The thing about hand-stitching a campaign letter rather than typing or even handwriting it is: you really don't want to waste time on words you don't need. Because even if you make only a very few mistakes, and don't have to unpick too often, it takes a Jolly Long Time. In this respect, hand-stitching a campaigning letter reminds me of training to be a journalist: be succinct.
Another, entirely different, thing about it is that if you are a man and you do it on a train from Devon to London you are liable to have people stop and ask what you are up to / studiously avoid looking at you.
Thank you Sarah P Corbett for the chance to do this and notice these things. (Not finished yet, mind you.)