The Surprising Genius of Sewing Machines

How do sewing machines actually work? Get your first month of KiwiCo FREE at https://www.kiwico.com/veritasium

If you’re looking for a molecular modeling kit, head to https://ve42.co/SnatomsV to try Snatoms – a kit I invented where the atoms snap together magnetically.

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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.

Massive thanks to Noah Johnson and Tina Vines for teaching Derek how to chain-stitch, and letting us shoot with your embroidery machine! Please check out https://www.instagram.com/stitchrite and https://www.instagram.com/tina_vines if you're interested in seeing more of their gorgeous chain stitch embroidery.

Thanks to Denny Stanley and the whole crew at Las Vegas Props for building the large replica model of the sewing machine. https://www.vegasprops.net

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References:
Parton, J. (1870). History of the Sewing-machine. Howe Machine Company, No. 38, N. Charles St.. -- https://ve42.co/Patron1870

Gregory, J. M. (2006). A History of the Sewing Machine to 1880. Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 76(1), 127-144. -- https://ve42.co/Gregory2006

How America Spends Money: 100 Years In the Life of the Family Budget, The Atlantic -- https://ve42.co/Budget1

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.

Lewton, F. L. (1930). The servant in the house: a brief history of the sewing machine (Vol. 3056). US Government Printing Office. -- https://ve42.co/Lewton1930

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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