How to use Most Common Vintage Antique Treadle Sewing Machine Attachments and Accessories 

Thank you for your very kind (and amusing!) comment. :) So pleased that the video was of assistance to you.

Thank you for your lovely comment!

This video is beautifully done and was very easy to follow. Great job. South, aside from using the manuals that came with the original machines and/or accessories, sewing was a skill that was most often "passed down" by mother to daughter in ye olde days as part of the domestic training for when the young girl would one day marry and thus be expected to run a household of her own. My grandmother, who was born in 1911, was a very talented seamstress. She taught my mom (b. 1942), and later her granddaughters (all b. 1970s), when each of us were in our early-to-mid teens. I'm sitting here today, reviving my old skills after a few decades of non-sewing, to take a refresher course on which attachment did what function. The ultimate irony? I have a Singer 301A, a Singer 15-95, and a Singer 15-30 "sphinx" treadle machine, which are all machines on which I was trained, and which I got as I came across them in the past year or so. Can I use a modern machine? Sure, but the new machines, with their plastic innards and admittedly weak motors, can't handle heavier fabrics the way the old Singers can. The older machines are also much easier to work on: all metal parts, with straightforward and easy maintenance.

I'm so delighted that you found this video useful. What a lovely story of your machines' histories ❤️ Thank you so very much for sharing! I agree wholeheartedly with you on the topic of modern machines. There's just something so wonderfully trustworthy and reliable about the old darlings. Thank you again!

There had to be women's sewing and quilting clubs in the days before youtube, it all was a skill grandma taught her daughter who taught her daughter, most men were not part of that as it was considered "womans' work", but it was men that didnt sew who invented and designed the machine and attachments oddly enough!! I want to use my SInger 101 to make some curtains, it will be a good first time project too since I've never really did any work with a sewing machine.

@HobbyOrganist Absolutely - gatherings of women for sewing and quilting is a very well documented occurrence. Curtains are an excellent project to start with! I wish you much enjoyment and every possible success :)

How amazing!! Thank you so much for stopping by and for the kind words.

My pleasure! I'm always happy to be able to help demystify these marvelous attachments :)

You'll have so much fun! Watching the results come to life under the needle is absolutely amazing.

They're such amazing tools! So glad that I could add to your knowledge and understanding. Have fun :)

Thank you so much for your feedback!

That is amazing!! I'm so glad that you didn't get rid of any of them, and delighted that I could be instrumental in you learning how to use them :)

Yeah, it's a relief to find out their uses. I have a number of them too. They were left by my great aunt

That's great. Have fun :)

I'm so pleased that this video was useful to you! Thank you for taking the time to comment :) It can be tricky to create content on items that have been around for over a century without just regurgitating everyone else's contributions... so I'm really glad that there was something new for you here.

Thanks, Eliane. There are some videos showing the attachments without demonstrations ... And some showing attachment demonstrations by name ... But I figured that many people don't know what the attachments are called (they just have a drawer full of metal like in the opening sequence!) ... so a full descriptive, in-depth, demonstration video might be useful :)

No ruler needed, if you have a Quilter! I am Brazilian and fell in love with sewing machines, last year. And thanks to the Market Place, many people were selling them, and attachments, and Manuals.

Excellent!!

They are nasty little things 🤣 And it's amazing just how much added frustration can be caused if the scroll isn't curled correctly. But I'm glad that you found this video helpful. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment :)

I agreed. They seem so simple but stubborn at the same time.

You're welcome! Thanks for the comment :)

Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm glad that I met my objective and that you gained some insight. All the best.

Thank you so much for your feedback :) I'm glad that the instructions were clear.

How wonderful! I wish you much happiness with your machine, and I am glad that my video could teach you about the attachments :)

This is wonderful! I'm so pleased that my video could help you use your gadgets :) Thank you for taking the time to comment

How kind of you to leave such a lovely comment. Thank you for this and for the subscription! :) I'm so glad that you feel able to use your attachments after watching this video.

@@24Washington Most welcome!!!

You're very welcome :) So glad that it was of use to you.

What a delightful comment to read as the start to my day!! I'm so pleased to know that my video has had a positive impact on another person :) Thank you ever so much for taking the time to include so many details with your kind words. I truly appreciate them.

