daughter had so much fun sorting through everything and restored all the items worth keeping to the newly cleaned and polished cabinet.
A friend asked me if I have a name for her yet. I keep wanting to call her Cressida. I have absolutely no idea why – the name just keeps buzzing round my head. So it’s official – Cressida, welcome to the family. With just a little more work we will have her back to all her former glory!
Awww…my mother had (and still has) a similar treadle machine (Singer as well). It was my job when I was tiny to sit underneath and work the treadle. I suspect that my mother’s stitches may not have been very even when I was doing that…but it kept me busy!
She has a name! She is beautiful. The detail on the side plate is lovely. Very jealous – all those buttons.