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The first workable sewing machine
British Thomas Saint invented the first workable sewing machine. His invention improved the way boots and shoes were made. Saint's machine was designed to sew leather. -
The first functional/practical sewing machine
In 1830 a French tailor, Barthelemy Thimonnier invented the first functional/practical sewing machine. He had to work secretly on his invention for 4 years.
Within a year, 80 of these machines were in use in Britain, sewing uniforms for the French army. Tailors, fearing that this new machine would cause unemployment, stormed the factory, destroying it and all the sewing machines inside. -
Elias Howe's sewing machine
Elias Howe created his sewing machine in 1845, using a similar method to Fisher's except that the fabric was held vertically. An important improvement on his machine was to have the needle running away from the point, starting from the eye. After a lengthy stay in England trying to attract interest in his machine, he returned to America to find various people infringing his patent, among them Isaac Merritt Singer. -
Sewing machine with a rotary bobbin and four motion feed
In 1850, an American inventor Allen Benjamin Wilson invented a sewing machine with a rotary bobbin and four motion feed. -
Singer's patent
In 1851, an American Isaac Merritt Singer patented his sewing machine. -
First Singer sewing machine sale
In 1852 Isaac Merritt Singer sold his first sewing machine. -
Singer Company
In 1854, together with Edward Clark, he started the Singer Company. -
The first prize in EXPO, Paris
in 1855 Isaac Merritt Singer's invention awarded the first prize in EXPO, International Exhibition in Paris. -
Newton Wilson's copy of Saint's sewing machine
In 1874, a sewing machine manufacturer, William Newton Wilson, found Saint's drawings in the UK Patent Office, made adjustments to the looper, and built a working machine, currently owned by the Science Museum in London. -
The world's first crochet machine
In 1877 the world's first crochet machine was invented and patented by Joseph M. Merrow, then-president of what had started in the 1840s as a machine shop to develop specialized machinery for the knitting operations. This crochet machine was the first production overlock sewing machine. The Merrow Machine Company went on to become one of the largest American manufacturers of overlock sewing machines, and remains in the 21st century as the last American over-lock sewing machine manufacturer. -
The first electric sewing machines
The first electric machines were developed by Singer Sewing Co. and introduced in 1889. By the end of the First World War, Singer was offering hand, treadle and electric machines for sale. At first, the electric machines were standard machines with a motor strapped on the side, but as more homes gained power, they became more popular and the motor was gradually introduced into the casing.
