Curving Seams: The Twisted History of Sewing Machines in America
A Presentation by Josh Chernoff

May 31, 2023, 1-2 pm

Doors open at 12:45 pm
In Person at the Evanston History Center
225 Greenwood St., Evanston, IL 60201
Registration Required. See below to RSVP.
Free and open to all!

Join us for a presentation by Josh Chernoff. The domestic sewing machine, which became commercially available in the 1850s, transformed the entire textile industry and changed the way all Americans acquired clothing, and changed the way many worked. It was a vital part of the Industrial Revolution.  This presentation will explore the growth of the sewing machine and its interactions with and influences on industrial design, culture, trade, technology, and gender roles.

Josh Chernoff, a long-time Evanstonian, has been a quilter and fiber artist for 35 years. For 30+ years, he was also a corporate consultant, often working in the apparel and textile sectors. He is also a passionate collector and restorer of vintage sewing machines, a hobby that began when he inherited his grandmother’s 1921 Singer Model 66 treadle-operated sewing machine.  His collection of more than 25 machines includes American, German, Swiss, Italian, and Japanese sewing machines from 1920 to 1970.

Questions about the event? Please email Jenny Thompson: jthompson@evanstonhistorycenter.org

Ticketing

Registration is required. Please use “RSVP” option to register. Click the “Going” button underneath “RSVP Here” below.

This event is free and open to all.

A confirmation email of your “RSVP” will be sent to the email you registered with.
If you do not receive a confirmation email, please email Jenny Thompson at jthompson@evanstonhistorycenter.org.