Singer Sewing Machine, 1881

Before the sewing machine, making clothing was a time-consuming task. By hand, sewing a shirt took about 14 hours; with a machine, a little over an hour. Isaac Singer developed the first practical sewing machine for home use in the 1850s. Yet it was the Singer company's marketing strategies--an installment plan, advertising aimed at women, and foreign sales-- that would be its greatest innovation.