What's your favorite bit of Vintage Sewing machine trivia?
02-23-2014, 09:59 PM
#21
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Originally Posted by Cecilia S.
I do not know if it is true, but I heard that Singer's claim to fame was that he patented the needle "with the hole at the wrong end", thereby giving him a bit of a corner on the market for long enough to gain a virtual monopoly.
Does anyone know whether this is true?
Your chat/presentation sounds fascinating! What is the purpose of it, and what are you planning to do/cover?
-Cecilia, too busy lately to tinker or post... :-(
Does anyone know whether this is true?
Your chat/presentation sounds fascinating! What is the purpose of it, and what are you planning to do/cover?
-Cecilia, too busy lately to tinker or post... :-(
The purpose is simply that they wanted to do a presentation about vintage sewing machines. I thought it sounded fun, and I am guilty of talking (a lot) about these machines... So far, I was going to go through some of the history, how they evolved. These machines were a part of the industrial revolution, which makes for some really interesting information. Of course, some of the things that make these machines great. What they aren't (heavy duty, industrial strength, etc) - so that if we create a few SMAD people, they don't get took on ebay, etc.
Originally Posted by Cecilia S.
Hmm. I don't know much about cars. Does this mean that if dude on the road puts a zigzag cam in his car, you'd better look out?
Fancy cams, in tractors maybe? Is that how they make crop circles?
*wink*
Fancy cams, in tractors maybe? Is that how they make crop circles?
*wink*
Not the fashion cams. The other ones. 
Look inside your machine, at the back inspection panel, or if the top removes. You'll see a fork, and something that resembles what's in the photo below where the blue arrows are. These are what I think of as Cam Lobes (might be wrong) but the 2 bars on the motor (red arrows) are the cams.
For anyone who doesn't know I'm a complete geek... yes, I took these photos and they're of my first motorcycle.
The springs you see below the lobes are above and in control of the valves Mike was talking about. The compression of the springs pushes the valves open when the lobe pushes on the spring.[ATTACH=CONFIG]464142[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]464143[/ATTACH]
Originally Posted by Mitch's mom
My favorite and it surprises many people: Brother has made sewing machines since 1908 and they introduced the first industrial embroidery machine. They also have the largest single brand sewing machine factory in the world. They know thier stuff.
Originally Posted by manicmike
Very amusing thought, Cecilia. Cams in cars control valve timing. They can be set to "hot" though, and I'd probably call that a zig-zag cam, although I've seen these also perform blind-stitch and circles, all with the same cam 
Originally Posted by vanginney
Singer documentary- You can show a short except (10%) for educational purposes - without permission - canadian fair dealing. And sometimes websites have in their 'Terms of Use' unrestricted use for non-commercial use.
Let us know how the day goes! Wish I could go.
Let us know how the day goes! Wish I could go.
Ha! If you want to share the driving to BC, you're welcome to come along!
Originally Posted by frudemoo
Have you got an Italian machine like a Necchi? Or a Bernina? They are quite different and the styling quite different as well. Not so much a piece of trivia, but maybe an idea for some extra visuals: I enjoyed finding out about the use of trade cards (like the one in my avatar). Basically just post cards that advertised the machines and made people want them I guess!
I'll see if I can poke around the smithsonian's site, I think they had some of those postcards. You're right, I liked those too.
Originally Posted by ThayerRags
My favorite trivia about the history of the sewing machine, was when an early sewing machine was designed and manufactured by Barthélemy Thimonnier of France in 1841 that merely mechanized the hand-sewing operation to mass-produce uniforms for the French Army, but rioting Tailors attacked his factory and destroyed the machines. The men (Tailors) thought that the machines would surely put them all out of business.
CD in Oklahoma
CD in Oklahoma
Originally Posted by lovelyl
ISMACS has a great article about the history of sewing machines. I used the article as a basis for a talk I gave at my quilting guild. Created a few vintage machine addicts! Unfortunately, they know my sources...
I used PowerPoint to show pics of some of the earliest attempts at sewing machines and everyone seemed to enjoy the pics. Was going to attach the PP here, but couldn't figure out how...
i could email it to you if you would like. It has some pics and my talking notes, but might give you some ideas.
I used PowerPoint to show pics of some of the earliest attempts at sewing machines and everyone seemed to enjoy the pics. Was going to attach the PP here, but couldn't figure out how...
i could email it to you if you would like. It has some pics and my talking notes, but might give you some ideas.
Originally Posted by lovelyl
One of my favorites, also! Used that in my guild talk. Saddest was Thomas Saint's story. In 1790 he filed for a patent on a sewing machine. The patent office didn't know which category to file it under, so they filed it under bookbinding. The patent was misfiled for 100 years. He could never prove that others were using his patented ideas!
Originally Posted by tropit
If you can, I would take a singer cam machine with you, like the Rocketeer. They were revolutionary in their design and really reflected the times.
02-23-2014, 10:26 PM
#22
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Tammi,
Hi again! I think research will show the Singer invented almost nothing. I believe that I read the Howe did invent the needle with the eye on the pointed end (not completely sure about that).
Cathy
Hi again! I think research will show the Singer invented almost nothing. I believe that I read the Howe did invent the needle with the eye on the pointed end (not completely sure about that).
