If you've always wanted to learn embroidery stitches, here's the perfect guide for you. I have a video tutorial for each embroidery stitch.

For beginners, advanced stitchers, and everyone in between, this page is full of hand embroidery stitches everyone should learn.

There are so many hand embroidery stitches, but which ones are necessary to learn as a beginner? Here are the basic stitches with tutorials.

Here’s a visual guide to some of the most common hand-embroidery stitches found in quilts and other sewing projects. 35 Basic Hand Embroidery Stitches

Embroidery pattern with step-by-step photo tutorial. If you do not require a full guide and just want the pattern to trace, please visit my Instagram @needlessdesigns . :) [ About ] This is a digital PDF embroidery pattern that will teach you 14 beginner embroidery stitches that are very commonly used in the art of embroidery. Once done, you can keep the piece as a reference guide for your future embroidery projects. :) PDF comes with photo guides and detailed steps to guide you in the right direction. Project teaches a variety of different beginner friendly embroidery stitches and their common uses. Perfect for those looking to learn embroidery! [ Recommendations ] Recommended for beginners who want to get into the hobby of embroidery. Recommended minimum hoop size is 6.7 inches (17 cm). [ PDF Includes.. ] - List of materials - Tips on how to transfer pattern - Both normal and mirrored versions of pattern - Explanation of each stitch and when to use them (with examples) - Stitching legend and photo guides to follow [ Policy ] There will be no refunds, exchanges, or cancellations as this is an instant digital download. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. :) You can follow me on Instagram at @needlessdesigns for any future patterns and updates! Remember, you can find help and resources online and on Youtube if you need help getting started. Thank you! :) The original beginner embroidery sampler guide as seen on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Embroidery/comments/min3of/i_made_a_little_reference_piece_for_my_future/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

