Yes, the sewing machine made sewing more efficient and placed nicer clothing into more people's financial grasp. However, it also gave birth to a completely new industry, ready-made garments. The sewing machine transformed dressmaking from an expensive hobby to a more affordable profession. Before the sewing machine, clothes were made by skilled craftsmen who used modern techniques but had to make each garment according to visual designs cut out of parchment or wood. The sewing machine allowed manufacturers to produce standardized articles with easy-to-use components that could be combined in many different ways. This led to a huge increase in the number of available clothes for everyone's budget. In addition, the sewing machine created new jobs in the manufacturing sector as factories began to need workers to maintain their equipment. These new jobs weren't as secure as those in the dressmaking industry because they were in such high demand that they often didn't pay enough to attract experienced labor lawyers. Finally, the sewing machine helped spread the idea that women should be educated so they could use their time productively instead of spending it making clothes. Previously, most people believed that women were not capable of doing serious work and should be sheltered from labor-intensive tasks like sewing.