Ins and Outs

Yesterday I said goodbye to an old friend. That's right, I sold one of my first treadles that I never thought I'd let go but it was time to say goodbye.

Minnesota S treadle

I have loved this 3/4 sized treadle and its compact cabinet but I found I rarely used it and I'm not a fan of the vibrating shuttle type of sewing machine. Because it was in such good condition I thought it might sell easily but I got a phone call only 5 hours after posting plus she wanted the sewing box I just listed, too:

Sewing box opens up to 52 inches!

The buyer came over after work, at least an hour away, and just loved it. She was looking for a treadle with a cabinet that was in better shape than one she already bought and this one certainly was in good shape with no white rings on the top or chipped veneer. There is a bit of raised veneer on the top but I think glue in a syringe could fix that.

All closed up

Note in the first photo there isn't a leather belt but it sports one of the plastic tubes I have used on treadles and still prefer. They easily pop off and on, don't distort, and so far haven't gotten brittle.  She sat down and tried to coordinate the wheel movement with her feet and it was obvious she hadn't done this before and was a bit frustrated. It does take time but like riding a bike, once you learn you don't forget it. Here's the compact insides of this treadle:

Head down with treadle mechanism intact

Everything is contained inside the box so it seems to keep clean and those exposed treadles can be a nuisance to dust! The sewing box was sold because I found another one that was in better shape so I transferred my stuff into it and decked the old one with a set of sewing supplies so it could make a nice gift. So it was bye-bye to the Minnesota S and a full sewing box all very quickly. Hey, it even fit into the back seat of her car! I think she will find herself practicing that treadle movement and get it right very soon.

So what took its place? Nothing. We just moved the sofa back into place and enjoyed more space in the living room.

Okay, that's not quite truthful. I wanted another machine in a cabinet and when my husband said where-are-you-going-to-put-it I confessed I was ready to sell the Minnesota. Now in front of the cabinet in the living room I'm back to three cabinets in front of it as they welcome a Singer 115:

Singer 115 dated 1921, year of my father's birth

For her age she is in very good shape, has a motor with some wiring that only needs to be freshened up, and a table that only needs a bit of sanding and maybe linseed oil. Here's a close-up of the center decal:

Singer 115 Tiffany decals

This sewing machine typically had Tiffany decals, as this one does, along with a large spoked handwheel but mine is electric so it has the solid handwheel. Note the small dial for stitch length: there's a lot of guess work going on there (plus no backstitch)! All in all, she's a beauty even if she came without a slide plate over the bobbin and is missing the spool holder. Those items are easily found (note I already tacked on the slide plate), and she came with her original manual and two bobbins! Am I going to keep her? Probably not but I think being able to move the sewing machines out that I no longer use is a good sign. Does this indicate I'm really not a horder? I hope so but don't go into my the basement. There are stories down there.