About twenty years ago, I bought a treadle sewing machine for $25 because I thought it looked cool, and I liked old things. I managed to unfreeze it and fit it with a belt so it turned. But I didn't know how to find the correct presser foot or needle, so it remained a quaint plant stand for a while. After some time I discovered that the Internet was a thing, and there were all sorts of crazy sewing machine enthusiasts in the world. I started doing a little research with my treadle in mind, but soon fell into the abyss of vintage sewing machines in general. The treadle waited. In my quest for knowledge and more Singers, I stumbled across the missing foot and needles, but never put all the pieces together.Until this January. In the process of organizing my sewing room, I reintroduced the old girl, a Singer 9W, to her missing parts and some oil. I found a threading diagram and gave it a shot. In her shock, she produced about half an inch of confused bobbin tension, then collected herself and sewed a beautiful seam with no adjustment needed. "It's about time," she said. I have no idea how long she sat idle before I bought her, but she was always ready to do what she was made for, and do it very well. That's why I love old machines.
