ClipArt ETC
An illustration of three sets of hands performing various crafting tasks.

Busy Fingers

An illustration of three sets of hands performing various crafting tasks.

An illustration of a young girl sitting in in a ornately carved chair needle pointing.

Young Girl Needle Pointing

An illustration of a young girl sitting in in a ornately carved chair needle pointing.

Elias Howe's original model of the sewing machine.

Sewing Machine

Elias Howe's original model of the sewing machine.

A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric or other material together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies.

Sewing Machine

A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric or other material together with thread.…

A textile machine used as a home appliance for sewing

Sewing Machine

A textile machine used as a home appliance for sewing

"a is the bobbin case; c, bobbin; b, thread wound on bobbin; d, projection from bobbin-case which keeps it from turning; e, thread leading out." —Whitney, 1889

Bobbin Detail of Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine

"a is the bobbin case; c, bobbin; b, thread wound on bobbin; d, projection from bobbin-case which keeps…

"a is the bobbin holder, partly opened to show hook b, and bobbin-case c; d, feed-points; e, presser-foot." — Whitney, 1889

Bobbin Detail of Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine

"a is the bobbin holder, partly opened to show hook b, and bobbin-case c; d, feed-points; e, presser-foot."…

A detail of the Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine. "s, thread-leader; t, face-plate covering...; v, presser thumb-screw; w, thread-check; x, tension-nut by which tension is regulated; y, tension-pulley around which the thread is wound, and which is caused to turn less or more easily by the nut x; z, thread-guide and controller; z2, presser-foot." —Whitney, 1889

Detail of Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine

A detail of the Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine. "s, thread-leader; t, face-plate covering...; v,…

A detail of a Singer sewing machine.

Details of a sewing machine

A detail of a Singer sewing machine.

"Singer sewing-machine. a is the frame and cloth-plate or bed-plate; b, arm; c, treadle; e, pitman; d, main driving-wheel; f, band; g, small driving-wheel attached to shaft ... j, take-up lever with roller and stud; k, presser-bar carrying presser-foot; l, needle-bar; m, spool-pin; ... t, drawers." -Whitney, 1911

Singer Sewing Machine

"Singer sewing-machine. a is the frame and cloth-plate or bed-plate; b, arm; c, treadle; e, pitman;…

"Singer sewing-machine. a is the frame and cloth-plate or bed-plate; b, arm; ... g, small driving-wheel attached to shaft h; i, take-up cam with set-screw; j, take-up lever with roller and stud; ... m, spool-pin; n, shuttle-pitman taking motion from crank o; p, shuttle bell-crank; q, shuttle-carrier and shuttle; r, thread-guide; s, tension-disk ..." -Whitney, 1911

Singer Sewing Machine

"Singer sewing-machine. a is the frame and cloth-plate or bed-plate; b, arm; ... g, small driving-wheel…

"a, is the frame; b, shaft-crank which rocks the hook-shaft; e, receiving its motion from the double crank on the upper shaft e in the arm g through the shaft-connection c; d, band-wheel turned by a band (not shown) from a wheel on treadle-shaft below the table; f, feed-cam; h, feed-bar; i, bobbin-case; j, rotating hook which is attached to e and oscillates with it; k, bobbin-holder; l, presser; m, presser-spring; n, needle-bar link; o, needle-bar; p, take-up lever; q, take-up cam; r, spool-holder...." —Whitney, 1889

Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine

"a, is the frame; b, shaft-crank which rocks the hook-shaft; e, receiving its motion from the double…

A detailed illustration of one of the most collected sewing machines of all time. Today, many of these machines, over a century old, are still in use.

Willcox and Gibbs Sewing Machine

A detailed illustration of one of the most collected sewing machines of all time. Today, many of these…

A diagram showing the manufacture of a shoe.

Manufacture of a shoe

A diagram showing the manufacture of a shoe.

An illustration of a woman using a spinning wheel. A spinning wheel is a device for spinning thread or yarn from natural or synthetic fibers.

Spinning Wheel

An illustration of a woman using a spinning wheel. A spinning wheel is a device for spinning thread…

The tailor-bird makes its nest by weaving it together with living leaves.

Tailorbird

The tailor-bird makes its nest by weaving it together with living leaves.

An illustration of a bobbin of thread.

Bobbin of Thread

An illustration of a bobbin of thread.

An illustration of a spool of thread.

Spool of Thread

An illustration of a spool of thread.

An illustration of a woman mending clothing while sitting in a chair with a kitten playing underneath.

Woman Mending Clothing While Sitting in a Chair

An illustration of a woman mending clothing while sitting in a chair with a kitten playing underneath.

An illustration of a woman sewing clothes while sitting in a chair.

Woman Sewing Clothes in Chair

An illustration of a woman sewing clothes while sitting in a chair.