I recall reading in quilt history that women used sewing machines for piecing their quilts from the very beginning of the machine's invention. Think what a boon that was to those who made their own clothes. I often wondered how they wore those tight bodices without the seams popping! (or was that for the benefit of the camera in the western movies?) I might have tried to hand stitch one dress and after that? I would have wrapped myself in burlap. Whew! Hand sewing a long dress with yards and yards of fabric was not me.