The History of Sewing Machines

It’s hard to imagine today’s clothing industry without sewing machines. Many of us also have this type of equipment in our homes. With its help, you can not only create unique wardrobe items in a comfortable and quick way, but also alter already purchased clothing. However, it wasn’t always like this. The first devices used to join materials together differed from those used today. When was the first sewing machine created? What does its history look like?

Sewing machines where it all began

Before sewing machines appeared on the market, materials were joined using needles and threads initially made from bones, horns, animal hair, and tendons. In the 18th century, attempts were made to create the first sewing machine that would streamline the clothing creation process. In 1755, Charles Fredrick Wiesenthal from Germany created the first prototype of this equipment. It quickly became apparent, however, that it didn’t work according to assumptions, because when the machine imitated hand movements, the needle passed completely through the material.

So when was the first sewing machine resembling today’s devices created? In 1790, Englishman Thomas Saint received a patent for the first machine that sewed with a chain stitch. It was intended primarily for joining leather elements, for example during shoe production. However, this equipment was still far from ideal.

The path to creating the sewing machine we know today

French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier approached sewing machine construction in a somewhat different way. Instead of focusing on making it reproduce human hand movement, it was important for him to create a needle that would be suitable for this type of equipment. Despite the fact that the stitch created by the machine easily unraveled, Barthelemy Thimonnier used as many as 80 such sewing machines to sew military uniforms in his workshop. Devices creating double stitches were designed by Walter Hunt and Elias Howe. The first mentioned gave up developing his invention because the thread came out of the needle eye during sewing, which prolonged the work.

However, Howe didn’t give up and in 1846 patented a slightly modified model. Later, attempts continued to improve known patents. The machine that is considered most similar to the one currently used is recognized as the one created by engineer Isaac Merritt Singer. While participating in repairing a sewing machine, he came to the conclusion that he could improve this equipment. He did so, and currently 1851 is given as the answer to the question of when the first sewing machine was created. However, Singer had to share his profits from selling the created devices with the previously mentioned Elias Howe, who noticed that the new device’s design also used solutions he had patented.

Łucznik – a brand that has been creating sewing machines since the 1920s

One of the most recognizable companies creating sewing machines in Poland is Łucznik. The brand’s history dates back to the mid-1920s, when ŁUCZNIK S.A. Metal Works began operating, dealing with the production of weapons, typewriters, bicycles, and door locks, among other things. When was the first sewing machine with the brand logo created? In 1947, production of lockstitch equipment began, without which it would be hard to imagine tailoring workshops. A few years later, the company developed its offer even further, proposing sewing machines for home users.

Four years after introducing these products to the Polish market, in 1958, ŁUCZNIK Metal Works began using machine drives created by ASPA company. However, the breakthrough in the company’s operations came in the 1970s, when it began cooperation with the Singer company founded by the engineer mentioned in the text, recognized as the creator of today’s sewing machine. Thanks to this, it became possible to transfer part of production from Poland abroad. In 1999, ŁUCZNIK Sewing Machine Factory Sp. z o.o. began operations, and in 2006, ASPA Capital Group became the owner of the Łucznik brand.

Today, the company supplies equipment to Polish homes, enabling the creation of various projects for both beginners and more advanced seamstresses and tailors. In addition, currently in the Łucznik brand’s offer, you can also find household appliances appreciated by many people. The brand’s rich history and many years of experience in creating sewing machines allow the company to put only the best equipment in customers’ hands, which meets the expectations of even the most demanding people.