Locias

There is usually an indefinable aura around items inherited from your ancestors. They are like a link to your family’s past and therefore should be treated with care that borders on reverence. This is especially true when that link is a mechanical contraption that still functions the way it did when it was purchased years and years ago. Some people actually feel obliged to keep it in good running condition as a way of honoring all their predecessors who took pains at keeping it serviceable.

A good number of sewing machines belong to this select group of mechanical devices that survived into the 21st century. The mass production of sewing machines began two hundred years ago. Most of them were made of cast iron and other heavy materials. It is for this reason that they are still serviceable today.

The first machines were operated with either a hand crank or a treadle. The treadle is a flat foot pedal that drives the sewing mechanism. Hand crank types were placed on the kitchen table when in use and were kept and carried around in their own carrying cases. Treadle versions were mounted on their table or cabinet. When not it use, the machine folded into the cabinet transforming the device into a small table.

An antique sewing machine cabinet was invariably made of hard wood, which was abundant during those times, and thus plenty have also survived with the machines.