So I sat down and thought about what kind of advice I would give to beginner stitchers and managed to write a whole essay, haha. These tips are mostly for those who only start hand embroidery, I tried to remember myself at that stage and think about what I wish someone told me back then and what I would tell my “students” if I were an embroidery teacher. Which, in some way, I actually am here on Stitch Floral. So, take a cup of tea or coffee and sit comfortably because, apparently, I had a lot to say, haha. Related: Needlepainting for beginners e-course 1. Be kind to yourself First and foremost, I hope you don't pressure yourself too much. There are sooo many beautiful hand embroidery works out there, right? We stumble upon them on Pinterest and Google all the time. And maybe you got inspired by one of such works and decided, hey, I'm going to start embroidering like that! But then... your results are a bit underwhelming compared to what you had in mind :( Does it sound familiar? Well, you should remember that we all need practice to master something. And the beautiful needleworks you see on the web were produced after the artist had gained enough experience. So, comparing your works as a beginner to the works of someone who has existed in this world of hand embroidery already for a while, is not fair to yourself. If you compare yourself to someone, then only do that in a positive way – as a motivation to work harder, as a goal to look forward to, If you fail at that and instead, feel disappointed, then better avoid comparing at all. You have to remember that, at the very least, you and your body have materials and tools to get used to. As simple as fabric, thread and needle sound, they will still require some time for you to get familiar with and learn to use with maximum efficiency. And then, after a while, your hands will get more used to moving the needle the right way, your eyes will adjust and spot where to insert the needle for the better look, and so on. As long as you keep practicing, you will get where you want :) Related: 4 things to remember when talented stitchers intimidate you 2. Start small The thought here is that you shouldn't overwhelm yourself with big projects and choose something adequate to your skills instead. You might find a really beautiful pattern or design, but if it is on a bigger scale, consists of many different techniques, some of which are very new to you, then... it may happen that you overwhelm yourself with too much information and eventually get lost in all the stitches and techniques, and as a result won't be able to finish the project. And that would lead to disappointment. Of course, no one knows your capabilities better than you do. It may be that such projects, in fact, will work perfectly as a learning ground for you! That is, if you have enough positivity and patience to tackle it. In this case, you will most certainly finish the project and will feel like a Hercules who tamed Cerberus! Otherwise, don't overwhelm yourself too much. It is okay to start small, to try something simple first – no matter how big or modest your steps are, they will still form a path that will lead you to your goals :) 3. Consider practice before theory This is a suggestion based on my personal experience. And it is mostly for those of you who are only taking your first baby steps at hand embroidery. Take any needle you find, any thread, any piece of fabric and try to make some stitches: back stitch, stem stitch, french knots, for example. Well, anything you want, actually. You can just move your needle around randomly, playing around until you figure out how this whole “embroidery” thing works. Then you can read some posts on fabrics and needles, take a better thread (DMC is a common option), find a hoop, and upgrade your practice a little. Having different materials and tools, you will notice the difference it makes on your embroidery. Now, you can start with other stitches, try working a little flower, a leaf, a small animal etc. Whatever you want. After practicing like this for a while, you will make your own observations on what works better, develop your own habits and tricks. With these observations, new questions will come as well. You might find the answers in books, tips, or ask an experienced stitcher for their personal insight. After that, your practice will upgrade again. Of course, this pattern is exaggerated. You can very well be researching the topic of hand embroidery fabrics and practicing at the same time. But I hope you understand the general idea. There is a lot of theoretical information on hand embroidery out there, but it will be easier for you to understand it if you already have some experience, have something to compare. Well, that's my personal opinion. I believe that the new abstract knowledge glues itself better on practical knowledge – at least, that's what I observed during my own journey. 4. Don't be scared of working with 1 strand of thread Majority of what you see on my blog can be referred to as “fine embroidery” - meaning, worked with 1 strand of thread most of the time. On my Instagram account, I've recently done a little survey, where one of the questions was about working with 1 strand of thread. The answers showed that there are quite many stitchers who want to try it, but are actually afraid/anxious about using 1 strand of thread, thinking it is too difficult or too time-consuming. Now, if you don't really like working with 1 strand of thread – that's another topic. You do you! Just do whatever makes you happy! But if you actually like fine embroidery but think that “it's not for you”, that “it is too complicated”, that “it is for some specially gifted artists”. then you couldn't be further from the truth. Just give it a shot! All the difficulties you might face can be tackled with time. And if you are only at the starting point of your hand embroidery adventures, my tip is to try working with 1 strand of thread in any case. If you don't like, if you decide it's not your cup of tea – switch to 2 strands or more. But at the very least, you won't have any prejudice/fear about using 1 strand of thread. You will know that it is possible and you can do that, but it is your conscious decision to work with more strands because you like it more. No regrets. You know what I mean? In my case, the very first stitches I made were with 1 and 2 strands of floss. It was a piece of wild grass, so I worked the stem with 1 strand and the elements – something like little leaves, with 2 strands of floss. Later I moved to using 2 strands mostly, even for long and short stitching, because it seemed like the effect was pretty much the same, while in terms of time, working with 2 strands was faster. However, after a while, I returned to 1 strand stitching because I missed the “delicate” feeling. It was easy for me to switch back to 1 strand of floss because I didn't have any prejudice. I knew I was capable of that. And that's what I wish for you too: that you know that you are capable of finest stitches. And then you can decide what you like more. 5. Take it easy with materials Seems like we are at the point where some handy tips come up, finally. :) What I mean by “taking it easy” is that... generally speaking, one would recommend you to get specialty fabrics for your hand embroidery. Even weaved linen from needlework stores – the best option. However... it is costly. To be very honest. And it is that type of material that you don't want to mess up, haha. Soo... I wouldn't call it a nice option for beginners. But also... I wouldn't recommend you to use something really cheap. Because when you work with bad quality materials/tools, it really affects your experience in hand embroidery. That's why my tip is to strive for the golden middle. Between cheap but bad quality and expensive but high quality, there are lots of affordable options for your needlework adventures. Affordable but pleasant to work with. That's what I would call that. But at the same time, you can use some cheap pieces of fabric if you need to just train some stitches or techniques. 