, 1862-12-25
QDita9o Qribnne,

KeiauFe anu P0s1tFe Fea1urA'
and Talue.
Speech Of Geo. R. nafttenden, Esq.
Dc11vcret in .ne Convention of SzheeI-
~ xnI ~ ilson,s Sewing macI1ine
AGENT from the States Of Illinois,
Wtsnna:N,n, WtsSna Na,r1I.sg:, Iowa, minnesota, kan-
LADIES AND GESTLEMEE:-W had so far
proceeded with reviewing the sewing ina
chimes in Convention yesterday, as to inc1ude
all the machines down TO the present time
the more popular machines, and stitches made
by these n,achincs--the chain stitch, the
double thread chain stich, and the lock stich-
The chain stitch machines are used for EN-
broidery, OF fancy work, and are not cons
sidercd practical machines for sewing, there
fore, What We have to consider are the lock
stitch, and the double thread chain stitch ma
chimes. There is one principle common to all
sewing machines for making stitches, viz:
the eye pointed needle, which, with thread
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to be scwed, rcceding after it has passed
through the fabric far enough go that in its
return motion It shall form loop on the un-
der surface Of the fabric thus penetrated.
Now this loop is called the needle thread
loop, and every sewing machine has to make
this loop. This needle loop has 10 be made
Of different sizes in the different machines.
Thus, through tlis loop is passed the entire
body Of a shuttle, in those machines making
the lock stitch with shuttle. Therefore,
this needle thread loop has to be made the
largest in this class Of machines. 4 smaller
needle loop is made for the double thread
chain stitch machines as it is only necessary to
enter small shaft Of steel, eye pointed,
straight or curved, into this needle loop in
order to hold or distend it; also, it requires
:. small sized needle loop for that class Of
sewing machines making the lock stitch with
t]lc rotating hook.
This needIe-loop, then, is common to all
maclines-it is desirable to lave this needle
loop the smallest possible in sewing. Asma1l
needlc-loop is more easily controlled than .
large one- .,.....
when large and thereby skip stitches; the
smaller IS the less likely to change its
position or skip stitches. This needIe-loop
principle, common to all sewing machines, /
wish t. illustrate in particular.
Eu}d in my right hand Il sewing machine
needle; the eye il near the point-the tarvad
mon to all machines. In my left hand hold
piece Of cloth I pass the needle with its
thread through the cloth Us far as may be ne
eessary, aad cause It to reccdc, and IN the re-
ccding it makes The loop. In order to obtain
the different sized loops, larger or smaller
Y,nya vr11 f.urEa ff, + tha
needle to pass through the cloth q greater or
1csscr distance before commencing to recede-
This is The only way you can obtain larger ar
smaller needle-loop. I lay stress upon this,
as it must become apparent by these explains
tions that a small ncedle-1oop is more adsan-
taEeous than large one.
Now, this needIc-loop being formed, for all
machines Tie mode Of its disposition after
such formation constitutes the different
stitches and the difference in sewing machines.
Before proceeding farther to IN Investigation
Of tie operation Of machinery for the dispo-
some suggestions as to the stitches them
selves. Ne have stated that the chain stitch
is Of 10 practical value in scanning fabric5 to-
gctler. We shall con1ine our Investigations,
then. to the Goable-thread chain stitch and
lcck-stitell Out Of Ill the sewing machines
made, many will be surprised to know that
nearly all make either the one or the other Of
these twu stitches.
It is therefore important to fully understand
thu relative merits of these two stitches.
The double thread chain stitch requires
from q to G1z yards Of thread for every yard
Of scam.
