My planned project - and some questions

[Barb T]

I'm so glad you're putting all those tartan scraps to good use!!

Barb

[Tobus]

I'm so glad you're putting all those tartan scraps to good use!!

Barb

Thank you again for making them available! This patchwork blanket is my attempt to get my proverbial feet wet with machine sewing (I really haven't done it since I took Home Ec, circa 1986). If I'm successful and don't feel like throwing the whole thing in the river when I'm done, then I might plan to do a more complex project after that, using the smaller scraps that you sent me. Mainly the pleat cut-outs. That would be a lot of smaller work and more complex patterns, but I have some ideas for some really neat patterns to make the best use of them.

Anyway, I got my treadle Singer all cleaned up, oiled, and seemingly functional yesterday. There were plenty of spider webs, dirt dobber nests, lint, and caked up goo in there. But after cleaning it out and liberally applying penetrant oil, all the parts move smoothly. The presser foot was frozen in place, but after some soaking and gentle nudging with a hammer, it's good too. When I spin up the treadle wheel with the foot pedal, it runs by itself for a good 60 seconds before rocking to a stop. I love seeing old machinery come back to life! And as an engineer, I love seeing the design of the internal works. Such simplicity of design, and such thought put into making everything robust and serviceable.

Alas, I can't try sewing anything yet because I still don't have the new treadle belt or any bobbins. When those come in, I'll string it up and see how she does.

[Pleater]

I just took another look at the machine and I think there is a little rubber wheel missing from the bobbin winder - when in use the rubber wheel is in contact with the main machine wheel - it fits in the groove at the end of the winder.
You can improvise with rubber bands if necessary.

Anne the Pleater

[Tobus]

I just took another look at the machine and I think there is a little rubber wheel missing from the bobbin winder - when in use the rubber wheel is in contact with the main machine wheel - it fits in the groove at the end of the winder.
You can improvise with rubber bands if necessary.

Anne the Pleater

On the electric machine, the bobbin winder does get pushed up against the wheel. There's a rubber piece on there that needs replacing.

But on the treadle machine, as I understand it, the bobbin winder swings away from the main body of the machine so that the little wheel on the right side of the winder comes into contact with the treadle belt. There shouldn't be any rubber piece required.

I'm still waiting on the treadle belt to come in. My first one got lost in the mail, apparently. Just my luck. But once I get the silly belt on, I'll be testing it to make sure that bobbin winder works as intended.

[Pleater]

On the electric machine, the bobbin winder does get pushed up against the wheel. There's a rubber piece on there that needs replacing.

But on the treadle machine, as I understand it, the bobbin winder swings away from the main body of the machine so that the little wheel on the right side of the winder comes into contact with the treadle belt. There shouldn't be any rubber piece required.

I'm still waiting on the treadle belt to come in. My first one got lost in the mail, apparently. Just my luck. But once I get the silly belt on, I'll be testing it to make sure that bobbin winder works as intended.

Maybe just different models - it is difficult to see without the belt being on there, but yes, it does look as though the winder would connect with it.
The one we had from my Dad's mother was not electric, but the bobbin ran against the wheel not the belt. I had to repair the belt several times with cord as one of the holes through which the metal join passed had broken. I think that has to be the first thing I ever repaired.

Anne the Pleater

[Tobus]

I spent some time today cutting my tartan scraps into rough pieces so I could get a true count of how many I could use. Happily, I found another tartan that I hadn't included before. So I can now do this project with all Scottish clan tartans with government/regimental ties, and won't have to use substitutes like USMC. My next step will be to trim these down to 9.5"x9.5" squares, although I'm a bit intimidated by trying to get the tartan lines perfectly square.

At any rate, the tartans I'll be using are now (from left to right, top row then bottom row):
Campbell of Argyll, Gordon, Mackenzie/Seaforth (small sett), Robertson Hunting
Black Watch/Wilsons, Black Watch/Modern, Black Watch/Ancient, Sutherland



I've decided to size up my project a bit and eliminate the outer sashing/border. The reason is because I want the binding material to touch the tartan like it does on a military kilt. With the sashing, there's separation and the effect isn't quite the same. Since that shrank my blanket a bit by removing the outer sashing, I will make it wider by one row of tartan patches. The new measurement should be 75"x86".

I'm currently in "negotiations" with my wife about this project. She likes everything about it except the bright green twill tape binding. Despite it being a traditional military colour, she hates it and says it's not going on our bed with that binding. If I can't change her mind (who am I kidding?), I may end up compromising to a khaki/olive colour binding, if I can find it. Worst case, black. There's also a case to be made for blue twill tape. All of these colours have been used on military kilts at some point.

[Barb T]

To be honest, I have to agree with her. It's not a military kilt, and the meaning would be lost on virtually anyone looking at the quilt. Most people would have their eyes drawn to what they would see as a garish green border and wonder why you chose a color that didn't go with the beautiful dark and muted shades of the tartan squares. And I'm sure that you would want people to look at the kilt itself, not obsess about the border.

[Tobus]

Well, you've done it now, Barb! You gave my wife all the "I told you so" she needed! I guess I'm on the hunt now for khaki wool twill tape.

[Pleater]

I am 'Pleater' due to my making of English smocks, and I constructed the flat parts using either the old Singer treadle, or a hand cranked 'Gamages' table top model.

Both machines were perfectly happy to work on small margins - I joined the pieces wrong side together with a quarter inch seam, then turned then right sides together and enclosed the edge with a second line of stitching, which is how the standard 5/8ths on an inch seam allowance came about, I suspect.

When properly put together, clean and oiled, then adjusted to suit the sewing you are doing there is nothing like the old Singer treadle for eating up the seams.
As you have such fine control of the mechanism you can, with a bit of practice, sew continuously sorting out minor problems on the fly, where with an electric driven one you'd need to stop and maybe unpick, or have some pieces which can't be rescued, with the treadle your output is usually better in many ways.

Anne the Pleater