How wonderful to find this video, I have many of these attachments that belong to my early 1900 treadle machine, inherited from my Great Grandmother. Perhaps now I can put them to some use.

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! It's truly wonderful to have been able to shed some light on an attachment for you :) If I'm understanding your 3rd sentence correctly, I think the difficulty with the calculations for ruffled material is that much depends on your stitch length. So many of the older machines didn't have numbered stitch length settings (only a sliding post or even a screw)... not to mention that the ruffler itself has an unnumbered depth adjustment. So much can vary. Being able to give a clear formula for needed lengths of trim becomes rather difficult. The best thing I can suggest would be to try to ruffle some scrap "ribbon" (strips of material joined end-to-end, pre-marked in 1-ft increments?) over top of a different 1-foot piece of fabric. This would give you a fairly good estimation of trim needed per foot of under-fabric. I hope this makes sense. Thanks again!

Fantastic!!! So glad this could help you.

Thank you so much for this delightful comment. It's so wonderful to have provided information that continues to help others :)

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Rolled hems ... hahaha I think you've summarised the outcome for most! The attachment is most definitely fiddly and finicky!

You're so very welcome!

Brilliant!!!!! You're very welcome, and thank you for taking the time to comment :)

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment. I'm so glad that the information was pertinent to you. It's always such a delight to know that my content continues to educate and inspire people :)

What a lovely message. Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment! :)

Yes! Attachments exist for so many functions and machines :)

Yes, it's been a while and I am truly so sorry!! Thank you so much for sticking around. I deeply appreciate your lovely comment. Always feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Take care :)

It'd be an outrageous garment for sure, where every last attachment was used!!! 🤭

I'm so pleased that you found it useful. Thank you for taking the time to comment :)

@@24Washington Looking around I found that I have an edging foot, adjustable hemmer, binder and tuck marker that I didn't know how to use ! GREAT ! Thank you !

Thank you for your kind comment :) I'm so pleased you enjoyed and learned from this video.

You are very welcome! Thank you for such a kind comment.

Wonderful! Thank you for stopping by and for leaving a comment.

Wonderful! I'm glad you found this useful. Good luck on your project.

Wonderful! I'm always delighted to see how far my videos can travel across the world :) So glad that you found the information to be useful. Thank you for leaving a comment.

@@24Washington It may sound incredible but I bought many rare -almost-new Singer attachments from an old provider. What I love most are the ruffler and the roll hemmer. I use them a lot for making ballet tutus with my vintage zig zag Singer. I even use the treadle!

That's so amazing!! Congratulations :) I love my treadle machines SO much. I'm so happy to hear of another machine being well used.

Thanks for the comment and subscription! So pleased that this content was useful to you :)

@@24Washington It most definitely was, thank you. I have a herd of Iron Ladies and tons of attachments. I was using them but not efficiently. Excellent content. More more more xo

You're most welcome :)

Brilliant!! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this feedback :) So glad the video was useful to you.

Ahh - yes - that would have been a good one to add! Thank you for this observation, and I hope you are successful in working it out :)

You are very welcome. And congrats on your find! I haven't done any basic instructionals on using the shuttle/bullet bobbins, but perhaps I should do in the future :)

Thank you :) I'm so pleased it was useful to you

@@24Washington Did you see my question on the next post.

Thank you so much! Nice to see you again :)

Awww. So glad to be able shed some light on the topic! Attachments are so much fun.

Excellent! Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm so pleased that it has been useful to so many people!

That's wonderful! So pleased to be able to help :)

Terrific find! I have a knee lift on my vintage 'industrial' 31-15, and always miss it when I return to my domestic.

Wonderful! I wish you the very best of luck.

Excellent! I'm so glad that you know what some of the bits are, now.

I have a separate video at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MEC4GVOfLs8.html about using the darning tool that Singer made (though I don't use the Singer made darning foot). I think I've seen a two different variations (though they may be more) - one with a smaller eye at the base, and one larger. Best thing is to research the stamped part numbers to verify exactly what they are. I love finding attachments in drawers. Each new machine is an exciting new opportunity :)

Good luck!!

Thank you!

I'm so glad that you found this video useful. I made it precisely because I am also a visual learner and sometimes struggle getting my head around instructions. Thanks for the feedback, and good luck on your use of the attachments!

