How did the original sewing machines work?
Sewing machines first appeared in the late 18th century. Inventors continued to come up with ways to improve the machine throughout the 19th century. The earliest machines only used one thread, could only sew in a straight line and were hand powered.First MachineThomas Saint invented the first sewing machine in 1790. His machine lacked a needle and instead had an awl that put holes in the fabric. A rod pushed the thread through the fabric and a hook underneath pushed it forward.French DesignBarthelemy Thimonnier, a French tailor, designed a machine in 1830 that used a hooked needle. A tailor powered the machine with a foot treadle that lowered the needle to the fabric.Needle and ShuttleThe American Elias Howe created the first sewing machine that used two threads, run through hooked needle with an eye and a shuttle in 1846. His machine only sewed in a straight line.Lock StitchHowe’s machine created a lockstitch. The needle forced the top thread through the fabric, where it caught on a
