Sewing is the process of stitching pieces of fabric together with a needle and thread, by hand or using a sewing machine. Many people enjoy sewing their own clothes and such household articles as bedspreads, pillows, curtains, and slipcovers. Clothing and other items sewn at home may cost less, fit and wear better, and have more individuality than ready-made products. Sewing also plays a vital role in the clothing, home furnishings, and textile industries.
People in western Europe and central Asia began to sew, using bone needles, more than 17,000 years ago. Most sewing was done by hand until the 1800's. In 1846, an American inventor named Elias Howe patented the first practical sewing machine. Today, most sewing is done by machine.
