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This Singer Treadle machine was my great-grandmother’s. I remember my mother sewing on it during our visits to my grandmother and great-grandparents in California. When I was older, I even sewed on it out in the laundry room.

After my grandmother and great-grandmother passed away, my parents brought it to Kansas City. The summer after my high school graduation it was setup in the basement and my mother and I made my college wardrobe — she sewing on the modern sewing machine — a Kenmore Diamond Jubilee which was then 20 years old — and I on this treadle machine. Given where it was located in the basement, I can’t promise that we had the motor hooked up.

The treadle machine made the move with my mom 7 or 8 years ago. It’s been sitting in the dinning room and used as a buffet and/or plant stand. Sometime this summer, as soon as I can figure out where to put it and how to get it home, this machine is going to come home with me.

My nephew, who is 7, was amazed when I opened it up. He had no idea it was a sewing machine. I wanted to get a look at it to see what condition it’s in. The hand wheel moves the needle up and down with no issues. The treadle moves smoothly — but it doesn’t turn the hand wheel. There is no way I’m going to plug the motor in until it’s been checked out and possibly the cord replaced. I’m sure the belt needs replacing as well. Looking in the pictures, I see the “break” is where the staple is, so perhaps it’s not it as bad of a condition as I thought.

Now I’m off to find treadle resources because I really would like to piece a quilt on this machine.
In the drawer is the manual. I didn’t think to take a picture of it. It says it’s a Singer (obviously) Sewing Machine No.66. The copyright on the manual is 1915. The motor says it was patented May 22, 1971 1917 by Hamilton-Beach Mfg Co.