I'm thinking about "reproductions" or "copies" or "re-creations" for an ALHFAM conference next year, and this is a great quote from handweaver Anna Nørgaard about her work with ancient textiles:
"If the costume is to be used for teaching school children for example, is it acceptable for it to be sewn on a machine? I have discussed this was many people, and I often hear the opinion, that if the fabric has been machine woven, why not also sew the garment by machine, when the children won't be able to identify the difference anyway? However, if the children cannot see the difference between a machine seam and a hand-sewn one, it is because they have never been shown the difference. Some machine-woven fabrics look hand woven [sic], but I have never come across a sewing machine that can make sewing look like prehistoric sewing." (45)
Nørgaard, Anna. "A Weaver's Voice: Making Reconstructions of Danish Iron Age Textiles" in Gleba, M. et al. (eds.), Dressing the Past. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2008.
"If the costume is to be used for teaching school children for example, is it acceptable for it to be sewn on a machine? I have discussed this was many people, and I often hear the opinion, that if the fabric has been machine woven, why not also sew the garment by machine, when the children won't be able to identify the difference anyway? However, if the children cannot see the difference between a machine seam and a hand-sewn one, it is because they have never been shown the difference. Some machine-woven fabrics look hand woven [sic], but I have never come across a sewing machine that can make sewing look like prehistoric sewing." (45)
Nørgaard, Anna. "A Weaver's Voice: Making Reconstructions of Danish Iron Age Textiles" in Gleba, M. et al. (eds.), Dressing the Past. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2008.