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Turn of the century sewing in Detroit, Michigan
Sewing is an ancient craft involving the stitching of cloth, animal
skins, furs, or other materials, using needle and
thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of cloth.
Sewing is used primarily to produce clothing and household furnishings as
curtains, bedclothes, upholstery, and table linens. It is also used for sails, bellows, skin boats, and other
items shaped out of flexible materials such as canvas and leather.
Most sewing in the industrial world is done by machines. Pieces of a garment or the edge of a cloth are firstly tacked
together. Some people sew clothes for themselves and their families. More often home sewers sew to repair clothes, such as
mending a torn seam or replacing a loose button. A person who sews for a living is known as a seamstress, dressmaker, tailor, or
garment worker.
"Plain" sewing is done for functional reasons: making or mending clothing or household linens. "Fancy" sewing is primarily
decorative, including techniques such as shirring, embroidery, or quilting.
Sewing is the foundation for many needle arts and crafts, such as applique,
canvas work, and patchwork.
Sewing Tools and Accessories
Notions (Objects Sewn Into Garments or Soft Goods)
See also: sewing machine
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