Handmade means HANDS ON!

This is what happens when you don't take responsibility for your stuff.

Okay, perhaps not every time. But when you are making "handmade treasures," people deserve HAND-MADE.

To explain, since I'm making the odd-20-or-so items by hand this summer, I thought "Oh surely you want to have 'Merry Christmas!' embroidered professionally on them." I mean, each one of these buggers takes a couple of days to get together. Shouldn't I be entitled to a little help?

Turns out the original rule applies: if you want something done right, DO IT YOURSELF. Pitch in, roll up sleeves and do it yourself!

You might not be able to see it, but the machine operator pulled the velvet so hard, trying to avoid puckers, that... well, you can see it. That odd-shaded part to the right of "Christmas" is her palm print. She pulled so hard that the nap laid down.

Then she tried to restore the nap by putting water on the velvet.

For those of you interested, water and velvet do not mix. Steam? Perhaps, but only with a needle board.

The stretcher bars for the embroidery machine also laid down nap and thus we see the demise of velvet at $25 per yard.

I will tell you that the next piece of velvet, hand-embroidered in gold metallic thread, is flawless and without any problems in the nap. Not a finger or thumb (certainly not a full palm!) print on it. And it has now proceeded to the next step.

Wait and see! It's turning out beautifully!