Museum notebook: The evolution of home sewing

Child's Singer Sewing Machine about 1926. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum collection ref: 1960.14.1

Since 1851 the name Singer has been synonymous with sewing. Many people have memories of growing up with a Singer machine in their homes.

You may remember your mother or grandmother using the sewing machine to make clothing, curtains or other household items.

You might even own and use one yourself.

Although sewing machines were around as far back as 1790; most of these were impractical for home use.

The first practical hand-cranked sewing machine was invented by American Isaac Howe and patented in 1846.

Howe moved to Britain for a short time and after a series of unfortunate events, he became destitute and pawned his machines and patent papers.

On returning to America, he discovered there had been many copies of his machine made but with some improvements.

Isaac Singer had patented an eye-pointed needle and royalties were paid to Howe after he won a court case against Singer.

Singer took out a patent on his new cast iron sewing machines in 1851.

The machine was transported in its packing crate, which served as a stand; it contained a wooden treadle that allowed the seamstress to power the machine with her feet, leaving both hands free to guide the cloth.

This early, heavy-duty Singer machine was designed for use in the manufacturing trades rather than in the home.

Singer decided to consolidate patents with other manufacturers and began mass production of his cast iron sewing machines which he took to the World Fair in Paris.

He was awarded first prize which boosted sales, and Singer became the largest selling brand of sewing machines globally.

In 1867 he opened a large factory in Glasgow, employing 2000 people.

Sales continued to increase so an even larger factory was built, this time employing 7000 employees producing 13,000 machines a week.

In 1899 the first electric sewing machines were produced but it wasn't until the 1920s that portable electric sewing machines came into production.

Enabling accessibility, Singer was one of the first producers to offer credit purchases as well as rent-to-own agreements sold by door-to-door salesmen who would demonstrate the machines in the home.

Women could now make their own clothes at home at a fraction of the time it took to hand-sew garments.

Ring binder produced by The Singer Sewing Machine Company solely for use by its employees. Photo / Whanganui Regional Museum collection ref: 2020.76

Sewing patterns emerged around the same time Singer was improving his machines. A magazine, The Mirror of Fashion was published in the late 1880s with hundreds of patterns available on unprinted paper.

The 1890s saw the first paper patterns as we know them today.

Ebenezer Butterick printed patterns on to tissue paper and sold them in a folded envelope.

Other pattern manufacturers soon emerged with names which are synonymous with sewing.

McCall, Vogue and Simplicity are all familiar names to the home sewer today.

In the Whanganui Regional Museum collection we have a black ring binder produced by The Singer Sewing Machine Company solely for use by its employees.

It contains green cotton samples of fabrics stitched with the various feet used on Singer sewing machines such as gathering, smocking.

There are also samples of methods to construct buttonholes, pockets and French seams.

The museum also holds a child's Singer sewing machine from around 1926 which is still in working condition.

A 2017 research paper published by the Craft & Hobby Trade Association of UK reported that about 7.7 million Britons are once again making their own clothes.

Interest in home sewing has increased since the BBC launched popular television show The Great British Sewing Bee.

While for a time there was a stigma attached to wearing homemade garments, it is now chic again to make your own clothes.

• Kathy Greensides is collection assistant at Whanganui Regional Museum