Sewing+Machines

In 1790, Thomas Saint invented what was //considered// to be the first sewing machine. But when someone tried to reproduce his invention based on his patent drawings they were unsuccessful and discovered that his invention didn't work. Several others attempted to manufacture the sewing machine, the first functional one wasn't made until 1830 by French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier. His machine used a hooked needle and only one thread, this produced the same chain stitch used for embroidery. 16 years later, in 1846. American Elias Howe invented a machine which used two different threads (the bobbin and the main sewing thread) to create a lockstitch. However, Elias Howe failed to market his product to the public. The first sewing machine to be commercially successful was invented in the 1850's by Isaac Singer. All previous designs were hand-cranked, whereas Isaac's design was powered by a foot pedal. This is the machine much like the one we know today. __**Inventor**__ Isaac Singer was born on October 27 1811. He was an inventor, actor and entrepreneur. His first patented invention was in 1839. It was a machine to drill rock. He sold it for $2,000 to the I&M Canal Building Company. At 38 he packed up his family and moved back to New York City, hoping to market his wood-block cutting machine there. He obtained an advance to build a working prototype, and constructed one in the shop of A. B. Taylor & Co. Here he met G. B. Zieber, who became Singer's financier and partner. **__Problem__** Before the sewing machine, everything had to be sewn by hand. Hand sewing is an art form which is over 20,000 years old. This was very time consuming and meant that people had to spend hours sewing each stitch by hand with a thread and needle. Clothing couldn't be mass produced because it would take too long for each individual item of clothing to be sewn together. Before the sewing machine women had to stick to plain sewing by hand. Everyday clothes tended to be quite simple and plain.To buy something extravagant and fancy would cost a lot of money because someone would have had to sew it all by hand. **__Invention__** Isaac Singer's sewing machines were the first to involve a needle which moved up and down whereas all previous machines involved a needle which moved side-to-side. Singer's machine was powered by a foot treadle instead of being hand cranked. This meant that whoever was sewing had their hands free and could maneuver the fabric with more precision. Although Isaac's machine was an improvement on the others, he used the same lockstitch which Elias Howe had patented. Elias sued Isaac and won in 1854. Nevertheless, Singer's sewing machines were so popular that they are still in production today. **__Impact__** A powered machine that would sew fabric together at the press of a foot meant that women could sew more fancy and artistic designs with their clothing and couture. It took less time to sew things together which meant that clothing could be produced in their hundreds in factories and mills. This gave jobs to women and men as well as decreasing the price of clothing. As we all know, if there's more of something, it becomes less valuable. The sewing machine meant that so many things could be produced, either as additions to other products or even a product in themselves. For example, seats for cars. We wouldn't have leather seats for cars had the sewing machine not been invented. Even simple things like tea cosies probably wouldn't exist if we had no sewing machines. Sewing machines provided a way for women to express their creativity and artistic ability in their stitching. They provided a whole new field of work for many people and were a way of developing a new skill which could help others. Sewing machines are an absolute necessity to everyday life, and most people don't even know it. Sources: Wikipedia About.com YahooAnswers A very early sewing machine: image from [|www.sewalot.com] Tallulah Ray and Bryony Gardner 9N
 * __The Invention of Sewing Machine____s - 1790__ **