The joy of hand sewing.

New machines are coming out all the time and they all have more stitches and sew faster. The average sewing machine does about 750 stitches per minute.The embroidery sewing machines can do 1000 stitches per minute when embroidering designs.

My hand sewing speed would be about 20 stitches per minute doing only a simple running or back stitch. I haven't tried to time myself, as I enjoy hand sewing. The opportunity to sit down relax and enjoy has nothing to do with the speed of some project these days.

So why is using the needle and thread to material without a pedal so appealing. I think it is part nostalgia, part modern as it celebrates the gentle comforts of creating beautiful pieces the old-fashioned way.

1. Hand sewing is quiet and if my day has been particularly hectic, quietly stitching is a pleasant activity when curled up in a comfy chair.
2. It is a very portable! I can pop my project in my handbag without taking large amounts of equipment and supplies.
3. It allows me to be eco-friendly and mobile
4. I can get together with a few friends and stitch
5. I can stitch when I'm the passenger in a car, commuting on the train, watching my son play sport or waiting at appointments.
6. The tiniest pieces of fabric and thread can be manipulate when I stitch them by hand.
7. Some amazing things can only be done with hand sewing

So even if you have a sewing machine, there are times that hand sewing is going to give you the results you want without using a sewing machine. Learn about hand sewn stitches and how to sew them so that you will automatically know what stitch works best and where to use the various hand sewing stitches.