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History of The Sewing Machine

By Paula_cabr
  • 17,500 BCE

    First Sewing Needles

    First Sewing Needles
    Archaeologists have discovered sewing needles which were made of bone, and were used to sew skins and furs.

  • First double pointed needle

    First double pointed needle
    A German engineer called Charles Fredrick Wiesenthal creates a double pointed needle with an eye at one end, the first mechanical device to aid the art of sewing.

  • First sewing machine for ship sails

    First sewing machine for ship sails
    Thomas Saint designs a machine for sewing leather and canvas — primarily ship sails.

  • Creation of a machine that imitates hand sewing

    Creation of a machine that imitates hand sewing
    In England, Thomas Stone and James Henderson create a machine that imitates traditional sewing by hand. The same year, in Scotland, John Duncan creates an embroidery machine that uses multiple needles.

  • First double-stitch machine

    First double-stitch machine
    Josef Madersperger, a Viennese tailor, presents a device for double-stitching. He attempts to combine the elements of the sewing machine prototypes that went before him, but it doesn’t work.

  • First working sewing machine

    First working sewing machine
    Barthélemy Thimonnier develops the first working and popular sewing machine in France, which uses chain stitches. The same year, he opens a clothing company that makes uniforms for the French army.
    Due to its revolutionary aspect, his factory is burned down by tailors because they feared unemployment.

  • Fisher’s machine

    Fisher’s machine
    Englishman John Fisher develops the first sewing machine that combines all the successful design elements presented over the last century. Although the machine was originally intended to sew just lace, Fisher spotted its potential as a general sewing machine.

  • Howe’s machine

    Howe’s machine
    In Boston, United States, Elias Howe creates a sewing machine that differs from Fisher’s in that the fabric is held vertically and includes an eye pointed needle.

  • The “boom” of sewing machines

    The “boom” of sewing machines
    The sewing machine industry really begins to heat up in the 50s as the Wheeler & Wilson Company create a machine that works much smoother than their competitors, as well as inventing the four motion mechanism that is still in use in machines today.

  • First single thread sewing machine

    First single thread sewing machine
    Another US inventor, James Edward, creates the first single thread sewing machine.

  • Mass-production

    Mass-production
    This is the era when sewing machines start being mass-produced.

  • First zigzag machine

    First zigzag machine
    Helen Blanchard, from the UK, invents a zigzag sewing machine.

  • First electric sewing machine

    First electric sewing machine
    Isaac Singer introduces the first electric sewing machine to the world, which becomes incredibly popular.

  • Singer: a multi-millionaire

    Singer: a multi-millionaire
    Singer becomes the first man to spend over $1 million a year on advertising his sewing machines. At this point, he’s selling hand, treadle and electric machines.