Essential Embroidery Tutorials for Beginners

Getting started with any kind of new craft can be intimidating, especially if you don’t have anyone around to teach you the ropes. Luckily, the internet can be a good, if imperfect, teacher. I’ve put together a collection of links that can help you get the supplies, stitches and techniques in order that you need to make awesome embroidery.

Supplies

Check out these posts for advice on what you need to buy to get started.

• Needle in a Haystack: Get expert advice on what kinds of needles you’ll need for the embroidery you’re doing here.
• How to Use a Transfer Pencil: If you’d like to create your own embroidery transfers, this link will show you how.
• All About Hand Embroidery Thread: Learn a bit more about the different materials used to make thread and what they mean for you.
• Embroidery Thread for Hand Embroidery: Read this post for advice on buying and storing thread.
• How to Choose Embroidery Fabric: This wiki will give you a better idea of how to choose fabric that’s right for your embroidery project.
• Choosing Fabric and Preparing: Try out this article for tips on getting ready to stitch.

Stitches

Embroidery is all about the stitches and these videos, articles and photos will explain how to do both basic and advanced techniques.

• Beginning and Ending Stitches: Find out different ways to stop and start your embroidery project here.
• Sharon B’s Dictionary of Stitches: This site has just about every stitch you could want listed and explained.
• Primrose Design Stitch School: Check out this blog for tips and photos on basic embroidery stitches.
• Needle ‘n Thread How To Videos: Sometimes a video is much more helpful than an explanation and this site is full of them.
• The French Knot: Making a french knot can be tricky if you’ve never done it. Find helpful instruction here to help you knot it up.
• Best Hand Embroidery Videos: Here’s another great collection of instructional videos.
• Illustrated, Step by Step Decorative Embroidery Stitches: If you prefer photos, this site is an excellent place to look.
• Basic Embroidery Stitches: Learn the most basic embroidery stitches here.
• Heritage Shoppe Stitches: This site offers instruction on both basic and more difficult stitches.
• Elemental Embroidery: Let PurlBee teach you about how to do simple stitches that can get you started sewing here.

Patterns

You can use these patterns for embroidery for free which is a great way to start without making a big investment.

• Hoop Love Vintage Transfers: Join this Flickr group to get access to hundreds of user-uploaded transfers.
• Needlecrafter.com: Search through this free pattern library for everything from lettering to landscape.
• Vintage Transfer Finds: This blog regularly posts cute vintage transfers you can use.
• Hand Embroidery Patterns: Check out this site for lots and lots of links to embroidery patterns.
• Free Embroidery Patterns: If that isn’t enough, there are also a few free embroidery pattern links here.
• Pattern Bee: This site has patterns of varying vintages to use for free.

Other

These tutorials cover a wide range of topics both specific and general.

• Embroidery on Felt: Learn how to embroidery felt the smart way (not the lazy way I do it) here.
• Preventing a Tangled Mess: This article will teach you how to keep your embroidery threads from tangling.
• Embroidering With Wax Paper: Learn how wax paper can help you embroider anything.
• Comparing Wool, Wool Blend and Acrylic Felt: If you want to work on felt, learn the advantages of the different kinds here.
• Sublime Stitching: You Can Embroider: Here, Sublime Stitching offers a basic primer on embroidery.

Books

If you need further instruction, these books are a great place to learn about embroidery and offer some truly inspirational images as well.

• Doodle Stitching: Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners: You don’t always have to embroider from traditional, stodgy patterns, as you’ll learn from this instructional book. It includes some cute projects to work on as well.
• Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To: Get patterns and some helpful tips for beginners in this book.
• Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches: If you’re looking for a more complete guide of embroidery stitches, this book is the go-to.
• Embroidered Effects: Projects and Patterns to Inspire Your Stitching: This book from Sublime Stitching is an excellent primer for newbies, with instructions on all the stitches and projects rated by difficulty.
• The Art of Embroidery: Get some inspiration for creating your own amazing embroidered projects from this book.