I agree with you Carla - I don't like using a machine to do embroidery at all - though I use it to actually sew! I also use embroidery to relax and find that there is osmethign soothing about the actual act of stitching.
I inherited my grandmother's embroidery stash when she died, and there were half finished embroideries from the 30's to the 80's (she died in the early 90's) and ranged from simple doileys to a beautiful cutwork tablecloth that I haven't had the guts to get out and work on (my cutwork is good, but nowhere near the standard of hers!). It's actually an interesting piece - she took one of the supper cloths you could buy to embroider and instead of doing the embroidery suggested on it, she decided to do it in cutwork 0 the result of what she has done is absolutely stunning and totally unique!
I find embroidery gives such an artistic outlet - and one that you don't need to be able to draw to do. All you need is to be able to stitch and hae a reasonable eye for colour.
