UNZIPPING HISTORY

 

By Mary Davis

National Zipper Day is April 29^th.

 

I don’t think about zippers on a daily basis even though I use them almost every day. They are so much a part of life, yet we hardly consider them even while zipping them up or down. Zippers are on everything from clothing, luggage, purses, camping gear, and a wide array of other items. I can’t imagine life without this marvelous modern device. Well, I can imagine it, but I don’t like it.

 

We have not one but three inventors to thank for the modern zipper.

 

It all started with Elias Howe, Jr., who invented the lockstitch sewing machine in 1846. A few years later, he invented the predecessor to the modern zipper, receiving a patent in 1851 for his “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure”. This device was a series of movable clasps connected with a drawstring. So, a zipper-ish. However, he didn’t pursue marketing it and doesn’t always get credit for inventing the “zipper.”

 

Elias Howe, Jr.

Forty-two years later, Whitcomb Judson developed the “clasp locker” similar to Howe’s description in his patent. Judson’s complicated hook-and-eye system debuted at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. He and businessman Colonel Lewis Walker formed the Universal Fastener Company to produce the device. However, it wasn’t a huge hit.

 

Whitcomb Judson

Swedish-born Gideon Sundbäck was hired by Judson and Walker’s Universal Fastener Company and added his stamp on the invention in 1913. He increased the number of teeth per inch from four to ten or eleven and received a patent for it in 1917. He also developed a machine to manufacture this new version of the separable fastener. Unfortunately, the clasp locker struggled to find favor in the clothing industry.

 

Gideon Sundbäck

So how did this modern marvel go from clasp locker or separable fastener to zipper? A name that perfectly fit it and so much easier to say. We have the B. F. Goodrich Company to thank for that in 1923. They used the device on a new style of rubber boots (a.k.a. galoshes). The fastener made a zip sound, so Goodrich called it a zipper. The name stuck. Even so, zippers still didn’t find success and were mainly relegated to boots and tobacco pouches.

 

In the 1930s, a campaign was launched to put zippers in children’s clothing to help them be independent and dress themselves. But it wasn’t until 1937 when a French fashion designer praised the zipper as perfect for men’s trousers and the “Battle of the Fly” that the zipper won out over buttons. Soon, these revolutionary fasteners zipped into clothing everywhere.

 

Now, thousands of miles of zippers are produced every day to meet our needs. Amen!

 

THE QUILTING CIRCLE SERIES Box Set

Historical Romance Series

By Mary Davis

THE WIDOW’S PLIGHT (Book1) – Will a secret clouding a single mother’s past cost Lily her loved ones?

THE DAUGHTER’S PREDICAMENT (Book2) *SELAH & WRMA Finalist* – As Isabelle’s romance prospects turn in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams.

THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (Book3) *SELAH Winner* – Nicole heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. Can she learn to be enough of a lady to snag the handsome rancher?

THE DÉBUTANTE’S SECRET (Book4) – Complications arise when a fancy French lady steps off the train and into Deputy Montana’s arms.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNZPRRS2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3NJNTQ5SD1WGB&keywords=the+quilting+circle+by+mary+davis&qid=1700957455&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C155&sr=1-7

 

MARY DAVIS, bestselling, award-winning novelist, has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE LADY’S MISSION. Her other novels include THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle Book 4) THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (The Quilting Circle Book 3) is a SELAH Award Winner. Some of her other recent titles include; THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT, THE DAUGHTER'S PREDICAMENT, “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection, Prodigal Daughters Amish series, "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of thirty-seven years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at: Books2Read Newsletter Blog FB FB Readers Group Amazon GoodReads BookBub

Sources

https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-the-zipper-4066245

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipper

https://www.backthenhistory.com/articles/the-history-of-zippers

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2021/04/29/a-brief-history-of-the-zipper

https://historycooperative.org/who-invented-the-zipper/

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/hardware/zipper-history/

https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2010/05/03/the-up-an-down-history-of-the-zipper/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_Howe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitcomb_L._Judson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Sundback

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galoshes

 

And Sew it Goes

 By Cindy Regnier

 Any seamstresses out there (sorry guys but I didn’t want to call you sewers!). If you sew, you probably have use of a sewing machine and may not begin to know how to construct a garment without one. I know I wouldn’t. It did make me wonder about the invention of the sewing machine. It was Singer – right? Not necessarily so. In fact, the history of this time saving device is somewhat convoluted. Let’s check it out.

Hand sewing has been around for centuries. The first needles were made from animal bones or horns and thread was animal sinew. Then things began to get interesting during the Industrial Revolution in 18th century Europe. Factories found it unprofitable to hire hand sewing and something needed to change.

Weisenthal

A German immigrant living in 1755 London, Charles Weisenthal,
first took out a patent for a needle to be used for mechanical sewing. No machine to go with it, but maybe he had some foresight. 34 years later, Englishman Thomas Saint invented a use for the needle. He patented a machine that made a hole in leather with an awl and then allowed a needle to go through. Some say Saint only had the idea and never came up with a real machine. When someone tried to produce a machine from his drawings in the 1880s, it didn’t work well. So maybe we can’t credit Saint with this invention. What happened next?

