Monday, March 3, 2014

Grandma's treadle machine - Hyde Park

I admit that for years I kept my husbands grandmother's old treadle machine because the cabinet was pretty. It made a good table and had sentimental value. For decades it has sat around, a place for a lamp and for the the cat to sit as he looked out the window.. The machine never saw the light of day.


After following Bonnie Hunter, and seeing her vintage machines, I became curious. We opened up the old girl, and then thought what the heck kind of a machine is this. The name on the front says Hyde Park. It is patented in June 1897. There is a plate with the number L6223.  I do not think it is made by Singer. As Singer is no where on the machine.

Shall I call her Ambole, after my husband's grandmother?

There is no name on the treadle. My research seems to indicate that Singer was on Singer treadles.

No name here either



Still good advice today:


I have the manual, but the cover is missing. (Which probably could have told me who manufactured the machine).  The instructions are priceless and still relevant today.

" It is necessary for the learner to first become familiar with the machine (without taking it apart, for that will only cause annoyance)......With reasonable care and a little patience you will have no trouble getting good results.

Further readering...." If you will read and follow directions carefully, you will find yourself the possessor of one of the best sewing machines in the world. It is simple in construction and requires little or no changing for doing any kind of work.

Finally - Do not tamper with the adjustments of the machine.  Serious trouble is always sure to result from any unnecessary meddling with the working parts.

My husband remembers his grandmother and aunt using this machine. The thought of using a treadle sounded fun, even my granddaughter is curious about it. But I think we are way over our head here.

First the bobbin:
This little thing is the bobbin. 




Can you imagine how many times you would have to rewind this bobbin to do one of Bonnie's quilts?
Bobbin are in front of cabinet.

The Automatic Bobbin Winder


As best as I can figure. the wound bobbin goes into the shuttle. I have not gotten any further in my understanding.  The manual does have detailed instructions for oiling the machine. I am considering this and just playing around to see if I can get it to sew. They where very specific about the kind of needles to use. Who knows what that would relate to in today's needles.

A close up of the shuttle from the manual.

There is an Singer replacement belt in one of the drawers. We have not tried to attach it yet.
I do think that this must have been very advanced for it's time. It came with attachments that could do narrow hemming, felling, hemstitching, hemming and sewing on lace, and wide  hemming. There is an attachment called the Tucker, and the Binder. Impressive!


Still pretty after all these years.

The final puzzling fact is that on page 14 of the manual is a picture of the machine, but the name on the picture is Aviator. Mine absolutely says Hyde Park. I an not sure what the connection is. One thing for sure is that there is beauty in the old machines. I'd love to hear from anyone who knows about these thing. Thanks for checking in.


 


2 comments:

  1. Sorry, I don't know anything about the machine but it surely is beautiful.
    Lillian

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  2. Only Hyde Park I know of is Hyde Park in Chicago. Don't know if there was a sewing machine company there or not, but Chicago was quite a manufacturing town way back when.

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