Who invented the sewing machine? Often thought to be the creation of one individual, the history behind the invention of the sewing machine is far from straightforward. Instead, it is the work of several innovators, each of whom helped create the machine as we know it today.
The Lockstitch and the First Working Model – Elias Howe
Elias Howe was a highly talented American inventor, and is widely credited with the invention of the lockstitch sewing machine. He developed the lockstitch method, and a working model of his invention in 1845. Howe’s sewing machine used an eye-pointed needle, with the thread being passed through the eye of the needle. His machine also had an automatic feed system, meaning cloths could be moved beneath the needle to produce a seam. Fascinatingly, Howe’s invention also included a shuttle, which housed the lower thread of the lockstitch, while the needle thread was held in tension.
However, Elias Howe had no financial or technological resources needed to manufacture and distribute his invention, and many of his competitors attempted to take credit for the sewing machine. French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier won a patent in France for a similar machine to Howe’s, in parts of Europe, Thimonnier is credited with inventing the lockstitch model.
The Chainstitch and American Revolution – Walter Hunt
In 1834, Walter Hunt, credited as the inventor of the safety pin, set his focus to improving upon Thimonnier’s design. He replaced the lower thread in the needle with a second needle, creating the chainstitch. This same concept is still in use today in many over sewing machines. Hunt sold the patent of the chainstitch to a New York-based company I.M. Singer & Co. for $1,000.
The Singer & Co. was already a well-established business, which manufactured a variety of machines such as looms, and was able to commercialise Howe’s invention. By 1857, the company had built and distributed over 100,000 machines across America, aiding in the industrialisation during the American Revolution.
Uncovering the Truth – James Gibbs
More so than Howe or Hunt, English-born James Gibbs is the foremost inventor credited with providing the design that many modern sewing machines are based on. In 1865, over 20 years after the invention of Thimonnier’s machine, Gibbs unveiled the first design that truly resembled a modern sewing machine. His machine included the contributions of Howe and Hunt, as well as various minor improvements to the models already established.
Gibbs also developed a hook shuttle, which had more improved functionality than Howe’s original design. It became the dominant machine used for producing buttonholes, a needed feature in the mass production of household items. Gibbs did not patent his invention, meaning he reaped no benefits or credit for his many fine improvements to the machine.
Women’s Role – Elias Howe Jr. & Helen Augusta Blanchard
Elias Howe’s son, Elias Howe Jr., added a variety of helpful features to the machine, such as an automatic bobbin winder and a thread controller. Helen Augusta Blanchard, a talented American seamstress, improved the bobbin for Howe Jr.’s design and received a patent for her design, making her invention the basis for commercial sewing machines for the next few decades.
Her improvements were invaluable for commercial production, as the machine could now make a greater variety of stitches and clasps more quickly. Thanks to Blanchard and Howe Jr.’s work, machines could now be used by the average person in their own home.
The Machine Today – Ongoing Innovation
With the contributions of Howe, Hunt, Gibbs, Howe Jr. and Blanchard, the design of the modern sewing machine has been formed. Manufacturers have been able to improve upon these original inventions, and in recent decades have produced machines with much greater capabilities. Sewing machines now come with user-friendly interfaces, improved needles, multiple functions and many more features.
The invention and development of the sewing machine is a fascinating story, not only for its crucial role in garment production and clothing, but for the multiple innovators and inventors who had a hand in the machine’s creation. The development of the sewing machine has revolutionised how we work, how we dress and how we create, and its continuing influence on our everyday life is far from over.
Cutting Edge Technology
Advances in technology have allowed for innovation not only in the design and structures of sewing machines, but also in their functions. Nowadays, numerous machines boast including seemingly limitless stitches and designs, automated treading systems and a range of speeds, all in a bid to make the seamstress’s job easier and faster. For computerised machines, the ability to connect to an online pattern database has revolutionised modern tailoring.
Computerised machines now also have the ability to connect to sewing programmes and apps via Bluetooth, allowing for full control over the settings and enabling the user to produce intricate and visually impressive designs from the comfort of their own home. This level of automation is even suited for fabrication and by introducing a 3D printer to the mix,can even produced finished garments.
Digital Revolution & 3D Printing
Today, technology has enabled us to take the concept of garment production one step further, massive improvement of the fabric making process allows for the printing of 3-dimensional patterns and colours directly onto fabrics, this means that crude colour transfer processes can be eliminated, while garment producers are given the opportunity to produce custom patterns with specific colour and texture.
The speed with which digital designs can be printed onto the fabric is enormous. This, combined with the powerful capabilities of new machines, has enabled the mass production of garments to be incredibly quick and accurate. The ability to accurately replicate the same clothing in exact dimensions and quality has enabled a market for fast fashion, paving the way for efficient and cheap production.
The Impact on the Sewing Industry
The development of the sewing machine has been instrumental in the clothing industry, allowing us to make more garments faster and more cost-effectively. Clothing factories have had an immeasurable influence in the economic development of countless nations worldwide. It has enabled established production networks across the globe, whereby one nation’s output of a garment contributes to the entire garment-making process.
Automation has also allowed for the production of garments with higher levels of accuracy and detail than ever before. Fine details and complex textures with multiple shapes and materials can now be fabricated quickly and correctly. The modern design capabilities with automated settings and intricate loops and trimmings helps to make garments with a professional finish.
