Queen Of Inventions: How The Sewing Machine Changed the World [Library Binding]

Laurie Carlson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Looks at the history of sewing and how it was transformed in the 1850s when an American inventor, Isaac Singer, not only invented a practical sewing machine, but also a way for everyone to afford one.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Carlson presents the story of Isaac Singer's "stitching machine" and describes its impact on the quality of life in the mid 19th century. It was called the "Queen of Inventions" because it relieved the time-consuming hand sewing and expedited the mass production of garments, shoes, gloves, hats, military uniforms, and even hot-air balloons. Archival black-and-white photos and engravings with sepia accents bring this interesting and informative slice of Americana to life.
Marion F. Gallivan, Gannon University, Erie, PA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. The author of Boss of the Plains (1998) takes a look at the history of sewing and Isaac Singer's invention of the sewing machine. Carlson describes the tedium of hand stitching, early French and American machines from the 1840s, and Singer's 1850 invention that solved the problem of loose lower stitches. She emphasizes that Singer's marketing strategy--selling machines for a small deposit and collecting the balance over time--helped to create a large demand for his product while making the invention affordable to the masses. Period drawings and photographs on every page show nineteenth-century fashions, scenes of home sewing, and garment factories. Unfortunately, these pictures are not captioned, and children may not always understand what they are seeing. There is no index, but Carlson has supplied a list of further readings and a bibliography. Of use to report writers and for classes studying inventions. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (January 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761327061
• ISBN-13: 978-0761327066
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,372,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 10-minute overview, November 1, 2008

By 

Karen Tiede (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Queen Of Inventions: How The Sewing Machine Changed the World (Library Binding)

I bought this book for myself, as a quick overview of the history of sewing machines. I have no experience with children's books. It met the need. Entertaining and thought-provoking.

I wish some of the pictures had captions; I can't tell what they're making. I'm not so sure that "skirts got fuller and fuller until they took up almost the whole room" was a consequence of the sewing machine's invention; I'm thinking of hoops and crinolines which were past their prime as the sewing machine moved into common use. Perhaps the author is thinking of some other type of full skirt.

The mention of "freeing up time for girls' education" is possibly the most important connection to be made for the target audience.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "One of the most important technological developments the world would ever see.", October 10, 2007

By 

J. Arena (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Queen Of Inventions: How The Sewing Machine Changed the World (Library Binding)

Sometimes people are afraid of progress, and it might be hard for young history students to believe, but the earliest sewing machines caused tailors in France to tear down the doors of a small factory, grab the sewing machines and throw them all out the window! Professional hand-sewers feared that they would be put out of business, but for millions of people through the years, that hand sewing represented hours and hours of endless drudgery to create all the garments they and their families needed. That included sheets, towels, curtains, etc. Can you imagine how long that must take? The fastest hand stitcher couldn't match the one thousand stitches per minute produced by a machine! No wonder some people feared the sewing machine, but this "Queen of Inventions" was destined to revolutionize the lives of ordinary people of every social class.

Wonderful old photographs and drawings bring the historical data to life, and the book also includes a list of suggested reading, websites, and bibliography.

3.0 out of 5 stars Queen of Inventions, June 2, 2008

By 

C. J. Howell (Gainesville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Queen Of Inventions: How The Sewing Machine Changed the World (Library Binding)

Bought this as a gift for a girl (10 yrs.) who was having a "sewing party." She seemed to enjoy it, especially the pictures.