6. Get your tools as you learn You might find very explicit articles out there on which tools you need for hand embroidery. The list is usually quite long and you might find out that fabric + needle + thread are not the only things you need. Surprise! However, I think you don't need to pressure yourself too much about these things. Invest in your materials and tools according to the stage you're at, taking your skills, style and goals into account. Like, if you are just making your first steps in hand embroidery, the only things you need are: fabric, needle, thread, scissors (to cut fabric and thread) and a hoop. That's pretty much it. It will be enough for you for quite a while. I will tell you more – I didn't even have a hoop when I started. I used a photo frame, stretched the fabric over it and secured with office clips. I still use it sometimes, for example, after ironing – you can catch a glimpse of how it looks like in the end of the post. And only then you can consider the secondary tools. Thimble if you hurt your fingers (I don't hurt mine, so I never bought one). A mat and fabric cutter – if you want even, nice looking squares of ground fabric (if you use linen you can cut without scissors or fabric knife, by the way). Threadener if you have difficulties with threading your needle without wetting it with your saliva. Thread conditioner - I still do without it, to be honest, so I will leave it up to you to look for advantages and see if you need it. Fabric glue – well, I can think of a few instances where you might use it (including making a brooch) but I personally still didn't buy one because there is no need yet. I mean, if you want to buy all of these to feel better prepared then you do you. All of us crafty folk are like little hamsters, haha. I just prefer to invest in threads and fabrics so I think twice whether I need this or that instrument or not :) And at the beginning of your hand embroidery journey, you won't need much. Related: 5 hand embroidery rules that I break 7. Take your project out of the hoop I have spoiled one of my needleworks because I didn't come across such a tip in my time. So, when I started stitching a pattern, I hooped it and left it there in the hoop until I finished it. Which took a few weeks. As a result, there were very visible wrinkles – traces from the hoop – which didn't disappear even after I washed and ironed multiple times. That's how much the ground fabric “remembered” this position. So, always, always take your needlework out of the hoop when you stop stitching for the day. When you want to take it up again, you hoop it up again. In between the stitching sessions, your fabric needs to have some rest. Also, bind your hoop! If you follow the link, I explain there all the advantages of hoop binding and also, there is a tutorial on how to that without any glue. 8. Health matters Health issues are something that we don't talk about enough in hand embroidery world. Which is a pity. I actually think it is an important topic that deserves a separate post. But to put it briefly, think of hand embroidery as a desk job. You sit in your chair/couch for a few hours, moving only your arms and hands, your head is in the same position most of the time and your eyes are straining. That's why, like with any desk job, it is important to be careful with your health. Make sure to stand up once in a while and move your body, stretch your muscles a little, including neck, maybe jump and do some sit-ups? No need for a full work out, just move a little so that your blood keeps circulating as it should. Kep your posture upright! I've struggled with my posture for a long time, even before embroidery, but I noticed that after I picked up this craft, it actually became worse. So now I watch myself and have family members watch after me, I also do push-ups, planks and other exercises that help my back “memorize” the right position. Thank God, it got better and right now I'm sitting perfectly upright and it actually feels wrong and uncomfortable when I slouch. You should also take care of your eyes! I experienced something bad with them that you can read here. When I say be careful, I really mean it. There are real consequences to our mindlessness, don't repeat others' mistakes and don't be careless just because “nothing bad happened yet”. Consult with your ophthalmologist about glasses, you might need ones for hand embroidery and others for daily routine/reading. Also, you might consider using a magnifying lens if your sight requires it. There are special ones for hand embroidery and other crafts. And make sure to embroider under good lighting, whether from a window or from a daylight lamp. Never embroidery under bad lighting! 9. Do what you like Now, about pressure from your family and friends. Unfortunately, not always people from our circle support us in our craft, our dreams, and ambitions. The only thing I can tell you is that if you are really passionate about it, you need to persevere. Uh... to be honest, I had experienced this kind of thing and still receive some kind of side-eyeing. Not only in relation to my hand embroidery ambitions per se, but I also received comments saying if I do this, then at least I should do ribbon embroidery instead, that I'm better at it and it looks prettier. Well, I don't really want to talk about it in detail. But I will just say that I held my ground quietly: shrugging my shoulders and saying with a smile that “this is what I like and want to do”. You know better what makes YOU happy, so do what YOU like. You can't please everyone. Arguing and fighting your close ones will definitely bring the mood down for both sides, and it is possible that, whatever you have to say, they will still not change their mind unless you show them some kind of “success” or achievement. Deal with this with love and/or patience. Demonstrate that this is what makes you happy. Show your smiles and joy. Maybe they will understand you and accept your interest as it is, without any “proof of success”. If not, at least, they will hopefully see that you're stubborn enough to keep at it despite negative remarks. It happens with many of us, so if that is any consolation, you're definitely not alone. Keep moving and be proud of yourself. And I'm proud of you too :) 10. Pat yourself on the back Whether metaphorically or literally, but pat yourself on the back. Give yourself the credit, approval, praise you deserve. You're doing great! And you will do even greater! Being your own support system is not anything to be shamed for. If there's no one beside you to tell how awesome your embroidery is, then spoil yourself so much until you have cavities. And even if there is someone that praises you, then why can't you add something from yourself? Look at that stitch! How neat! And this one, look how perfectly it is lying on the fabric! Wow! The precision. The excellence. Top class! Can anyone else do it like that? No, you're the best in the world. Period. Pamper yourself, feel no shame! :) * Aaand, here is the end of this 5 page essay, haha. Sorry of the tips here were not practical enough. But these things are also important to know and remember :) If you are an experienced stitcher, share your own tips in the comments! And if you are a beginner, you can leave your questions below, we will help!

