Inventors in the 19th century strived to mechanize sewing, a laborious task. Contrary to myth, no single person invented the ...

A janitor's struggle with asthma led to the invention of the first portable vacuum cleaner in 1907. James Murray Spangler combined everyday items to create a device that revolutionized carpet cleaning ...

This company has crafted the American flag for most major moments since the Civil War. For those who stitch the Stars and ...

My wife loves to sew. It is the hobby she comes back to when the week has worn her out — fabric spread across the table, the hum of the machine, something taking shape under her hands. So when she ...

Editor’s note: This column previously appeared Nov. 27, 2016. Sewing wasn’t my most favorite thing to do when I was growing up. In fact, I did everything I could to avoid sewing of any kind. My mom ...

Certain sounds instantly transport Black folks back to childhood. The slap of beaded ropes against pavement, the chants echoing through neighborhood parks, somebody yelling “ready?” before another ...

How do inventions happen? NPR's Planet Money's team brings us the history of one underappreciated invention that has enabled countless other inventions, from the Phillips screwdriver to Bluetooth. You ...