@@24Washington thank you kindly.

How fun! They can be treasures :)

I'm so pleased to have been able to contribute this video to the sewing machine knowledge banks, and am glad that it was useful to you :) Thank you for your comment!

Thank you for your lovely comment!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and found it useful.

Thank you for this comment!! Button holders are such amazing devices. They have an interesting progression in design development all of their own.

I also found such a green Singer case, but it appears to an industrial sewing machine walking foot, no manual yet. Is your buttonholer functional?

Thank you for your lovely comment. I'm so pleased that it was informative for you!

Thanks for the comment. I'm glad to have been able to shed some light on them :)

You're so welcome. Thanks for stopping by :)

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for your comment. How wonderful to have your mother's treadle! I would imagine that only the top tension would need to be adjusted. But it's also possible that the machine just needs a good oiling. Try using it slowly and you might be surprised! Good luck :)

So glad you found it helpful :) Thank you for taking the time to comment!

@@24Washington i have lots of feet but don't know how to use half of them. The instructions that shows how to use some of the feet was written by someone who knew how to use it, expecting everyone else to know what they were talking about, and the illustrations are terrible, lol.

Haha. I hear you loud and clear.

Thank you so much for your very lovely compliment! I'm so pleased that the information was beneficial to you!

Thank you kindly! I knew you immediately from having viewed your content before :) Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

You're very welcome!! Thanks for stopping by :)

So glad you enjoyed it :) Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you :) Glad you found it useful

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! My sincere thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment.

Excellent!!! I'm so glad that I included this information :)

Wonderful! I'm glad to have been able to help. I hope you can put the information to good use :)

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I'm so pleased that the video gave you some help :)

@@24Washington It sure did Thanks again

Thanks for the comment. It's excellent to know that this video helped provide you with needed information. Good luck with your sewing experience! Vintage machines are wonderful :)

Great! Thanks for the feedback :)

You're welcome :)

You're so welcome!

Thank you for such a lovely message, Ed :) I'm so glad that you are enjoying the videos and how wonderful that you are giving new life to your Standard sewing machine! Congrats. I am a very busy homeschooling/gardening/working-from-home mother, so unfortunately I do not have the opportunity to present videos as frequently as I might like. It is very meaningful when people like you offer their kind words of appreciation. Thanks again.

I'm so glad that my video could give you some confidence to explore your attachments! Thank you for your comment :)

Excellent! I'm glad that the information was useful.

You're very welcome :)

Many thanks for your kind comment :)

The accessories are so diverse and so fascinating.

@@24Washington I have been keeping an eye out for the Singer tin sets and helping another with researching them. I have the 1887 peerless button hole attachment for the VS2 and keeping that eye out for the peerless embroidery attachments, would love to find either a single or double spool one for the VS2. Love to see them work. I think i have most of the rufflers.

Thank you for your comment :) So pleased you enjoyed the video.

You are welcome dear 🌹 💕

How wonderful that this video can help people all across the world! Thank you so much for your comment and I hope you enjoy your machine AND attachments!

So pleased that this video helped you :)

That's so lovely! Thank you for taking the time to comment. It's great to know that my videos can reach beyond Singer machine users. :) Wishing you all the best for your sewing machine adventures.

@@24Washington Pretty sure Singer folk like you are going to be the best source of information for me, so thanks again for such a straightforward and clear video. While some of them were obvious, like a second presser foot and bobbin spools. Others escaped me until your video, the seam edge guide and five different binder attachments. Of which are not separate feet, but attach the same way as the seam edge guide and I can't wait to try them. Now to find a hemmer foot....

Thank you for your message! Glad my video was useful to you :)

Thank you SO much for taking the time to comment ❤️ I hope some clarity was afforded by the content of this video, but practice is always a bonus!! All the best.

Thank you so much for your comment. I, too, had seen videos where they talked about the attachments, but didn't actually demonstrate them ... so I'm glad that my video could address this! So wonderful that you have been able to do a refurb on an old treadle, and I hope you can enjoy it even more now with knowledge of all of the add-ons!

You're very welcome :)

Thank you so much for your very kind comment :) I am so happy that the information was useful to you!

Thank you!!