Since the first sewing machine idea was patented in England in 1790, sewing machines have evolved to meet home and commercial sewing needs. Isaac Singer received a U.S. patent on his first sewing machine in 1851. Singer's vertical-needle design became the model for future sewing machines. Treadle sewing machines were commonplace in homes during the last quarter of the 1800s. Antique machines typically found at auctions and estate sales usually date from the late 1800s or later. You can still purchase a new, modern treadle sewing machine manufactured for Amish and nonelectric markets. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Look for a company name on the machine to identify the manufacturer. Company information may appear as a decal, a hand-painted label or an embossed metal plate. Look on the main housing of the machine. The underside of the machine may also bear manufacturer information. More than 200 small companies manufactured sewing machines in the U.S. during the late 1800s, many for factory use. Factory machines were often not labeled. Home sewing machines typically bore the manufacturer's name, although it may be worn off or painted over.
2. Determine the power source to help establish the machine's approximate age. Early machines were operated by a hand crank. Singer developed the treadle in the 1850s. Treadle machines dominated the market until electric motors were introduced in the early 1900s. It was a common practice through the 1920s and 1930s to add a motor to a treadle machine. By the mid 1930s, new sewing machine sales were nearly all electric. Electronic and computerized machines appeared on the market in 1975.
3. Look for the original color of the machine. Check the underside if you think the machine may have been repainted. Antique sewing machines from before the 1950s are usually black or gray. However, some manufacturers used other colors on the housing. Lighter colors of tan and white appeared beginning in the late 1950s and soon became the norm for home sewing machines.
4. Check the types of stitches that the machine can produce. Some early hand-crank machines sewed a chain stitch. Singer and most other machines used two threads, bobbin and spool, to create a lock stitch. Most home sewing machines sewed only a straight stitch, with forward and reverse motions. The first zigzag stitch machine was introduced by Singer in 1951. Machines that stitched designs such as flowers, leaves or animals using mechanical combinations of straight and zigzag stitches became popular during the 1960s.
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