I encourage you to use additional resources if you need more instruction than this simple guide. I have found video to be very useful in understanding stitches. Please click on the links below to watch very quick clips of the stitches. You can also find a directory of longer videos here, with more detailed instruction.

These 8 fun and challenging decorative embroidery border stitches would look fantastic in your next hand embroidery project.

21 Websites with cute and free hand embroidery patterns. More than 21 free embroidery patterns to download and make today! Easy, beginner friendly hand embroidery designs to learn new stitches and make beautiful hoop art. DIY embroidery pattern freebies for beginners. Floral hand embroidery designs for hoops and decor. 21 Beautiful embroidery patterns to download for free.

Follow our step-by-step photo tutorials for basic embroidery stitches! We will guide you through each stitch and give you project ideas to practice.

Learn how to make perfect iron on paper transfers for embroidery using your Cricut - great for personal or small business use!

Learn how to stitch fly stitch. A stitch that can be used as a filling stitch, a decorative line and a stand alone stitch. Pretty versatile!

Here are 7 essential hand embroidery knots you should know.

Embroidery isn't just a craft for grandmas anymore! There are so many cute, modern embroidery patterns out there. Here is a list my top 10 modern floral embroidery patterns: 10. Wild Lavender Obsessed with this color pallet. The different shades of purple mixed with the green, such a serene embroidery to look at and a

Learn how to embroider with this easy guide. Consider this your embroidery 101. Perfect for learning how to embroider for beginners!

Flowers are by far, one of the most popular things to embroider. And rightfully so! There are so many different embroidery stitches for flowers that lend themselves well to their shapes and silhouettes. In...

Cretan Stitch is a versatile decorative hand embroidery technique, excellent for filling the backgrounds or depicting botanical elements.

Check out this list of embroidery stitches that work great for filling areas. From the obvious satin stitch or chain stitch to more unique stitches.

Details Are you a total beginner at embroidery and want to learn the basics? This stitch sampler is the perfect place to start! Learn 20 different embroidery stitches — 10 foundational stitches and 10 intermediate stitches. The video instruction series will be available on Instagram. You will need: 6-inch embroidery hoop 8x8-inch fabric Pen to transfer your pattern Size 3 and 5 needle Embroidery floss PLEASE NOTE — No physical product will be shipped to you with this purchase. Due to the nature of a downloadable product, I do not offer refunds or exchanges on PDF patterns. This PDF Download does NOT include any written directions and is intended to complement the video series on Instagram!

Full Beginner Embroidery Pdf Pattern, Basic Embroidery Stitches Tutorial, Digital Pattern disclaimer, Attention please! (This is not for printing because it contains video links) very suitable for beginners, directly downloadable to your device! Transfer the pattern to the fabric of your choice and raid your thread pile to create your own embroidery art. Detailed PDFs cover all the embroidery basics you'll need as well as transfer techniques, stitch guides, color guides, and more! It includes a second pattern, depending on your preferred transfer method, as well as our guide on which stitch to use and how to do it. What's included in your download: - Introduction of Tools and Materials - Hints and Tips - Transfer Technique - How to use Circle Embroidery - How to Start and Finish Stitches - How to Sew Pics - Suggested Stitch and Color Guide - Pattern Sheet - How to Frame You in a Circle all complete with video if you need Full KIT Package, you can click this link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1424666087/beginner-embroidery-kit-hand-embroidery?click_key=c6752081d6d4319f595e96d5d50834f6ce1a1e40%3A1424666087&click_sum=78ccf367&ref=shop_home_active_8&crt=1&sts=1

I encourage you to use additional resources if you need more instruction than this simple guide. I have found video to be very useful in understanding stitches. Please click on the links below to watch very quick clips of the stitches. You can also find a directory of longer videos here, with more detailed instruction.

This post shows you 17 different embroidery stitches for flowers with some examples of how you can use them...

