When my sister and I cleaned out our parents’ home, we
had to make many decisions about what to do with all the stuff. Which things
are truly “valuable” and which have only sentiment in their favor? Should we
sell it, keep it, or throw it away? To help ensure a future for our family’s
heirlooms, I plan to leave a booklet for my daughters telling the stories of
what they will inherit one day. (Not TOO soon, I hope!) With this challenge I
begin my book of Heirlooms.
is for Singer sewing machine which belonged to my
great-grandmother. Since Mary Frances Jollett Davis was my mother’s
favorite grandmother, she always intended to do something special with it. As
it turns out, she never did, and so the sewing machine sat in the garage for
years while other things just got piled on top.
 |
| Singer that belonged to my great-grandmother Mary Frances Jollett Davis |
Now I have it. For
a time, the Singer was just a home to piles of “stuff” in my house too. Like mother,
like daughter. However, I finally got around to redoing the room over the
garage as my “Gene Cave,” in other words, the room where I have my computer for
genealogy research and blogging. The sewing machine serves as a table prominently
placed under all the photos of grandparents and great grandparents.
Notice the
intricate patterns in the face plate:
According to a
“Machine Dating” chart online, Mary Frances’s machine was built about 1923.
It’s called a “Red Head” or “Red Eye” machine because of the beautiful red and
gold ornamentation.
Mary Frances must
have eased and pushed and shoved a lot of fabric through here over the years to
wear away the finish. Most of these models did not have a reverse. I guess hers
didn't either. So far, I don’t see any reverse button that I’m familiar with on
modern sewing machines.
I wonder what she
was making with this last spool of thread.
I hope that one
day one of my daughters will be thrilled to own her great-great-grandmother’s
Singer treadle sewing machine. And then maybe one day one of my grandbabies will
look at that machine and proclaim, “I think it was my
great-great-GREAT-grandmother’s sewing machine. I remember seeing that thing in
my grandmother’s gene cave under the pictures of all those old people.”
Wendy
© 2018, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
My mother-in-law had one just like that. We often wonder what happened to it. We still have a singer but not a treadle machine.
ReplyDeleteMY sewing machine was a Singer but I sold it when Momma gave me her machine so she could get a new one.
DeleteI'm so happy you've treasured your great-grandmothers Singer like this. I have an old treadle Singer, but it's one I got from an antique store, so I don't have any family history to associate with it.
ReplyDeleteGreat A to Z post!
Well ya know, if you have a history, you have an obligation. It might be easier for your family to dispose of it after you’re gone. Pleasant thought, I know.
DeleteI have my grandmother's treadle sewing machine. You are right, they have such beautiful details! I remember her making doll clothes for my dolls. I also love your family photo arrangement!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what was made on this machine. I wonder if the quilts were made on it.
DeleteWhat a great treasure to have!
ReplyDeleteJanet’s Smiles
Thanx!
DeleteJust like the radio in its time, the sewing machine was a piece of furniture. Your's is one of the nicest I've seen! My mom was the only family member I know that had a Singer (or any) sewing machine. She made most of my clothes and hers, and all kinds of crafty things with it. My grandmother was not very domestic, couldn't cook or sew, she owned her own company and my grampa did all the cooking. Her sister did beautiful work, but all by hand, perfect even stitches.
ReplyDeleteI was going to one day put this in a blog post... but you might get a kick out of it...
Singer Sewing Machine Manuals
Scroll down to Suggested Pages
My A to Z Genealogy Challenges
You can find the most unusual things! I can’t figure out how to know if one of these manuals matches my machine, but I did like the list of attachments. I remember the button holer being separate, and I also remember my mom’s NEW machine having the button holer built in. We thought we were swanky!
DeleteI have a Singer red eye but, sadly, it came from a second-hand store and is not from my own family. My grandmother had a treadle machine that had been converted to electric by the time I came along. My aunt claimed the house and everything in it after my grandmother died. I have no idea what happened to her old Singer.
ReplyDeleteThis one look so well-used, Wendy. Mary Frances must have sewn every item in her home including clothing, bedding, and curtains! Or maybe she sewed for others to earn money? What a great post -- and lucky you to own your great-grandmother's Singer!
I wonder what was involved in converting a treadle to electric. I suppose it was cheaper than buying new but still quite a luxury.
DeleteMy grandmother had a treadle sewing machine. I think one of my cousins has or had it. It was just a plain one though. I had one my husband found somewhere but it didn't make the move south.
ReplyDeleteWhen I quit sewing I gave my machine away. I can’t imagine my daughters feeling any regret in years to come.
DeleteMy grandmother had one like this too. It is indeed beautiful with the details. Wonder though how they managed without a reverse button. We take so much for granted these days with our conveniences, don't we?
ReplyDeletebetty
I saw a YouTube of a guy sewing with a Red Eye. He just stopped, pushed the material back like starting over. I suppose you could also just turn the material around. Usually you just backstitch at the beginning and end of a seam.
DeleteWonderful memories to treasure forever! :) I enjoyed reading your post. :)
ReplyDeleteJui Positive Cookies
Thanks!
DeleteI learned to sew on a Singer, electric, not treadle, and you just turned your cloth around by releasing the pressure plate, and then could back-stitch. My sister had a treadle Singer when she lived up in the mountains and had no elec. I don't know if she ever used it however. Your's is a very beautiful piece of furniture!
ReplyDeleteI learned on a Singer too. If this one had a belt, it doesn’t seem like it would be hard to work. Maybe my legs would get tired. Lack of close light could be an issue.
DeleteNice story! My great aunt and my grandmother both had treadle machines that they were given in exchange for sewing bandages during World War I (at least one of them was a White machine). I learned how to sew on my great aunt's machine (and to this day, can only go forwards and backwards when I sew with a machine). Their machines were long gone, but I did buy one at an antique store about 30 years ago for $100.00. I've never used it, but it has all its parts (the belt is broken, but it's in a drawer).
ReplyDeleteMy mom’s very last sewing machine was a White New Home with all the bells and whistles.
DeleteLove the history of getting a machine for sewing bandages.
That machine is a beauty. I learned to sew on a treadle much like that (does that date me?) Love your theme.
ReplyDeletehttp://shirleyjdietz.com/2018/04/23/a-to-z-selling-our-house-letter-t
Hey, if it works, why buy an electric? I can imagine many people held on to an old treadle rather than be fashionable with the latest and greatest new machine.
DeleteI have a sewing machine that looks much like this but I bought it rather than inherited it. I've had it for close to 30 years and don't know that I've ever opened it up to see the actual machine. Yours is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWell open it! You are too funny.
DeleteAwwww, you know I'm loving this post. A Treadle Singer Red Eye...man, it does not get any better. I have one...in the garage...piled high with 'stuff'...gotta get it running. Never know...we might go 'Off Grid' and I can not do without a sewing machine! LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteI never thought about it, but I betcha SOMEBODY still sells belts for treadle sewing machines. Who knows - I might be able to repair a seam now and then.
Delete