Model from Saint's plan

In America during 1818, John Adams Doge and John Knowles produced a device that made a e stitch, but it could only sew a short piece before a time consuming re-setting process.

In 1830 Barthelemy Thimonnier was granted a patent by the French government. His contraption used a barbed needle and was built of wood. Supposedly, he designed the machine for embroidery, but then saw sewing potential. He was eventually given a contract to build  machines used to sew uniforms for the French army. 10 years later, Thimonnier ran a factory with 80 machines. But apparently the French tailors were envious and afraid their craft would disappear. Late one night a group of tailors broke into the factory and destroyed all the machines. Thimonnier fled to England with one machine he was able to salvage. He died in the poor house in 1857. 

Hunt's model

It’s worth mentioning that all attempts of designing a sewing machine before the first successful one, all moved the needle side to side and were powered with a winding handle. In 1833 American quaker Walter Hunt invented the first machine which did not try to reproduce hand sewing. It made a lock stitch using two spools of thread and incorporated an eye-pointed needle. But it was unsuccessful as it could only produce short, straight, seams. Furthermore, Hunt thought such a machine would cause unemployment for many, so he didn’t bother to patent the design.

Howe

 Nine years later John Greenough, produced a  machine in which the needle passed completely through the cloth. Although a model was made and exhibited in the hope of raising capital for its manufacture, there were no takers. Another failed invention. In 1844, Englishman John Fisher invented a machine designed for producing lace, but it worked like a sewing machine. But an error at the patent office caused his idea to be lost. No patent or invention credit for Mr. Fisher.

Howe's model

 

 Then, Massachusetts farmer Elias Howe completed his first prototype sewing machine not long after Fisher. It resembled Fisher’s with some minor adjustments. He had trouble marketing his design, so he left for England. By the time he returned to America, others had copied his lockstitch design and began producing the machines. One of those was Isaac Merritt Singer.

 

Isaac Singer

 Singer developed the first version of our modern-day sewing machine,   with a foot pedal and the up-and-down needle. Elias Howe took Singer to court for Patent Infringement, where he defended his case and won. Interestingly enough, if John Fisher’s patent hadn’t been lost, he would also have been involved in the lawsuits as Singer’s designs were almost identical to Fisher’s. As it was, Singer had to pay patent royalties to Howe, as well as giving him a share in the Singer Co. profits.

Singer's model

  It turned out okay for both men, though, since Howe and Singer both died multimillionaires. And so the argument continues over who invented the sewing machine. Whether you vote for Fisher, Howe, Singer or someone else, I am thankful that we can now sew without sinew and bones.

How about you? Do you sew? Do you do any hand sewing or is it a lost art?

Rand isn't looking for true love. What he needs is a wife to help care for his orphan nieces. Desperate, he sends an advertisement and hopes for the best.
Fleeing her former employer who would use her to further his unlawful acts, an advertisement reads like the perfect refuge to Carly. Hiding herself on a Kansas cattle ranch is her best shot for freedom.
But its sanctuary comes with a price. While marrying a man she doesn't know or love means sacrificing her dreams, it's better than being caught by the law.
Or is it?

Sewing with Elias Howe and Isaac Singer

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

In July, I shared the third set of state name origins. I'm splitting them up into 5 groups in the name of brevity, to avoid bogging down a long post. You can read last month's post if you missed it.

I'll continue with sets 4 and 5 in September and November. Today, we're delving into the world of sewing.

THE REVOLUTIONARY SEWING MACHINE

Most popular Singer sewing machine

I don't know about you, but the sewing skill has effectively skipped a generation in my family. Me! My mother is phenomenal. Unfortunately, she never had the patience to teach me and quickly got frustrated I wasn't learning fast enough, so she did it all herself instead. My daughter does a better job than I can manage. I'm good to sew a button on a shirt and maybe a straight line hem on a set of curtains. And don't ask me to thread a sewing machine or even get it to work. :)

If I had been born 150 years ago, this wouldn't be an issue. I'd either be quite adept at sewing by hand or I'd have been using a new machine invention.

First patented sewing machine

Barthélemy Thimonnier designed and manufactured the first sewing machine in 1830, and the French government granted him a patent. They had a stipulation, though. The machine was to be used to mass-produce uniforms for the French army. When word spread about this new invention, tailors all over France were afraid it would ruin their businesses. So, they rioted and destroyed all the machines!

It really wasn't much of a loss, though, as the design merely took the hand-sewing process and converted it to a mechanical one.

Howe's modified machine

Now, when Walter Hunt tried his hand at the design in New York City two years later, he made some significant improvements. However, he never got them patented. This opened the door for Elias Howe to revolutionize the machine in Spencer, Massachusetts. Unlike Hunt, Howe did pursue a patent and was granted it in 1846.
The motivation for his design came from Howe's attempt to ease the burden for his wife, who took in hand-sewing jobs to earn money. Their family was pinched by poverty, and Elias wanted to do more. Being granted that patent turned the tide for him and his family forever!

