This bag ended up being finished off on my 1930's singer treadle sewing machine because my Diamond & overlocker decided they didn't like the fabric.I decided to finish this UFO( 1 of 3 identical bags ) after husband lost another one of the shopping bag a few weeks ago.Now I realise why they were never finished ,the fabric is some sort of backed curtain or blind material which I've used before without any trouble but this time the backing kept on sticking to the machine needle ,even though I was cleaning the needle clean with metho & had the teflon foot on the machine.Using the overlocker to join the seams I ended up having a strip of newspaper under one side of the foot.Sewing the strap on using the Diamond the whole thing lifted up together- yes the presser foot was down- thats when the treadle came out.Even though it hadn't been used for years ,it sewed the strap on perfectly didn't stick ,I just had to get the treadling motion right.

Love the "Oldies but Goodies"...makes you wonder what has happened to our manufacturing quality as we move forward...

Wow! I went through 5 machines in a day, I wish I had a treadle. I have never used one.

looks great

Beautiful

Lovely bag and I love your story about using a treadle machine. I have my grandmother's machine. I never learned to sew on it. The belt was rotten and my husband bought a new belt but it has never been put on the machine. Learning how to sew on is always on my to do list. I now have granddaughters who want to learn. :) Becky in Texas soon to be Arkansas

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by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

The belt isn't that hard to put on , it may need to be shortened a bit for a firm fit but leather belts last a lot longer that rubber belts that are on the older electric machines

Love it great job hugs

It certainly is an advantage to have your old workhorse around. well done. ~hugs~

Love the oldies but goodies and the flair of modern. The stitches are perfect and the bag is great!

You just can't beat the quality of long ago.

I love the horror tag. lol! It looks great, those old machines can come in pretty handy! Very nice work!

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by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

It was a horror because it took a few weeks to make 3 bags until I thought to give the treadle a try.Every time it went wrong, I cleaned the needle & gave up.

Well done!
Hugs, Lidia

I like the bag - it looks like a really good useful shopping tote - but what a surprise that the bigger, newer machine couldn't handle that fabric since I would expect that's exactly what they should do these days. I'm betting you're glad you kept your old treadle.
I have two treadle machines, one very old on an old wooden chassis, not the wrought iron one that we normally see. This old dinosaur has the most perfect stitch I've ever seen and it goes like a dream, quiet and so easy to work. While I don't use it as such any more it is by far my favourite machine for machine piecing of blocks for quilts. It has only the straight stitch but that stitch works wonders and I have complete control of it. The only reason I don't use it now is because the machine also provides a lovely sideboard for my CD player/radio thingy that makes wonderful, soothing music while I sew. Better still, this old non-electric friend has been taken out onto the deck on a sunny day - not recently I hasten to add - and afforded hours of fun and pleasure for me.
My other treadle which is a normal Singer treadle machine really did sew leather goods by the previous owner. It, too, has a brilliant stitch.
I love the old machines and DHDon and I have a small collection of the oldies, hand-cranked and electric. I used one hand-cranked 'portable' Singer (one with a rounded wooden cover) for five months in PNG while I waited to get to a big centre to get a new modern machine. I put it on the floor and sat cross-legged, cranking away to make curtains for our aluminium house, and school shorts and dresses for the children.
AlmaG.

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by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

I use this treadle as a table for my overlocker & the draws for sewing treads.A few years ago the belt broke & we had no trouble in buying a new one from the Bernina shop who had a few on the wall ,which surprised me I thought they would be had to find locally.I have a ruffler foot for it which I still use because the Diamond ruffler was so expensive

by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

It may have had something to do with the hot humid weather, making the coated side sticky

Don't you just love these oldies. They were made to last. I get my oldies out once a year - advice from the man who services my contemporary machines. And they all still work perfectly. But the old treadle I was given a couple of years ago needs to get serviced properly as it had been in a shed for years.

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by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

I was given this as a child in the 50's to learn to sew on.

Guess that proves there still are oldies but goodies around!! Good job..both you AND your treadle!

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by killiecrankie 20 Mar 2014

Thank you .Machines were made of heavy metal in those days.I've seen one adapted to sew leather shoes