So I have my treadle!

[fluffy]

Well yes I am now the proud owner of an 1895 singer 27 K treadle sewing machine. I think I have died and gone to heaven. My local church charity shop had been keeping an eye out for me and I got a call on Sunday evening to say they had one in with my name on it.

I have threaded it and practised using the treadle bit without the needle going up and down and I think I am going to get the hang of it. Although I haven't posted for a bit I have done a bit of sewing, I made an overall from a pattern size 8 that turned out massive! then my mam measured me and made up a pattern for a straight skirt and that was too tight (round the bum ha ha!). I am probably best off sticking to alterations at the moment.

I am thinking of investing in a tailors dummy that you can move in to your own measurements. I am very small with biggish hips compared to my top half so getting patterns to fit is a problem. Anyway I am off now to play some more with my beautiful new machine.

Love

Fluffy

[clare]

You'll get the hang of it fluffy,I have had a few disasters in my time but remember always cut a bit bigger then you can always take it in.......
Clare

[Green Aura]

I used to have a Singer treadle machine. I hope you have a better time than I did - I could never get the damn thing to keep going forwards, for some reason it always went into reverse after a few inches. I have no idea how I managed that

I'd love to have another go though.

[phil55494]

My mum still has an old Jones treadle machine which I don't think gets much use now but when me and my sisters were growing up was used for all sorts of alterations and garment making. We all were taught the basics of using it though I'm not sure I could remember it now (maybe with some practice).
She has said in the end to leave it to the local museum as none of us are likely to want it and it was made nearby.

[MarcherLady]

There are some excellent tutorials for home-made tailors dummies on the web, if you have plenty of time and a willing assistant, fluffy. I haven't tried it myself yet, but it involves a cheap t-shirt and lots of duct tape, and doesn't look too hard. http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7174469_make- ... equin.html is one example.

[fluffy]

Thanks marcherlady I will have a look.

Well I've been practising and is seems to come to me quite easily thank goodness. I have surfed the net and identified all the attachments that came with it. I have discovered that half my tucker is missing, but since I don't actually know what one is I suppose I can live without it!

I'm going to have a go at altering my husbands overalls and putting pockets on the front tonight as I don't think it will be too taxing.

Love Fluffy
x