Please "Say it isn't Sew!" Confederate Soldiers and Wives!

I really don't know how old her machine was. I know she had it before I was born. My older cousin remembered it too. It probably got sold after my grandfather died and she went into a senior home.. That cousin who is now deceased handled the sale of her property. There was some excellent things. I was young and just didn't know about the sale. Now I would have loved to buy some things.
 
I really don't know how old her machine was. I know she had it before I was born. My older cousin remembered it too. It probably got sold after my grandfather died and she went into a senior home.. That cousin who is now deceased handled the sale of her property. There was some excellent things. I was young and just didn't know about the sale. Now I would have loved to buy some things.

This can help identify the model-singer based on your memory. With luck, there are enough details.
http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/id-singer-machines.htm
 
Below is a Wheeler & Wilson my father owns. There is an interesting comparison of machine vs hand sewing times.
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Funny what survives generations. Mom used one of the spool holders all her life, when sewing. Love to know where it went.

75 to 100 dollars? Demorest's company sold machines and pitched them as a way for young women to become independent, sewing for a living. It's a great thought but boy, how could most of them afford it?
Singer invented the time payment plan. Pay a little each month and own a sewing machine. I have sewing machines with a reprocessed sticker on the bottom.
 
I have my great-grandmother's Singer machine with 4 drawer cabinet. It still works, I'm simply missing the bullet bobbin. Her daughter, my Aunt Mae, had it motorized in the 1930's because she was left with little movement of her lower half after a battle with polio.

It is such an interesting piece to have in my home. I leave it closed up and place other pieces left to me by family on it or over it on shelves. It serves as my home's Family Memory wall centerpiece!

I looked up the serial number about 2 weeks ago and if I remember correctly hers was manufactured in 1911.

This is a great thread, everyone!
 
I have my great-grandmother's Singer machine with 4 drawer cabinet. It still works, I'm simply missing the bullet bobbin. Her daughter, my Aunt Mae, had it motorized in the 1930's because she was left with little movement of her lower half after a battle with polio.

It is such an interesting piece to have in my home. I leave it closed up and place other pieces left to me by family on it or over it on shelves. It serves as my home's Family Memory wall centerpiece!

I looked up the serial number about 2 weeks ago and if I remember correctly hers was manufactured in 1911.

This is a great thread, everyone!
The bullet AKA shuttle bobbin holder is available from ebay. Be sure to get a model 27 because they changed with the similar model 127 came out. Check the serial number model number to make sure my memory is good.
 
My mother always called it the bullet bobbin. :D I'm glad I know its true name, now...and that I can actually find one. Thank you!!
I always describe it a looking like a Confederate naval torpedo.

FWIW shuttle bobbin machines were made from the 1850s until 1963. A long run for technology.

I am still amazed at watching one work. The 'nose' catches a loop of the thread as the needle goes up, the thread pulls under the bobbin holder because it is loose in the holder and then like magic, a stitch is formed.

Operation
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Shuttle is forward and beginning to move rearward. Needle is up and beginning to move downward.2
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Shuttle is midway and still moving rearward. Needle is down.3
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Shuttle is rearward and beginning to move forward again. Needle moves slightly upward to form a small loop in the upper thread at the needle's eye.4
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Shuttle is midway, and its point ('hook') has passed through the loop in the upper thread. Upper thread is now looped around the shuttle's waist. Needle is up.5
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Shuttle is forward again, having completely passed through the loop in the upper thread. Loop in upper thread is now being pulled straight (trapping the lower thread in a lockstitch) by the take-up arm. Needle is still up.
 
Another absorbing thread, thanks so much for all the images and explanations. We have one of the later treadles, no idea what year but it doesn't seem very ancient. My son uses it for a desk- works extremely well!
 
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