Volume 11 , Issue 44

Treadling On A Singer Redeye

Are there any Singer Treadlers out there? Have you ever tried treading on a Treadle sewing machine like your grandmother or great-grandmother might have used? Would you like to try?

Treadling on a Treadle sewing machine is lots easier than those dang electrically machines -- Treadles also conserve on electricity.

Quite a few months back I picked up a Singer Treadle machine to add to my own collection of Treadles. It was a Singer 66-1, serial number G0268595, sometimes called "Redhead" or "Redeye" that dates back to between 1924 thru 1926, has various gold ornamentation on it. The model 31 was similar to the design to the model 66.

The photo on the left shows the attachments that came with the Singer Model 66-1. Some are labeled and some are not. Have not ventured in to using each attachment yet, but gradually I will get it figured out.

Anyway ? I recently cleaned and oiled my new Singer treadle machine so this amateur treadler could begin to learn to treadle on a Singer. At first this treading was not as easy as it looked. If you aren't careful, you might find yourself sewing backwards and breaking threads. BUT ? once I got the hang and rhythm of it, the frustration ceased.

Operating Treadle & Machine

The instructions state, "First loosen the stop-action clamping screw, outside of the balance wheel. Then place your feet upon the treadle with the instep directly over its center; turn the balance-wheel toward you without the right hand while allowing the feet to move freely with the motion thus commenced. Continue this motion by an alternate pressure of the heel and toe until a regular and easy movement is obtained. Keeping the balance wheel going in a forward motion towards you.

It says do not attempt to learn to sew until you are proficient in the use of the treadle so that you can step and start it without turning the balance-wheel in the wrong direction.

After becoming familiar with the treadle movement, tighten the stop-motion clamping screw, raise the presser-foot with the lifter, start the balance-wheel towards you and continue the motion with the feet as described above.

After becoming proficient in this motion place a piece of cloth between the feed and presser foot, let the foot down upon it and operate the machine in this way until you have become accustomed to guiding the material.

Treadling Tips

I did go online in search of tips on "How To Teadle." NOW ? If I had only paid more attention to my Grandma Mary Barbara (Hurt) Paris when I was just a younger Spring chick. BUT ? how do we know to do that in our young innocent years when playing with our young cousins kept us occupied most of the time and out from under our parents gaze?

I doubt if any of us had lessons, unless it was from grandma. They say at some of the online treading web sites that you are not going to hurt the machine by using it. You might frustrate yourself, maybe ? but not ruin the machine. Treadling is a lot like roller skating or bicycling ? you learn by getting the feel of it, and that can only be done by wading in and falling a few times. BUT ? instead of falling, you might head backwards instead of making the wheel go forward.

To this NW Okie it seems a lot like coordinating your heel/toe movement and getting your instep position just right on the treadle so you can get your rhythm down pat.

Some say the suggested exercise is to remove the thread from the top and the bobbin from the machine. Start the hand wheel in the direction that would move the cloth forward. In other words turn the balance wheel towards you. With your feet on the treadle get the feel of the movement underneath your feet.

They also say, "Do whatever you have to do with your feet, either one or two, to keep the machine going."

Sew a bunch of imaginary seams on real pieces of cloth. Stop the machine, turn the work, etc., but without thread. Once you get used to that, thread it properly, put the bobbin back in and make sure the machine is threaded right and will make stitches. You can do that by hand, just turning the wheel by hand.

Are you ready to sew some seams? NOW ? they suggest you try back and forth, long seams. If you are ready, see how fast you can go. See how slowly you can go without losing the movement. Try some patterns, large squares gradually diminishing inwards ? circles the same.

How tiny can you get in the middle and still keep the seams evenly spaced, corners square or curves smooth?

You can try all this type of stuff by turning the wheel by hand and let the pressure of your foot act as a brake.

Another hint they talk about is ? "You can turn the wheel by putting your finger in a spoke, but DO NOT put it in too far ? trust me ? something will happen that hurts!"

The absolute best advice I found online was that when treading and finishing a seam, to end with the treadle pedal down at the front. When starting up again you push the pedal forward and this almost always starts the wheel in the correct, forward direction. Many sites have mentioned it. I have found it works! You can even watch the wheel out of the corner of your eye and catch it if it does go backwards.

Still another hint is to draw straight lines on typing paper, DO NOT thread the machine or bobbin and practice sewing along the straight lines. I found that if I take my eyes off the sewing area and glance towards the balance wheel, that I tend to drift off my line. Kind of like driving a car, huh?

If there are any professional treadlers out there reading this and thinks of something substantial to help all novice treadlers and beginners, please post your suggestions below.

We need all the treading help that we can find out there. I think I have mastered the the threading of the top thread and the bobbin, and fixing the length of the stitch. That was the easy part! I have not tried the other attachments that came with the Singer Model 66-1, yet! BUT ? I will get around to it! Treadling works best on a hardwood floor, also. The piles on todays rugs interfer with the peddling.

NOW ? I just need to learn to scratch my head and rub my tummy while I heel and toe the treadle on my Singer Model 66-1, Redeye. That is where my coordination and practice comes into play. Good exercise on the feet, ankles nod calves, also.
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