The lock stitch requires from 2 to 2 4 yards
OF thread to every yard of seam. In stitching
600 yards Of seam, it would require about
$3.50 yards more Of thread in doing il with
the double thread chain stitch than with the
lock stitch. The cost Of thread per dozen,
9 461 yards t,lfr1 a1,o
sl.SS more for eacl, thousand yards. Should
| silk be used it would be still more expensive,
! II is urged that those using the lock stitch
| in sewing use more thread III the starting and
leaving of when sewing. This to some ex.
| tent may be true: but tie person sewing with
! the lock stitch may or may not use more
| thread IN starting and leaving off sewing than
! is used in the double thread Chain stitch 1nt
chimes. 70 allow one-thtrd Of II yuEtt uf thread
| to zach yard OF scam for such nee1less waste
woN}d indeed be liberal
With such an estimate We should then use
IN stitching GOO yards Of seam, 900 yards o
Thread more if sewn with the double thread
chain stitch, than it sewn with the lock stitch
or an additional cost Of Sl.25 for each thou
sand yards Of scam, and more in proportion
| IL silk is used,
The double thread Chain stitch presents t:1t
| appearance Of a stitch upon one side of til,
| fabric sewn; while upon the other it present
i ridge or sort Of cord :,s it were, owing Il
the multiplied series ofloops. This becoinv
apparent, particularly VIXEN large thread i
used, and is essentially objectionable but i
you use all ordinary sized thread upon the up
per side, and Il finer one on the under side, al
though tic scam may not be SO strong, sc
this ridge becomes less Objectionable.
/ The lock stitch presents the appearance O
a stitch on both sides Of the fabric sewn
The double thread chain stitch being sor
Of knitting stitch, may be Tayelcd out, al
though when one stitch is cut, it does not rip
The lock-stitch does not rayel out, when on
stitch is cut, the seam scparates two or tire
stitches, as much as il hand sewing-n
more, no less. IN brief, the lock-stitch Is th
nearest like hand sewing
1t is claimed By those who make the doub1
thread chain stitch machiucs that it is yer
elastic seam. Waiying the cams, levers IN,
S1brAtory motions, the wear and tear in th
lnconrenincc Of the ridge on the under sui
face of the fabric sewn; waving the add
tiona1 expense necessary in the use Of 80 muc
| surplus thread in the making Of the site
which Will, tile thread and silk at their pre-:
ent high rates is no trifling consideration,
urc comrcneates for the making Of this stitch
| sc objectionable and expensive.
purpose 10 show you the difference bt
tween the elaxtitity Of the lock stitch and t1
double thread chain stitch. I claim, and wi
: proyctllat the lock stitch has more clasticit,
than the double thread chain stitch, who
both stitches are made, as they are made
| practical sewing.
; It will appear hereafter that there are tn
method: Of making the lock stitch, one by
shuttle, and one by a rotating hook No
the lock stitch made by the rotating hook
generally more elastic, than WHEN made +
shuttle. But the lock stitch itself belle,
TO be more elastic than the double tlrea
! chain stitch. i'll shall prove to yon that tt
lock stitch when properly sewn, is more Ella
tic than the doEble thread chain stitch, the
the argument Of elasticity is taken away, m
there remains no argument in facts to sui
port this inconvenient, cumbersome, and c.
= penFiyc device Of stitch for sewing by II,
ehincry. 1t is announcement, because of q fl
9 quent necessity for concealing The ridge, {
series Of loops on the under surface Of Il
fabric. 1t il cumbersome because of the T:ds
itself It is expensive because Of the neccssi1
Of paying for three or more yards Of threa
or silk in sewing each yard Of scam If +
paying premium, the price Of three yards
thread or silk additional to each yard of seal,
! in sewing with the double thread cha!
stitch one possesses themselves Of
stitch not so beautiful, no stronger, not :
elastic, and not so desirable altogether rs Il
lock stitch: One had best tT far purchase
machine making the lock stitch, thereby pr
cure :. more desirable, popular and econon,
cal stitch.
In order to nlstrate tile comparative Ella
tieity Of the double thread chain stitch vii
the 1ock-stitch, ~ will give roua diasran: He
is Il steam gauge made in Errone which
popular. L will show you the principle /
which itoperates. It tconsists ofthe diagr,n, \
cup r, boltcd to the STEEL corrugated suri.c
| 2t c and e Nov as fhn ct n1r.. an .ore Fl