Something I would like to share about the ways to differentiate between Hand-embroideryand Machine Embroidery.
Machine embroidery is available in 'cotton embroidery' only (done on coats and wraps) and not in wool embroidery which is used in crewel work. MACHINE EMBROIDERY uses only a single thread (meaning far lesser threads than hand-embroidery) which is dyed in a multitude of colors; the 'tailor' stitches in such a way that the green portion of the thread will be part of the leaves, the red or orange will make the flowers and the brown will form the branches.
That is the reason why the wrong side of a machine-embroidered piece has hardly any hanging threads. On the other hand a hand embroidered piece has hanging threads everywhere on the wrong side, because every time the craftsman has to add a new colour, he/ she has to cut the earlier thread leaving a bit (inch or two) hanging.
Below is a comparison of machine and hand embroidery:
MACHINE-EMBROIDERY: http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/0/3/6/7/0/3/webimg/76825616_o.jpg
HAND-EMBROIDERY:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/0/3/6/7/0/3/webimg/76825617_o.jpg
ALSO, I CAN TELL FROM MY EXPERIENCE THAT MACHINE-EMBROIDERY WAS ALWAYS USED IN KASHMIR AS A WAY OF CHEATING CUSTOMERS BY MIXING IT WITH HAND-EMBROIDERED ITEMS AND SELLING AT EXHORBITANT RATES.
