The Surprising Genius of Sewing Machines

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A huge thanks to Prof. Andy Ruina for suggesting this video topic, guiding us in the research, and giving deeply insightful notes.

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References:

Buckman, J. (2016). Unraveling the Threads: The Life, Death and Resurrection of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, America’s First Multi-National Corporation. Dog Ear Publishing.

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Directed by Petr Lebedev
Written by Petr Lebedev, Derek Muller, Felicity Nelson
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Animated by Mike Radjabov, Fabio Albertelli and Jakub Misiek
Filmed by Derek Muller, Raquel Nuno, Gene Nagata and Taylor Cody
Additional Research by Gregor Čavlović
Produced by Petr Lebedev, Han Evans, and Derek Muller
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Storyblocks
Music from Epidemic Sound

[pbs]

My mom, who is very good at sewing, didn't do it in a while because her machine wasn't set properly anymore after decades. As an engineer, I searched for the old instruction manual online, and carefully followed the instructions and oiled everything up : the machine was working flawlessly again. And I realized that I had NO IDEA of how it did work in the first place. So she explained it to me. I was litteraly amazed, so 1) seeing your video and your own amazement is so pleasing to me, and 2) blessed be my mom.

[Heyitscryz]

I do have a singer 27K. It's now 123 years old and I use it to sew my own clothing, or fixing damaged clothing. It's handcranked, no electricity needed with a shuttle bobbin. I love this machine. It works fantastic to this day. I've sown some cyberpunk tech wear style clothing with it. The contrast of the 123 year old machine and the futuristic clothing it helped to create is something I enjoy a lot. ❤

[thomasshelley]

Puzzled me for years and never bothered to look - amazing that they invented these things!

[lindakaserman]

amazing. my husband watched this today and mentioned it to me. I love the thought process of the stitching but that line "The tension must be exactly the same" has been the bane of my existance as a someone who sews.

[DrDonnie]

I am Italian, i live near the famous "Rimoldi" factory and I am a specialized sewing machine technician, just like my father. I've been working in this field for 8 years now, and you have no idea how many machine models exist to create hundreds of different types of stitches. Each one has its own operation, adjustments, and tolerances. One must anticipate the behavior of the fabric and threads being used and adapt them to the process. Learning never stops. It's a wonderful industry!

[aleksandermelnikov]

I have a Singer sewing machie built in 1926 and still use it (because if it works - it works).
The surprising part was when I broke a needle in 2016. I thought I will never find a spare one, but when I took it to the nearest fabric shop, they immidiately gave me similar one that perfectly fit in.
It's amazing that needeles didn't change after a century.

[thhall]

At 67 years old, and as a physician, I have episodically wondered about this since I was a child watching my mother sew. Back then, and ever since, I realized I could not imagine how the machinery worked to make this mechanical miracle work. Thank you for finally explaining it to me before I die.

[wildflower]

I finally understand how my machine works, why the bobbin gets tangled, why tension is so important, and that it's actually not sorcery, lol. This is absolutely fascinating. How it works is crystal clear, the history is relevant and interesting, and the presentation is flawless. Excellent video!

[spiksplinter]

My parents own a sewing machine shop. My dad repairs them as well. I find it amazing that people can bring their old machines in, sometime 50 years old and they can just be repaired. No planned obsolescence, just a product that lasts a lifetime. Something that barely exists anymore with e-waste garbage piles that keep on growing without end.

[notsparks]

I use my sewing machine often to reinforce stitches when they start to come loose on my clothes, I hand stitch buttons back on, to mend clothes and dog toys and have made clothes from scratch. I had a reasonably good idea how the machine worked, but it was great to see it on a large scale to really appreciate how precisely the machine has to run to catch the loop on the underside. Gave me an even greater appreciation for the engineering that went into a sewing machine.

[drbell]

I remember when young asking grandmas and aunts how sewing machines worked. They could tell me how to make a sewing machine work, but not how the machine actually achieved the feat. Great video. Loved the super large model and how you kept adding improvements to it. It's truly amazing how people can get things to work with such fine tolerances.

[SCFoster]

Aeronautical engineer here. My Mom used to sew all the time when I was a kid and I even tried my hand at it. Never really thought about the mechanics of it until I desired to do some sewing for the boat. Have a brand new Sailrite machine sitting in the box. Your video lifts the curtain off the mystery of stitches, making assembly and operation more intuitive.
Thanks.

[mervynhing]

I frequently show my Maths and Physics students your videos for many years, I would like to assure you that all my students (and of course myself) are very grateful for your amazing teaching. Thanks again.

[meacadwell]

I'm a sewist and own 7 machines ranging in age from 1907 (Singer treadle model 27), some vintage ones, to modern computerized ones. I had no idea how they worked until I learned how to take apart, clean, and put back together the oldest ones.

You did an excellent job on this video.

[CourtneyCoulson]

As someone who has been sewing my entire life and now works as a seamstress for a furniture company, it's nice to see the humble sewing machine getting the attention it deserves. It's also nice seeing how others are impressed by it. That's right, what I do is pretty cool. These diagrams and models are some of the easiest to understand that I've ever seen.

[katesoboleski]

i found an 1890s White brand vibrating shuttle treadle machine at a town dump last summer! it was such a lucky find - it had everything except the drive band, which was maybe a $10 replacement part i bought online. i have no idea how long it had been sitting, or where, but it was pretty grimy and the treadle base had a fair amount of rust on it. i cleaned it up, oiled all of the parts, and sanded/repainted the rusty cast iron base with some black rustoleum. this took a few afternoons of work, but it immediately started making perfect stitches during the first test! i’ve had it for around a year and a half now and i’ve made so many projects on it. it powers through everything i’ve thrown at it, even heavy weight denim and canvas. i use it all the time!

[deanwells]

I’ve been a Parachute Rigger for the Navy for over 18 years and we still use some of those old Class 7 oscillating machines. Some of them are nearly 100 years old and they are powerful enough to punch through a stack of 3 quarters.

[lovivelaverdure]

I’m a mechanical engineer and forever promised myself to someday take time to figure out how sewing machines work. You crossed this item off my list in just 15 minutes. I owe you the pizza of your choice. Thank you!

[lindybeige]

At last! I have asked so many people how sewing machines work. I have looked at the machines, consulted experts, read manuals, and none told me how they work. I was amazed that people who worked with sewing machines for a living had no knowledge of, nor curiosity in, how they work.

[Zaroon_Ricky]

This video triggered some serious childhood flashbacks! In humble Pakistani homes, my mom was the sewing maestro, and that machine was her magic wand. Always wondered how it worked, but back then, no YouTube and definitely no disassembling privileges – that was a one-way ticket to punishment! Thanks to this channel, I can finally decode the sewing machine mysteries without risking timeout or grounding. Sewing, science, and a hint of childhood rebellion – who knew it could be this entertaining? gonna show this video to my mum <3.