Repurposed Treadle Sewing Machine

Grandpa Westwood loved to go to auction sales and buy old treadle sewing machines.  He would fix them up and get them sewing again. I think he would have been interested in my version of fixing up the old treadle.

1. Visit Westwood Cottage farm and have accommodating husband climb into a falling down barn to rescue an old treadle sewing machine base.

2.Bring home and have it sit in the shed for over a year.

3.Decide to make a table on my own and begin by spray painting the base black.

4.Go to Brandon and find several options to make the table top.  Return them.

5. Go to Brandon again and find a board that will fit and decide to tile the top.  Spend an hour deciding on the tile only to find it is going to cost over $100.00.  Start over.  Find reasonably priced tiles and spend another hour trying to make them fit the board – but can’t.  Hit self on the head and realize that I could cut the board to fit the tile!

6.Accommodating husband helps to cut the board and attach it to the base.

7.Apply tiles only to find that the board is warping!

8.Set table upside down in house with husband’s weights on it to try and flatten the board.

9.Table sits for the entire winter in front porch.

10.  Buy two more treadle sewing machines for future projects and put in shed.

11.    Summer is here and I decide that the little bit of curve in the board gives it “character” and finish table by grouting it.

12.Looks awesome on the deck with the fountain on it.  And I have a fun story to tell to boot!

   

      

This Old Clock

The Chimer

This old house has a chiming clock;

It dongs and chimes and goes tick tock;

It greets me in the morning and sings at night;

And sometimes, gets the time almost right.

 

It makes me stop and listen when it chimes;

A chance to pause and think of good times;

For this old clock has seen many things;

Summers, falls, winters and springs.

 

It is a part of this home and a part of me;

We have lived together contentedly;

Happy, sad or in between;

A dear old friend this clock has been.

 

                                    Joanne Baker ©

My Grandmother Beever and I had the same chiming clock. Sometimes when we talked on the phone you could hear both clocks chiming at the same time.  It was a special connection that we had.    Now that she is gone from me every time I hear the clock chime I think of her.   In a way she is saying Good Morning, How was Your Day, Have a Good Time, Have a Good Sleep, I Will Talk to you Tomorrow.