SINGER 66 REDEYE
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My Singer 66 in a 7 drawer treadle table again, happily back to work! If a treadle table hasn't been used in a while,
it is important to service the treadle ironwork, just like the sewing machine. Original Singer 66 manuals for the treadles,
shows where to oil each moving joint & bearing. If it is properly done, it will move smoothly, & quietly. Yes, my table
is missing the tilt out center 7th drawer, it was missing, when my hubby bought it for me. Maybe someday we'll replace it.
Note drawers are decorative on outsides, not enclosed behind a panel, like some other treadle tables. |
Singer 66 is a grand old dame, a heavy duty, cast iron body, class 66 oscillating hook, drop in bobbin system, straight stitch only, sewing machine. the earliest ones didn't have reverse, or even a calibrated stitch length control, so you will only find a thumbscrew on the right side of the machine front, that is either tightened, for longer stitches, or loosened, for shorter stitches (I hope I remember that in the right order, lol!)
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Note the aftermarket presser foot tension release mechanism, for springloaded, easy
changing of the presser foot pressure, for various weights of fabric. The original screws often freeze up, needing cleaned to use. My treadle table does have water damage, from a previous owner, but it remains beautiful, & functional, to me! My brother, Ben, gave me this Singer 66 Redeye, it came in a case, and had an electrical motor, and old wiring,
which worked, but really needed totally refurbished, for best function, but I LOVE TREADLING so much, I actually forget that is what is running my machine, when I use them! I finally just put it in a treadle table again! January 15, 2019.
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| Singer treadle ironwork with the roller wheels, & Singer emblem |
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| The large handwheel was typically on a treadled, or hand crank sewing machine, once the electric motors became common, Singer switched to a smaller, solid handwheel. |
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| Singer 66 back clamping presser foot system, for earliest Singer 66 sewing machines, Singer later made all their home sewing machines low shank, for many years, so feet & attachments were interchangeable, among Singer low shank sewing machines, and even made an adapter, to be added to back clamping shank style machines, to allow them to use low shank presser feet. Otherwise, the presser foot shank itself, has to be changed, out to allow the use of Singer's low shank presser feet. All of the later Singer 66 models use low shank presser feet. |
Whether or not a sewing machine had specific feet, attachments, and accessories, depended on when, & where it was purchased, and whether you bought a more expensive sewing machine setup, like the parlor treadle tables, or just a bentwood case setup, and the deal you made with the Singer shop or dealer, selling to you.
Under braider & shirring plates. tuckers, darning plates, were available, relatively early, but over time, fell out of popularity, depending on the fashions of the day, and since the Singer 66 was made for so long, and so many were manufactured & sold, some have a great number of accessories with them, what Singer officially called "Singer Fashion Aids" for several decades.
The basic accessory set usually included a ruffler/or a tucker, shirring foot, rolled hemmer, adjustable hemmer, binder, & edgestitcher. A cording foot, quilting foot with guide, bias tape cutting gauge, zipper/cording foot, adjustable, or left & right, could also be purchased.
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| I added a new bobbin winding tire in this photo, the leather treadle belt was $3.00 on Ebay. |
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| Singer 66 missing bobbin coverplate, needs cleaned, serviced, rewired, made serviceable again. This is how it came to me. Luckily, I had some replacement parts for it, already! |
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| Singer 66 top view Redeye |
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| After market, Westinghouse electric motor, currently not being used, on my Singer Redeye 66 |
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| Singer 66 Redeye decal, treadle table version closer detail |
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| Singer 66 more modern, calibrated stitch length lever, electric style, note handwheel is solid, for electric motor, |
My vintage Singer 66 Redeye, has the older style of stitch length control, while this next, newer model, has the very nice white painted lever, to help you choose your stitches per inch! (This is a machine I am servicing, not my personal machine, in the next 4 photos.
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| Singer 66 electric model, Godzilla style decor with paperclip decal in bed, calibrated stitch length lever |
Singer Treadle Instructions
"Machine Sewing Singer" is a Home Economics Teacher manual provided by Singer, these are from copyright 1923 to 1930 version, each year had variations. Singer Fashion Aid instructions for specific attachments were only in certain year manuals, the rarest ones are in only one of my manuals, I have a few,but they are relatively rare, prices tend to run around $100 for these manuals, they have a huge amount of sewing instructions, but also instructions for all models sold during that year, and their attachments, and maintenance information.
