Mickey2

I know various overlock stitches, fancy stitches, emobroidery, and zigzag were invented before 1900; industrial versions of course. The first domestic swing needle was possibly a Mundlos-Victoria machine in the early 1920s. Development has come in steps forwars but often resulted two steps back in other areas. We are very driven by the new, an almost frantic fascination for innovation.I wonder why plastic materials were used in all areas increasingly from the 1950s? Is steel that much more expensive? Hardened steel parts tend to be rather expensive, but mass production often evens it out. I'm not sure.

Almost all the features we have today we find in non-computerized domestic versions from the 1950s, Auto-threaders, buttonholer function, overlock type fancy stitches, models with over 100 stitch patterns, presser bar knee lift,... I guess the auto bobbin winding function with out having to take it out of the bobbin case was introduced in the 60s. Not sure when the first auto thread cutter was introduced?

At some point computerised machines were forced upon up (I don't think there is a single mechanical cam function left in production, it's all step motors and compuerize circuit boards even on the simplest machines). I guess that's the new part (started with a Pfaff in 1968?). When was needle up/down introduced? Among the new is having all the fancy features integrated in one machine. The fancy overlock stitches on new machines have stitch windth function the 1950s models didn't have, and there are 7 and 9 millimeter wide zigzag on the top models these days. Embroidery is much more advanced than 20 years ago, but I don't do that.

I still feel all the auto features to a large degree has to do with what we get used to and how we find ways about things. My favorite machine to use the last two years has been a 201 I fixed up.

There is a Singer model (I think it was) bragging to have the first pyramid shaped feed dog pins (or is teeth a better word?) "a new exclusive feature" the odd thing is Elna had this in the early 1950s and no one really bothers to correct them lol