Hand or Machine?

Do you know how to determine the difference between hand and machine embroidered work on a vintage garment?

Well it can be as easy as looking at it from the wrong side. If you can see where the threads have been carried over from one deign element to another and the carry over happens in exactly the same place each time, the odds on it was made by a machine.

See how the threads carry over in the same place each time?

 

Hand worked embroidery rarely stops and starts in exactly the same place. Threads are carried over more randomly and often not carried over but knotted off or the threads are hidden and a new motif started with a hidden knot or split stitch.

So next time you are wondering-was this hand or  machine embroidered, look at the wrong side.