My First Project on the Treadle Sewing Machine
By Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21741)
Canada
March 16, 2017 6:23pm CST
A few weeks ago I posted a discussion about my treadle sewing machine. The process we ended up going through to get it working.
Then I went away for a weeks vacation and didn't even get much of a chance to use it.
Yesterday was a snow day...a not going anywhere day....the perfect day to begin a new project. You should see the mess in my sewing room.
I calculated the size and starts pulling pieces from my 2 inch squares, scrap box. Then I cut out the centre of the panel from yet more, slightly larger scraps and started the process of assembling the wallhanging using my treadle sewing machine.
Today I was out for most of the day, but did manage to finish assembling the front...now to sandwich and quilt it. The plan is to do free motion quilting on the treadle machine. The project is just small enough to be manageable...but large enough to present a challenge.
Last year I inherited my mothers treadle sewing machine. This is the machine I learned to sew on. My mother insisted that I make ten pillowcases from flour...
14 people like this
16 responses
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
The treadle is much like any other vintage sewing machine. It just doesn't require electricity. You provide the power by moving your feet....maybe I'll lose some weight
then it would really be a win-win situation.
then it would really be a win-win situation.1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@JudyEv mine has a reverse. The lever that sets the stitch length must be pushed to the bottom....then it goes backwards...of course then you must rest the stitch length. I'll try to take a photo later.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382357)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt We had a treadle machine but it wouldn't go backwards. You had to lift the foot, turn the work around and stitch forward again.
@suziecat7 (3349)
• Asheville, North Carolina
17 Mar 17
How beautiful - you are so talented.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
Thank you. A lot of that is more practice than talent.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56354)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt Can I ask what free motion quilting is-I take it that its quilting on the machine. How do you find the stitches holding up to hand quilted stitches?
I ask because I have a quilt that my Gramma did in the 70's, I didn't start using it until the 80's but have used it every single day since, and now the fabric is wearing thin, and in some places it has holes in it, but those quilted stitches are still holding tight. Her applique stitches, which she must have done on the sewing machine, have failed and those pieces of the quilt have fallen off.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@Juliaacv I free motion quilted placemats a couple of years ago. They are holding strong.
The machine applique on grandmas quilt? Is it the stitching or the fabric at the stitching that has given way? A phot will show me....the hardest thing on a quilt that is used daily is when you sit on it. It stretches the fibres, causing them to weaken. Again a photo could show me.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
I've seen the beautiful work a treadle can do....you have much more control.....it will be interesting to see how the free motion quilting goes later today. I'm sure there will be a progress report.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@LadyDuck it's actually a beautiful day out today. Just above freezing and brilliant sunshine.
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@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
That's one of the things I love about the treadle machine. The control. I'm almost ready to try some free motion quilting on my lovely old machine. The quilt has been sandwiched and pinned....now to start.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54720)
• United States
19 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt I have said this before.....I really think that you and your sis are both really talented.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
19 Mar 17
Thank you. I finished it tonight....now I'm working on a spring tablerunner.
1 person likes this
thanks
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
17 Mar 17
That is so beautiful! I love the color changes around the sides.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
That is probably the hardest part. Arranging the pieces so the effect is pleasing to the eye.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
18 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt That would be hard for me. I've never had a good eye for designing like that. But I love what you've done.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
19 Mar 17
Any size quilt is a challenge for me! I do want to get my sewing machines in working order so I can sew again. Sewing a garment was always so satisfying and therapeutic for me. I want to make my granddaughter some dresses and a few aprons for myself.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
19 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt I am so envious.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
19 Mar 17
I finished my Easter wallhanging and am almost finished my spring table runner.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
26 Mar 17
Is the picture your finished project or one you have done before. It is so neat!
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
27 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt Oh okay I see that difference now it looks even more beautiful complete!
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@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
27 Mar 17
The photo shows the 'flimsy' (unfinished quilt top). This photo shows the finished, machine quilted on the treadle, quilted wall hanging.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
17 Mar 17
I am a misfit here as stitching and me are poles apart. I fooled my husband by pretending to be good at stitching. In the end he would mend my clothes on the machine he so lovingly bought for me (lol)
@Jackalyn (7558)
• Oxford, England
17 Mar 17
This sounds great. I have a hand operated Singer and I wwill go for that over my electric machine any.time. I love the wall hanging. You are so talented.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
My mother had her mother's old handcrank sewing machine...my brother has it now. I never used that machine, but I learned to sew on this treadle.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15022)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
17 Mar 17
@MorleyHunt , that looks really complicated but beautiful. I never have the patience for a project like this.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
It was less complicated than I expected. Now I'm starting to machine quilt it.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14790)
• Ireland
17 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt My mother had a treacle sewing machine when we lived in the bush in Africa in the 60s without electricity and the travelling Dentist hooked his drill up to it so that as someone operated the treadle the drill bit whirled fast enough to drill out the bad bit in my tooth.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
That could work....but somehow the pic tut in my mind is a bit disturbing. I'm not fond of going to the dentist.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14790)
• Ireland
17 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt This dentist was actually a farmer and electrician who did a bit of dentistry training. He also substituted as veterinarian.
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@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@xFiacre that almost makes it worse. I know, whe things are unavailable we all become very creative and have much more knowledge and abilities than we give ourselves vpcredit for.
1 person likes this
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
17 Mar 17
I wish I had the patience to do something like that!
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
This is the messy stage....I have thread and snippets of fabric everywhere. Tomorrow I will clean up.....and witch the quilt and attempt to free motion quilt on the treadle machine....if I'm not successful....we'll pull out another machine and use that. Either way I want it finished by Monday.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
@cindiowens I've machine quilted a baby quilt in about an hour and a half. This is a bit smaller than a baby quilt. Once it's quilted binding it goes pretty quickly.
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
17 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt Oh my goodness! By Monday? You are going to be busy!
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
Thank you @andiaperry Its always nice to hear that others also think it's beautiful. Sometimes I'm too close to the work to see the big picture.
@Marilynda1225 (91127)
• United States
17 Mar 17
I'm always impressed with your creations. Each one is different and I can appreciate all the hard work. Glad that your machine will be able to help with the sewing
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
17 Mar 17
I saw a photo of a similar wallhanging a couple of days before I left for my vacation. I'd been debating on what to make as an Easter wallhanging. As soon as I saw the photo I knew...then it was just a matter of calculating size.
