In the mid-19th century, the introduction of the sewing machine in Britain and the United States sparked a panic among tailors and seamstresses, who feared that the new technology would lead to mass unemployment and the degradation of their craft. The panic was fueled by fears of deskilling and the displacement of artisanal labor by machines, reflecting broader anxieties about industrialization and the changing nature of work. Despite the initial resistance, the sewing machine eventually became a staple of garment production.

The sewing machine panic has been referenced in literature that critiques the impact of industrialization on labor, including the poetry of the Chartist movement and works by writers such as Thomas Hood and Elizabeth Gaskell. The event symbolizes the tension between tradition and progress, and has inspired poets to explore themes of alienation, loss, and the human cost of technological change. The panic also resonates in contemporary discussions of automation and the future of work.