Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Treadling on Tuesday - Bobbins

My non-quilting friend Nancy "found" some shuttle bobbins to fit my 127 Singer Treadle! She won't reveal her source...she said she has "a friend, who has a friend"...likely story! Maybe I don't even want to know?!? These are so bright and shiny compared to the old one that was in the machine (at the bottom of my hand).
So I needed to relearn again how to wind the bobbin!
I re-watched the video that Bonnie Hunter posted last week (click here to see that) and then I started.
Does anyone know if the little spring where my scissors are pointing is a thread guide? It doesn't show that piece in the manual, and if it is a thread guide, I'd have to pry it out a bit because the thread can't fit in there as it is.
I found a blog post from a quilter that has a similar 127 model, and it has a different kind of thread guide around the same area - check it out here. And looking at the photos on the TreadleOn site about winding a vibrating shuttle bobbin, I think it's probably not a thread guide.
So there it goes...
winding the bobbin and all seems fine.
I was just admiring the beautiful gold decals and all of a sudden we developed an issue!  Should've stopped when it was going well and not got all distracted with the pretty machine!! LOL
On the left side of the bobbin, the thread began spilling over the edge for no apparent reason. This hasn't happened before. Is it too full? Doesn't look too full? Any ideas?!?
Well, I just unwound the last part of the thread and am treadling again using this new bobbin. I am so tickled with myself for successfully winding another bobbin and rethreading the shuttle...woohoo! Doesn't take much to thrill me!! LOL
Next Tuesday, I'll show you the scrap project I am sewing on my treadle.


Missy Shay said...

How exciting to have all of those bobbins! I have two, one that came with the machine and one I found at a yard sale, the guy didn't know what it was and just let me have it free! LOL

Ellen said...

I find it amazing that these old machines still have parts available that are easy to get....if you know a friend of a friend.

Teresa in Music City said...

What an adventure! One of these days I'll find the time to start playing with mine :*) In the meantime I enjoy watching the fun you're having rediscovering the joys of treadling!

AnnieO said...

All that old-fangled stuff can be as confusing as the new-fangled, right, Kathy? I'm glad you've had so much fun exploring and playing with this antique wonder.

Allison in Plano said...

Hurray for you Kathy!! I was the gal doing the demo for Bonnie. What a special day that was!!

Anonymous said...

As far as the bobbin over-winding, there are two possibilities - if you have the same problem with the original bobbin, the bobbin-winder arm may be *slightly* bent to the left and you might try to push it just a tiny bit to the right to control where it winds.

If it ONLY happens with those new bobbins, it might be the bobbins. There are some reproduction bobbins made today that are not *exactly* the same as the originals. The problem lies in the little nubs at each end of the bobbin. On the original, the nubs may be slightly pointed, whereas on the reproductions, they tend to be flatter on top (makes them a smidge longer without the pointy nubs). You could try filing those nubs down, or try to find some more "original" bobbins.