Monday, August 20, 2012

Good, bad and OMG!!

It has been a day of many, many things.  First, it was my last day of vacation.  Nevertheless, I had to go in to work for a few hours to help out.  Well, I didn't HAVE to go but they were shorthanded and swamped.  So, I took the risk to leave my MIL home alone for a few hours with a few tasks that were fairly harmless (sorting socks and re-organizing my linen closet).
V got home at lunchtime, just before I got home from work (I worked 9-1).  It is SO, SO nice to have him home. He went on a winery tour with one of his sisters while he was in PA and got me a present:
Isn't that a hoot! Especially since I run therapy groups.  Of course, I don't think I'll be wearing this one to work- and not because the design is in little rhinestones.
The bad news is that V's mom found out that her car now won't be ready until THURSDAY! Last week they told her it would be done tomorrow.  So she is here for a few more days.  At least V is home.

But now for the OMG news!!!  I am so, so psyched about this.  Late Saturday night I was perusing Craigslist and stumbled across something that made my heart skip a beat.  I contacted the seller and was the first caller.  The transaction was made this afternoon.
Here she is-  I have yet to name her
 This is a Damascus Rotary Treadle sewing machine.
They were sold by Montgomery Ward (primarily, although evidently other department stores also carried these or similar ones), manufactured by the National Sewing Machine Company in Illinois. (oops, I took the photo before I had the drawers back in- I must have been impatient)
I've been trying to find out information about this particular model but have been having no luck.
Everything I can find is about machines that are labeled simply Damascus or Damascus Grand (the top of the line model).  This one doesn't seem to have any information out there about it.
I do have the serial number but there evidently aren't any records from the company that are available.  sigh...   If anyone can give me information or point me to a spot I may have missed I'd appreciate it.
This machine was being sold by a young woman who inherited it from her great-grandmother but is moving and doesn't have room for it.  It came complete with an entire drawer of attachments (evidently a $.75 value in the 20's) and the instruction manual (sadly missing the cover and hence, the date).  But it is in working order.  The only thing I'm missing are needles.  I'll have to do some more research to find out about those.
I have wanted a treadle machine for a long time and every time I have previously tried to get one I was too late.  Mom has an old treadle machine and I remember using it as a child when all three of us girls were trying to finish 4-H projects at the same time.  Whoever only had to straight stitch used the treadle machine.
And, yes, I know... I was fiscally irresponsible.  I spent $150 on this machine that could have well gone to other things.  But I'm so, so, so excited about it.  It is absolutely beautiful.  Now I guess I have to let V get some trains when we go to Old Thresher's in a couple of weeks.  Turn about is fair play.  But even he thinks it's a pretty cool machine.
And now I can sew if the power goes out- and get some exercise at the same time.  In my research I stumbled across several accounts of quilters who try a treadle machine and never to back.  We'll see.....

25 comments:

  1. Oh wow, congratulations on your treadle machine. What a beauty. It sure looks to be in good condition. Having all those attachments is priceless! You'll have to blog about it again when you get a chance to use it.

    (Sorry about your MIL's extended "vacation" with you. :o( )

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    1. Isn't it gorgeous!? It is in great shape. Even after all this time it is well oiled and the belt is still tight. There are a few dings in the cabinet but that is to be expected for something that was obviously used and used well.

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    2. I have bought a top like the one you have, does not have legs etc. It has a wooden plate that the sewing head sets in and the whole plate dropw down by a cable when the lid is closed. If yours has a cable, could you take a picture of the way it is hooked to the wooden plate so I may hook mine up. All I have is the cable.
      wanttopreach@gmail.com

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  2. So lucky...I've been trying to find a treadle cabinet that I can put a new manual sewing machine in.

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    1. I've been looking for one of these for quite a while (at least a couple of years) and finally found it.

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    2. You must be a lucky charm because I found one! But now that I have it I want to keep the antique sewing machine instead of buying a new one. :)

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  3. What a truly sewing machine! You were meant to have it the way it came about - karma! I like the idea about something for you, something for him - I believe I am owed a few things around here!

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    1. Oops - Left out the word - magnificent!!

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    2. I think you're right. At least if this young lady is going to part with a family heirloom it is going to someone who will love it and not just a collector.

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  4. OMG is right! I would have gladly forked over the $ for that beauty! I am still looking here....the good news is that you will be elsewhere for the majority of the next two days. And V will be spending quality time with his mother.

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    1. I think V questioned my sanity until it was delivered. He couldn't believe I wanted to spend that much on something like this.

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  5. My Mums has one of these and I absolutely cannot wait until she decides she no longer needs/has room for it. :)

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    1. My Mom has one as well but there is no way I would ask for it.

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  6. Oh my goodness is that BEAUTIFUL! I wouldn't have flinched to even pay a bit more (and I'm a tightwad!!), so enjoy your new beauty :)

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    1. At the price it was an easy decision. More and I probably would have thought about it longer and would have likely lost it. So, it was the right price at the right time.

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  7. Replies
    1. Isn't it!! I'm so excited to get needles and really try it out.

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  8. It's beautiful! I got a beauty on Craigslist too, a Minnesota Model A manual machine for $40! The grandson had refinished the cabinet and cleaned it up and it even had the manual in the drawer along with a bunch of other stuff, the only bad part is that the stand is broken. We have it but we haven't found anyone to do the metalsmithing necessary to repair it since the ironwork is a specialty not found in the suburbs LOL, we'll keep toting it around until we find someone!

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  9. i just got the same machine and need a manual and bobbin case. have you found any information yet?
    thank you
    alex

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    1. Hi Alex- no, I haven't been able to find any information. But I do have the manual. I could probably copy it and send it to you as a PDF. Send me an email. As for the bobbin case, I've got two but I'm not sure I'm willing to part with one. There are a few places that sell parts for old machines- you could try them.

      Judy

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  10. I stumbled upon your blog as I am looking for info on Damascus treadle machines. Do you use and like yours? The one I'm looking at also has the tension dial in the front like yours. Some info I found on Damascus machines are the vibrating shuttle machines and the tension dial is on the left side, on the face plate. So I thought the one I'm looking at is probably similar to yours...

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    1. I don't use mine as often as I would like. I really need to designate some time to get the treadling motion down because I'm not smooth enough to really sew. I had a terrible time finding any information on this model- probably the same problem you're having. But it is a beautiful machine!

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  11. Hi, I stumbled upon your blog as I'm looking for info on Damascus treadle machines. Do you use and like yours? The only info I could find so far was for Damascus vibrating shuttle machines. Yours, you state is rotary. The one I'm looking at also has the tension dial on the front, so I'm thinking it's like yours....

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Glad you stopped in. I would love to hear from you.