We started by asking where a beginner should start looking for resources and guides, as the internet is full of videos and instructions. Michelle Staub suggested that people just pick something and get to work on it. “I would recommend starting with a full embroidery kit or a pattern. With a kit, you’ll receive all of the materials you need and won’t have to go out and get all of your own thread colors and fabric. You may even end up with some leftover thread for future projects. If you can, avoid buying kits sold on Amazon because almost all of them contain stolen designs from other embroidery artists.”
“It’s best to buy kits from shops on Etsy to support small businesses. You can also find embroidery kits at craft stores. You may also choose to just get a pattern and source all of the materials yourself. You can find digital embroidery patterns on Etsy, or there is a large collection of free ones on DMC.com. If you’re looking to learn a wide range of different embroidery stitches then look for something called an embroidery sampler. If you’re a visual learner and like to follow along with videos, Youtube is a great place to find tutorials for different embroidery stitches. There are also online courses that teach embroidery that you can pay to take.”
#6 Another One Of My Works With Northern Lights. I Think I Will Take A Short Break From Such Landscapes And Try To Embroider More Colorful Landscapes
Some beginners say they fear wasting materials or aren’t sure about buying quality yarn and threads. Chloe Giordano suggested that “If you're not intending to sell the embroidery I think there's nothing wrong with opting for cheaper materials, as you'll be less worried about making mistakes and 'ruining' supplies. I always recommend just diving in, experimenting with different styles, and accepting that you'll make mistakes along the way, I messed up a lot of embroideries before I got to the good ones!”
#8 I Started My Own Embroidery Journal A Year Ago And Managed To Stick With It!
Michelle Staub had similar thoughts. “The great thing about embroidery is that you can use a wide range of different fabrics, thread, hoops, and needles and it can all work. However, there is a difference in quality between brands of thread. The most common brands are DMC, Anchor, and Cosmo. Other brands may fray as you work and may not be colorfast. In my opinion, it’s worth it to buy the name brand thread since the quality is the best and one skein of thread will last you some time.”
#11 Beginner. My Friend Asked Me To Repair Her Favorite Jacket With Some Embroidery. The Jacket Was In A Real Poor State, But I Said Yes, And Now It's Done! Hopefully Now She Can Love The Jacket A Few More Years!
#12 A Cat Portrait I Recently Embroidered. I Experimented With Dmc, Anchor, And Cosmo Threads For Fun
“As far as needles, fabric, and hoops, it is all pretty similar. A generic multi-size pack of embroidery needles will last you some time. You can embroider on literally anything from cotton, linen, and felt, to even your clothing. And as long as your hoop can hold your fabric tight you’re good to go! You can find these items in craft stores or even secondhand thrift stores. My first-ever projects were stitched on an old canvas chair slipcover that I found at a thrift store and cut up,” she added, clarifying some details that could be useful for beginners.
#13 My Original Idea! This Is My Niece's Drawing I Made Into A Framed Embroidery Piece For My Sister. I Framed It Myself. Let's See How Far This Makes It Before It's Deleted/Hidden Or Whatever Keeps Happening
#14 That's A Smile You Have When Posing With 100 Moths You Hand Embroidered. Am I Proud Of Myself? Oh Yes, I Am!
We also wanted to know if there were any specific mistakes or misconceptions they often encountered. Michelle Staub told us that “I think people are afraid to start learning embroidery because they’re worried their project won’t end up “perfect.” I will tell you that there are mistakes in every embroidery you see but only the stitcher will be able to tell you where they are! The only way you will be able to improve with embroidery is if you actually do it and practice. And the best way of learning is to just try it and learn from your mistakes as you go!”
#16 My Mom Made This Decades Ago. It Has Hung In My Childhood Home As Long As I Can Remember, And I Only Recently Realized How Incredible It Actually Is
Chloe Giordano focused on the mechanics of embroidery. “From a technical point of view, it's that beginners often don't tighten the fabric in the hoop properly - it should be completely taut like the skin of a drum.” Lastly, Michelle Staub wanted readers to take home this piece of advice: “I think it’s really easy to look at someone else’s embroidery and compare your work to theirs. It can be intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out! Just know that those people were once where you were.”
