What could a CW sewing machine actually do?

[Artyman]

Was reading some documentation about British supplied Confederate clothing this morning. I came across a description of an original Tait coat that was discribed as being "entirely machine stitched". I would presume they didn't mean the buttonholes. This reference got me to thinking. I hate it when that happens!

First, were the British ahead of us in sewing machine tech?

Did they exploit child labor in the Irish/English clothing factories?

Could these machines top stitch heavy wool?

Were there deluxe machines (more capable) and bargan basement brands (less capable)?

Was machine work used on civilian clothing done more than military items?

Was there any capability to blanket stitch a raw edge?

Did slaves provide the power (like they did on wood lathes and stuff)?

Were the machines in factories much more capable than what a lady in Richmond might have had?

You know...questions like these.

Did they machine sew leather goods?

I do not want this to devolve into a whizzing contest over hand/vs/machine arguement...we've had enough of that already. I just wondered what COULD have been done with the existing sewing machine tech of the time.

Harry

[hanktrent]

Lots of questions. Have you tried to look any of them up already? Try searching for Wheeler & Wilson (the sewing machine brand name of the period) or Willcox & Gibbs (a major chain stitch manufacturer). I'll just answer those I can address quickly off the top of my head.

Could these machines top stitch heavy wool?

In general, yes.

Were there deluxe machines (more capable) and bargan basement brands (less capable)?

There were more heavy duty factory machines and lighter machines for home work, portable vs. cabinet machines, some specialty machines like those that could sew leather, chain stitch vs. lock stitch, a few novelty machines that could do things like running stitch, and so forth.

Was there any capability to blanket stitch a raw edge?

Not that I know of, but it's possible; someone else may know of such a machine. Not a typical capability.

Did slaves provide the power (like they did on wood lathes and stuff)?

Most machines were foot treadle or hand crank. It's possible that some factories were hooked up to an overhead belt/crank arrangement that powered many machines at once, but it doesn't really make sense practically for the typical machine, since it's so easy for the person running the machine to treadle it while they sew, and coordinate the speed as well. Therefore, with each person providing his or her own power, there was typically no need for apprentices/slaves/steam/horses to work a central crank.

Were the machines in factories much more capable than what a lady in Richmond might have had?

Not really, unless you're talking heavy-duty leather-sewing machines. Most only had a straight lock-stitch or chain-stitch function.

Did they machine sew leather goods?

Even a home machine could sew light leather, and there were specialty machines for heavier leather.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Carolann Schmitt]

You'll find a wealth of information on the two Making of America sites - all primary sources.

Some off-line sources that will answer your questions:
- Cooper, Grace Rogers. The Sewing Machine: Its Invention and Development. Washington, DC: The Smithsonian Institution Press, 1976.
- Head, Carol. Old Sewing Machines. Great Britain: Shire Publications, 1982.
- Instruction Book for the Howe Sewing Machine. New York: The Howe Machine Company, 1867.
- Parton, James. History of the Sewing Machine. New Haven, CT: The Howe Machine Company, 1867.
- Rollins, John G. Needlemaking. Great Britain: Shire Publications, 1981.

My short answers to your questions:

First, were the British ahead of us in sewing machine tech?
Not really.

Did they exploit child labor in the Irish/English clothing factories?
I haven't researched the topic.

Could these machines top stitch heavy wool?
Yes.

Were there deluxe machines (more capable) and bargan basement brands (less capable)?
Sewing machines were available with a wide variety of features and attachments. Cost does not necessarily equate to the quality of the machine or the quality of the stitching it produced.

Was machine work used on civilian clothing done more than military items?
I don't know of a quantative analysis that addresses the question. Once they became available, sewing machines were widely used.

Was there any capability to blanket stitch a raw edge?
Not to my knowledge. If there was, it was probably done with a specialty attachment.

Did slaves provide the power (like they did on wood lathes and stuff)?
Not to my knowledge. As Hank mentioned, most machines were treadle or hand-crank. Some manufacturers, such as Thompson's, used a steam-driven shaft/leather belt arrangement to power the machines.

Were the machines in factories much more capable than what a lady in Richmond might have had?
With the exception of those used for special tasks, no.

Did they machine sew leather goods?
In some instances.

Regards,