Helen Blanchard

Helen Augusta Blanchard (25 October 1840 – January 12, 1922) was an American inventor who received 28 patents between 1873 and 1915. She was known for her numerous inventions dealing with sewing machines and sewing technology.
Early life.
Blanchard was born in Portland, Maine on October 25, 1840 to a wealthy family. Her father was Nathaniel Blanchard, a shipowner and businessman; her mother was Phoebe Buxton Blanchard. Helen was one of six children; two other daughters Louise Phobe, and Persis E., and three sons David H., Augustus, and Albus. Helen demonstrated an inventive turn of mind at an early age, but did not receive her first patent until she was over thirty, after the fall of her father's business. There is no indication that she received any mechanical or technical education, despite her patents being involved mostly in these subjects.
First inventions and move to Boston – 1870s.
Her father suffered financial losses as a result of the business panic of 1866, resulting in the loss of the family homestead. Nathaniel died, leaving his family with financial troubles. Helen Blanchard moved to Boston, Massachusetts and patented several inventions relating to sewing machines in 1873 and 1875. This included the Blanchard over-seaming-machine, which could simultaneously sew and trim knitted fabrics.
Philadelphia and New York – late 1870s–1890s.
After developing techniques for zigzag stitching and over seaming, Blanchard moved to Philadelphia, where she established the Blanchard Overseaming Company of Philadelphia to market her inventions in the late 1870s or early 1880s. She also founded the Blanchard Hosiery Machine Company in 1882. She moved to New York in the early 1890s, and continued to patent a variety of inventions, including a pencil sharpener and a hat sewing machine.
Later life and legacy.
Having profited from her commercial ventures, Blanchard was able to buy back the family homestead in Portland, and moved back there in 1901. She continued to patent inventions until suffering a stroke in 1916. She died in Providence, RI, in 1922 and is buried in the family plot in Portland's Evergreen Cemetery. . It is unclear what became of her property and wealth after her death. However, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.
Patents.
Helen Blanchard received 28 patents over about 45 years, 22 of which involved sewing and sewing machines. Many of these inventions have been referenced by other inventors in their own designs.
1873-Improvement in Sewing Machines
1875- Improvement in Elastic Seams for Garments
1875- Improvement in Elastic Goring for Shoes
1876- Improvement in Welted and Covered Seams
1883- Spool Case
1893- Method of Securing Reeds or Cords to the Edges of Material
1893- Sewing-Needle
1894- Surgical Needle
1900- Sewing Machine Needle
1901- Seam for Sewed Articles
 1901- Hat Sewing Machine
1914- Method of Selvage-Sewing