How to learn embroidery at home?

So it looks like you want to learn how to embroider? It fits me well! Lockdown is really the best time to do it :)

You may have been fascinated by all the beautiful pieces you've seen on Instagram and Pinterest and want to sew the same thing now, or better yet, yesterday.

In fact, if the project is a single project, you can now manage simple templates.

But if you want to master hand embroidery and become your old friend, you have to go through several stages.

I would say that there is no formula, there is no universal learning that takes you from one level to another until you reach the top (is it possible?). The trip varies from person to person and depends on a variety of aspects: what you like, how much time you can save, what resources you use, etc.

However, here is a very short list of the common points we go through in the process of learning embroidery and whether or not you can find it.

1. Take the needle, thread and fabric.

These are really all the tools you need to take your first stab.

Add to that the scissors you find at home, grab a photo frame and secure the fabric with office cutouts, and you have a beautiful embroidered frame. I actually use this trick sometimes: D

Of course, a tablecloth for cutting the fabric, a needle thread, a special box for bobbin threads, etc. But personally, I don't think you should worry about the first stage. Large amounts of unused tools and materials distract you. It's been a few years of needlework and I don't have much of the equipment mentioned in some articles.

So calm down and start small, give yourself a place to grow and choose what you really need.

Now you are wondering: what kind of needle? What kind of fabric and thread?

If you are a beginner, take whatever you find at home. Look at your repository and take whatever you have permission to use. You or your parents probably have a small sewing kit and extra linen or cotton at home. Make your first stitch with what you already have, and when you get the "feel" for needle and thread, you can move on to something better.

I didn't have a good cloth and needle when I started. I take what I get at home and when I buy something, I buy something cheap.

Honestly, I don't want to encourage you to save on embroidery materials. Not everybody! Good quality material and yarn, straight needle, a good loop, all this is essential for a good result.

But I think it's good to upgrade your gear and improve your skills, you know?

And when it's time to update, read this post:

All you need to know about hand embroidered fabrics

How to choose the embroidery needles?

10 things you need to know about embroidery needles

2. Learn some basic points

You know, when you learn a foreign language, the first words you need to learn about it are the most popular. Because our vocabulary is not excessive in everyday conversations!

The same goes for hand embroidery, stitches are our vocabulary.

It is not necessary to know a hundred stitches to master embroidery. In fact, you only need a lot of them, because most designs and hand embroidery projects use the same set of stitches.

By reading this list of 10 basic stitches to hand embroider , you can practice and make almost any embroidery project.

And gradually add new ones to your dictionary from this point library .

The good news is that once you've practiced the first ten points, the rest of the points will be a lot easier to fix!

3. Don't be disappointed with your first result

I remember learning a new stitch was one of the most beautiful stages of the embroidery journey, even if the results weren't that good, haha.

Well, I'll never get tired of repeating it:

The needle and thread are like any other handmade tool. Your hands, eyes, and other body systems need to get used to the new movements you make.

That's why people who draw a lot get good results by embroidering faster. Their bodies are used to the same thing.

I thought I already told you an example of this in a previous post, but I'll tell you about it here too.

I tried to fix a stitch here at the start of my embroidery journey and it didn't work as many times as I tried. So I put it away and I forgot about it. After a few years of embroidery, I went back to this point and got it right from the first try! The only difference between the two attempts was the amount of embroidery I did.

That's why you NEVER give up and think "I can't do this, it's not for me, because he sees someone else's point so well and not mine" and so on.

No no no!

The pretty neat spots you see on Pinterest and Instagram are always the result of hard practice. Or hard training in embroidery or other areas that facilitate embroidery, such as drawing. But still hard training!

We learn to value ourselves without humiliating ourselves.

4. Sew your first project

Most of us learn new stitches by working on short lines or small shapes and patterns. Personally, I think this is a great way to get started and get used to this fun new activity. I did the same!

After a while, however, you can try to work on "projects" .

However, what are some great projects for beginners?

What are you looking for!

You have many options. There are many free embroideries to try, there are also old embroidery books that you can read for free online, tutorials on Youtube and many Pinterest patterns perfect for personal use.

Choose what attracts you and get started!

It can be nerve-wracking to get to this "serious" stage. Try to relax and do it for your exercise. You don't owe anyone a museum masterpiece, do you? Have fun sewing and have fun with needle and thread!

5. Practice and observe more

In my opinion, practical knowledge is much more useful than theoretical knowledge. Therefore, I do not want to say which needle and material to choose first. Because after trying these materials, needles and yourself, you will start to notice a few things .

You will begin to notice that this type of material is better suited to this type of thread and needle.

You will begin to notice that this type of stitch looks best on that type of fabric.

When you take this needle, you will begin to notice that the stitch is better.

Etc.

You may not have an "academic" definition for your observations. It will be like an intuition. But hey, intuition matters.

You may also notice that some things are more effective than others. Or, conversely, there is a certain problem that you don't know how to solve.

This is often the time to ask more specific and focused questions. How do you close a thread in an open field? What should I do if the marker ink is left after cleaning? What if I really like a certain material but it's too light for the type of stitching I want to make?

Well, I encourage you to read some tips , tricks and guides for embroidery publications , to see what other seamstresses are doing, what mistakes they are talking about and what confuses you. Ask via the contact form or chat with me on Instagram .

6. Celebrate your progress

Save your first embroidery! Or at least take a picture. It would be nice to look back on a few years of training and see the difference.

Maybe your journey will be different than what I have described here (most likely), and it's great.

Go your own way, there is no right or wrong here!

The most important thing is to take the first step, then the second, then the third, then start walking and then running :)