The Merrow® Sewing Machine Company is a manufacturer of sewing machines, established in 1838 as the Merrow Company by J. Makens Merrow. Originally a gunpowder manufacturer, in 1837 the company built a knitting mill, and in 1887 evolved to design, build and market sewing machines exclusively. Best known for inventing the overlock sewing machine, it was renamed J. B. Merrow & Sons in 1888, then The Merrow Machine Company in 1893.