Yesterday was my day for works in progress, so after finishing the little cardigan, I set to on the second of a couple of cottages I was conducting a bit of an experiment with. And having completed it, I now need some opinions on whether my experiment was useful, so I am hoping you, dear readers will help!
I normally stitch these cottages (which are stamp book cases) entirely by hand. They turn out something like this, complete with wobbly windows and doors and a very individual look.
But the windows do take quite a time to do, so I thought I'd have a go at doing some of the stitching one the machine. So here, the windows, door, porch and stems and branches have been machined, then the flowers and leaves added by hand.
Mr U-t-B likes the machined version, but it's a bit too neat for me (which sounds a bit strange, but I'm sure you know what I mean!)
I'd really appreciate feedback - the hand stitched version has always proved popular at the Maltings Market - would part-machine-stitched go down as well? What do you think?
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I also squeezed in a bit of knitting.
Yes, I guess I broke the rules (AGAIN!) in sort of starting something on a Wednesday.
BUT I consider that I started this project on Tuesday, when I bought the yarn and dithered over which pattern to knit up ...
AND I can knit whilst watching TV and 'Who Do You Think You Are?' began again yesterday, which I like (especially as there is NEVER anything good on TV these days)...
AND you have to knit quickly for babies before they outgrow what you are making for them!
I think I'll give up on 'Work-in-Progress Wednesday' (though I won't give up on the projects I planned it for) as I'm not very good at keeping to my own 'rules' it would seem...
Being an embroiderer myself, I much prefer the uneven look of hand embroidery.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from though. Often as I sit stitching I think how much quicker this would be to do on the machine, but then I get so much pleasure from hand sewing.
If you make them to sell then possibly the buyers would not notice the machine stitching as they probably look at it as a whole.
Have I gone on toooooo much?
Anyway, I love them they are beautiful.
Briony
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I think I prefer the part machined because the hand sewn flowers (which is the part I love the most about your sewing) stand out more if that makes sense. I want one......
ReplyDeletexx
p.s you are so right about having to show the little menfolk we females can do what we put our minds to.
oh gosh - it is hard to say , they are both so lovely. i do think i prefer the hand made, but i am sure the others will do just as well. xx
ReplyDeletemmmm I am going to sit on the fence and say I like both for different reasons! Good job I don't knit for babies, they would be at school before I FINISHED!
ReplyDeletexxx
The flowers do seem to 'pop' more on the machine version but I like the raggedy windows on the hand sewn version. What about dropping the feet on your machine and sewing the windows free style, you might get the uneveness you're after. They're both lovely anyway.
ReplyDeleteI like doing hand embroidery, mainly because you can "do it anywhere". I would try doing some on the machine and see if they sell as well as the hand sewn ones. They are both lovely.
ReplyDeleteUmm - I actually prefer the machined one - think the flowers stand out more. Agree with the above comment try a free machined one. I love free machining its fabulous.
ReplyDeleteOh I like them both but if I had to choose it would be the hand-stitched one. They are both lovely though
ReplyDeletexx
Oh I hate being asked questions like this but perhaps the part machine sewn one. I can't sew at all so they are all lovely to me !
ReplyDelete" Who do you think you are " was superb wasn't it? Looking forward to the Emilia Fox one - not only as she is a great actress but the Fox family lived in Cuckfield near where I grew up ( but our paths never crossed !! )
I love them all but there is something so very special about a hand made item and that is the one I would go for if I were at the market pondering which to buy.
ReplyDeleteLove the little beach huts in your blog header as well.
Margaret