"Domestic" treadle

This was the treadle I got from my mom.  This was posted 3/11/2014.

I received my Domestic Treadle from my mother.  It had been stored in her silo for about 15 years.  Prior to that in storage elsewhere.  I never knew she had one until we were talking one day about me buying a sewing machine so I could start teaching beginning sewing.  I wanted my student/s to be able to have a machine to sew on in order to determine whether they were really interested in sewing.  With the knowledge of a sewing machine, they could then have a bit more knowledge when purchasing one for themselves.  In this conversation, she told me of her grandmother's treadle machine.  She said she had it and it was in the silo.  At that point I confiscated it and took it home with me to Oregon.  It was a couple of years later that I began reading a blog from Bonnie Hunter and saw all her vintage sewing machines. That was the fire that got me thinking of having my treadle serviced.

I've named her Belle after my great grandmother.  Mom told me that she received this machine as a gift from her husband shortly after they were married.  I looked up in our family history and they married in 1891.  This machine is at least 123 year old.

My service technician was having a hard time getting the screws to come loose that he said "We may just have to let this one go".  I said "Really"  Then he asked me what the story was and I told him.  I think at that point he tried very hard to get "Belle" working for me.  He did it and I'm so happy this machine can be kept for my second granddaughter.  She has a real passion for sewing so I think this has her name on it.