Sewing Question: eyelets by hand or by machine?

[threadwalker]

Do you do your eyelets by hand or by machine?

Does it depend on the garment? (bodice, kirtle, cotte hardie, saxon, etc)
Does it depend on where? (front, back, side)
Is there a cut-off, such as, more than 20 = by machine?
Do you do both hand and machine on the same garment?
Does it depend on whether or not it will be seen or what kind of stress it will be under?

If you do eyelets by machine, what kind of eyelets does your machine make?

I have a gadget that attaches to my machine that will do zig-zag in a pattern that leaves a donut shaped stitched area. It won't cut the fabric, so I have to do that part, but the stitching is "done". Unfortunately, sometimes when I cut it out, I snip the stitches and I end up doing a little handwork anyway.

Feel free to expound on your opinions and point of view. I truly am curious.

Comments

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

I've only done them once so far, but that was by machine. I made them for my gothic cote and there were a jillion of them - a double row up the front for the spiral lacing, and down both sleeves, so I could thread the buttons through with a ribbon, like an example from the Museum of London book. So about 40-50 eyelets, all told. I'd have never finished them if I had to do them by hand.
I don't cut the holes out, though. I just poke them with an awl until they're big enough to thread the ribbon through.

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

I just started doing something like that. I take a fat needle and lace the ribbon straight through.