Cathy
02-23-2014, 10:47 PM
#23
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I had been of the same thought about Singer, and regularly mention that they're a lot like Microsoft - not a lot of innovation on their own. A great deal of what they have they bought or... liberated (and often opted to pay royalties on or were forced to). But about.com said that he was responsible for that up down sewing motion,...
http://inventors.about.com/od/sstart...ng_machine.htm
According to that article, technically Hunt first developed the pointed end eye, but didn't patent it. Howe patented it first, which is how he managed to win the litigation against Singer.
That said, I guess it depends on how good the sources for the article were. For instance, I don't know if I agree that electric sewing machines were in wide use by 1905... not out here in the "wild west" anyway
I like sewalot for some of the info as well.
http://inventors.about.com/od/sstart...ng_machine.htm
According to that article, technically Hunt first developed the pointed end eye, but didn't patent it. Howe patented it first, which is how he managed to win the litigation against Singer.
That said, I guess it depends on how good the sources for the article were.
For instance, I don't know if I agree that electric sewing machines were in wide use by 1905... not out here in the "wild west" anyway I like sewalot for some of the info as well.
02-23-2014, 11:02 PM
#24
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Tammi,
I just looked at that link. The comment about Singer inventing the "up down sewing motion" sure is vague. What do they mean by "up down sewing motion"?
I agree that how good the info out is there depends on the source. VBG
Cathy
I just looked at that link. The comment about Singer inventing the "up down sewing motion" sure is vague. What do they mean by "up down sewing motion"?
I agree that how good the info out is there depends on the source. VBG
Cathy
02-24-2014, 06:12 AM
#25
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From what I understand, Isaac Singer was a marketing genius and a ladies man. It seems he very seldom paid for models in his ad's but, used his wives or mistresses for this purpose and when he died he left behind 23(?) children from various women. Also the face on the Statue of Liberty may be from an image of either his wife or daughter.
Rodney
Ponchatoula, La.
Rodney
Ponchatoula, La.
02-24-2014, 08:11 AM
#26
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1. NO Singer did NOT invent the Eye Pointed needle. Again Elias how gets that credit, but he didn't either. Howe actually took the 95% solution invented earlier by a man who did not patent it out of the same fear as the French tailors in Thimonnier's case (his niece was a tailor if I recall correctly, notes are at home) and then he made a working machine for the first time. (his patent machine was 6x faster than the fastest seamstresses of the day, and he still could not sell one in the US) I have Gobbs of this and could go on all day... ending now...
2. Thimonnier, actually tried twice. After getting mobbed and burned out in France he moved to England, SAME thing happened. He Quit. (NOTE: they recently found one of his original machines INTACT in south america)
3. Thomas Saint is also true! It is my understanding that he patented a number of items at the same time and the patent office person did not know that they were not related and so they were filed wrong.
4. I'm the one with the "Naked Lady" Machine. The story is that in some of the propriety pamphlets of the day had notes that said "if you have one of those hessian imports with the scandalous artwork, you should keep it covered or turned about when children are in the area"
[ATTACH=CONFIG]464195[/ATTACH]
2. Thimonnier, actually tried twice. After getting mobbed and burned out in France he moved to England, SAME thing happened. He Quit. (NOTE: they recently found one of his original machines INTACT in south america)
3. Thomas Saint is also true! It is my understanding that he patented a number of items at the same time and the patent office person did not know that they were not related and so they were filed wrong.
4. I'm the one with the "Naked Lady" Machine. The story is that in some of the propriety pamphlets of the day had notes that said "if you have one of those hessian imports with the scandalous artwork, you should keep it covered or turned about when children are in the area"
[ATTACH=CONFIG]464195[/ATTACH]
02-24-2014, 10:36 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by soman2
From what I understand, Isaac Singer was a marketing genius and a ladies man. It seems he very seldom paid for models in his ad's but, used his wives or mistresses for this purpose and when he died he left behind 23(?) children from various women. Also the face on the Statue of Liberty may be from an image of either his wife or daughter.
Rodney
Ponchatoula, La.
Rodney
Ponchatoula, La.
Originally Posted by SteveH
1. NO Singer did NOT invent the Eye Pointed needle. Again Elias how gets that credit, but he didn't either. Howe actually took the 95% solution invented earlier by a man who did not patent it out of the same fear as the French tailors in Thimonnier's case (his niece was a tailor if I recall correctly, notes are at home) and then he made a working machine for the first time. (his patent machine was 6x faster than the fastest seamstresses of the day, and he still could not sell one in the US) I have Gobbs of this and could go on all day... ending now...
2. Thimonnier, actually tried twice. After getting mobbed and burned out in France he moved to England, SAME thing happened. He Quit. (NOTE: they recently found one of his original machines INTACT in south america)
4. I'm the one with the "Naked Lady" Machine. The story is that in some of the propriety pamphlets of the day had notes that said "if you have one of those hessian imports with the scandalous artwork, you should keep it covered or turned about when children are in the area"
[ATTACH=CONFIG]464195[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]464195[/ATTACH]
02-25-2014, 11:49 AM
#29
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