who invented sewing machine

The invention of the sewing machine involved several contributors over many years, but Elias Howe Jr. is credited with inventing the first practical and modern sewing machine in 1845. He received a patent in 1846 for a machine that used a grooved and curved eye-pointed needle and a lockstitch mechanism, which significantly improved sewing speed and efficiency. Despite early struggles, Howe's patent was eventually recognized as fundamental, leading to royalties on sewing machine sales in the U.S. from 1854 onward. Other early contributors include Thomas Saint, who designed the first sewing machine in 1790 for leather and canvas, and Barthélemy Thimonnier, who invented the first practical widely used sewing machine in 1829. Isaac Singer later improved on these designs and helped popularize the sewing machine with additional innovations such as the foot pedal, but Howe's invention remains the foundational design for modern machines.