Model of my mother's sewing machine table

A large number of copycats of Howe's widely successful design attempted to gain their own notoriety. This led to a patent pool that included the design of Isaac Singer, the man whose name has become a household word when it comes to the sewing machine.

175 years later, the design is still pretty much the same, although it might have some minor changes at the industrial level, and the power source is likely a motor instead of the foot-treadle.
My mother had a Singer that folded down into a cabinet with a hinged leaf that closed over the hole and converted it into a table. That's where the sewing pile sat. She still has it in her home.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What was your first experience or introduction to sewing?

* Was there a Singer sewing machine in your home? Do you still have one?

* If you had to develop a new invention to make a task or process easier or more efficient, what might it be?

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I'm sending a FREE autographed book to one person every month from the comments left on each of my blog posts. You never know when your comment will be a winner! Subscribe to comments so you'll know if you've won and need to get me your mailing information.

Come back on the 9th next month to continue with me and my forays into historical tidbits to share.

For those interested in my "fictional" life as an author and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my quarterly newsletter. Receive a FREE omitted chapter from my book, A Grand Design, just for subscribing!

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and four cats in southeastern Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

History of Sewing Machines

The Machine Seamstresses Loved

by Martha Rogers

In my thoughts, the sewing machine was an invention of the 19^th century, but my research found the first patent for a mechanical needle for sewing was issued in 1755 to a German immigrant, Charles Weisenthal. No mention of a machine goes along with it. Thirty-four years later, an English cabinet maker, Thomas Saint invented what many believe to be the first real sewing machine.

That first machine had an awl which made a hole in leather and allowed the needle to pass through. It isn’t sure whether or not he actually built the machine, but when an attempt was made to make a machine from his drawings in 1880, the machine would not work.

No patents were ever taken out for machines until 1814 by Josef Madersperger, but he failed to get all the elements to work together successfully and died without producing a workable machine.

Another claimant for inventor of the sewing machine was Frenchman, Barthelemy Thimonnier who was granted a patent in 1830 for a machine using a barbed needle. It may have been designed originally for embroidery, but he saw the potential as a sewing machine. By the 1840’s, he had a factory running with 80 machines, but Parisian tailors feared a loss of work, and the factory was attacked and destroyed.

Here are pictures of two of the early machines.  

Thimommier successfully tried again with a vastly improved machine, but the tailors attacked again. Because France was in the midst of the revolution, Thimonnier fled to England with one machine he managed to salvage. He later died in 1857 in the poorhouse.

Several other inventors came up with sewing machines. Among them were John Greenough, John Fisher, Isaac Singer, and Elias Howe. Despite this flurry in the 1840s, Americans claim Elias Howe to be the first inventor in America to invent a machine used exclusively for sewing in 1844. To the right is Elias Howe.

Isaac Merritt Singer did not invent the sewing machine, but he patented the first
practical and efficient one, on August 12th, 1851. Singer is described as a flamboyant and unscrupulous tycoon of American business. His early design evolved into a practical machine which could easily be used by a seamstress. He used mass-production techniques to come up with a machine that could be purchased on hire-purchase system of buying on credit. This revolutionized consumer buying. One of Singer's early machines.

I'd say we've come a long way from this first machine. 

The first widely used machines had a wooden treadle that allowed the seamstress to power the machine with her feet, leaving her hands free to

manipulate the fabric under the needle. At first for trade use only, the machine later became popular with women who sewed for themselves.

The early treadle machines were still used even after electricity revolutionized the sewing machine once again. Smaller machines were designed to be carried in boxes then set up on tables for use. These portable machines grew rapidly in popularity. This is a picture of a machine like the one I took to college with me

in 1953. It belonged to my grandmother who taught me to sew on it. She had it for a number of years before giving it to me. I gave it to my cousin when she went off to college and she still has it today.

Alanna Radle provided these pictures of a sewing machine her great-aunt purchased in 1916 in Oklahoma City. The cost: $75

Today, we have any number of brands making sewing machines that do everything from quilting to embroidery to buttonholes and everything in between as well as plain sewing. Up until about fifteen years ago, I made all my own clothes as well as ones for my sons and my grandchildren. More recently I've helped my daughter-in-law make things for her girls. 

Did you ever take sewing classes or use a sewing machine?

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.  A former English and Home Economics teacher,

Martha loves to cook and experimenting with recipes and loves scrapbooking when she has time. She is the Director of the Houston Christian Writers Conference held in August each year. She has written three series, Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart and The Homeward Journey. Her new contemporary series, Love in the Bayou City of Houston and novellas, Christmas Blessing, Love Comes to Bluebonnet Inn, and Garden of Love are now available on Amazon.  

Find Martha at:  www.marthawrogers.com