I tried dyeing with some conventional, non-organic dye last week for a non-By Hand project, and it turned out terribly. I simply don't have enough experience to do it very successfully, and I'm not sure that there's enough time to reach an acceptable level of proficiency for this project. Any attempt to do so would take an effort that would completely overshadow the hand-sewing, so I am changing some of my requirements.
I will still sew everything by hand; that is the priority.
I will still use natural fabrics that are not machine knit (no T-shirt material, like jersey knits).
For reasons of cost, I will allow myself to use polyester blend thread.
But there will be no zippers, or Velcro, or anything like that. Buttons, lacing, hooks and frogs are going to be my approach.
Hopefully this change will set things more in motion, because it has been holding me up considerably.