Little by little I've mentioned in my posts some mistakes that you might be making as a hand embroidery beginner and warned you from some other things that you can do as a rookie. But all of it is scattered around the blog, so I thought it is a high time I make a compilation and gather all of that in one place. So here we go! The list of the most common mistakes as a hand embroidery beginner: 1. Not taking your fabric out of the hoop after stitching session So, let's say, you have an embroidery project. Or, you just stitch some random stuff on a spare piece of fabric, experimenting with your first stitches. And after you stitched a little, you put the hoop away with the fabric still trapped between the rings. Don't do that :) Fabrics are more delicate than they might seem and embroidery hoops put more pressure on them than you would imagine. So, if you keep your fabric in a hoop for a long time – several days, a week or even more – the creases from the hoop will be veeery hard to get rid of later. The fabric will sort of “remember” that position in the hoop, and it will just stay in that state. You won't be able to iron the creases out completely. And doing some hardcore washing rituals will likely hurt the embroidery that you did on that fabric. So the tip is: after every stitching session, take the fabric out of the hoop. Let it rest, because it was under a big pressure while you were stitching your heart away :) *By the way, consider binding your hoop. There are some very serious benefits of doing that, and your fabric will be thankful!* The only exception is when you want to keep your embroidery in the hoop after finishing it, or you just use that fabric as a “draft” of sorts. 2. Using the wrong needle I know that the classification of needles can be too complicated and overwhelming to understand at first (I mean, it kind of still is for me), but choosing the right one is going to make your life as an embroidery artist so much easier. I have a post on my blog that briefly talks about the classification of needles and points out the most important features of each type, so do check it out. And here's a little lifehack from my personal experience. When I started out and was still confused about the needles too, I simply took some books and magazines where they publish the projects suiting my taste and style of stitching and looked at what kind of needles they recommended. And then I tried to source them. Actually, there is a different classification of needles in my country so sourcing exactly that type was difficult even online, and impossible in my local shops. But I kind of learned to go with the flow, decided on the most important characteristics and figured out some of my favorite needles. For my style of embroidery it is important that the shaft is thin (and preferably long) and the tip is sharp. So that's what I focus on. And, as for the other characteristic, the eye of the needle, I have them both with small eyes and larger eyes. So, take it easy here. Read about the 4 things to consider when choosing a needle and even if you are still confused about the classification and variety of types, you can go to your local store, look at the characteristics of the needles they have there (shaft, eye, tip) and make your choice based on that. 3. Stitching in the dark Please, don't do that, it will hurt your eyes! The best option is to stitch in the daylight close to the window. But surely we tend to have our daytime affairs and work, so if your usual stitching time is in the evening please do get a nice lamp for that. Like, not a ceiling or wall lamp, but a table lamp or something that is closer to your work area and with a good daylight bulb. I can't stress enough how important it is to be careful with your eyes when stitching. I've messed up very badly with my own eyes back in the days because I thought that it wouldn't be a big deal to quickly make a couple of stitches even though it was a bit dark. And what happened after that was so scary that I stopped embroidering for a while. Damaging your eyes for a couple of stitches is NOT worth it. Your eyes are more valuable, so be careful. 4. Bad posture High five to everyone who has posture problems. We're in the same boat here! Ever since high school I've always been bending my back quite low over the desk. My family calls that “writing with your nose”, is it a common saying anywhere else? Well, the thing is, I brought this habit to my needlework as well and in needlework you tend to sit in that position for quite a while. So, long story short... I've always tried this and that to improve my posture but nothing hard a long-lasting effect. So the habit stayed. And a few months ago, when I was working on “Needle painting for beginners” course, this habit brought some health issues. Because I've been filming the process of working exercises and the final project, and I was doing it in a very bad position (worse than usual so that the camera would have a better angle) and I stayed in that position for 5-6 hours. Every day. For about two weeks, I think. Soon after that I started literally having problems with breathing – I couldn't take a deep breath, only very shallow ones and I was yawning all the time. I guess my body needed oxygen? I don't really know, I just know that I didn't have enough air, I felt like my ribcage was squeezed. And my pulse also increased. Usually, you don't feel your heartbeat as you go with your day, do you? But I was feeling its beating and was conscious of it, and, not going to lie, because it was beating faster than usual, I got pretty scared there :D Anyway, after that I started doing yoga and jogging and it helped with breathing and heart beating. You might think that, well, this is an extreme example of an extremely bad posture for an extreme period of time. But I think it is simply a fast-forwarded example of what can happen in the long run. So, let's be careful! Personally, yoga became exactly what I needed. You can do some sets and compilations on Youtube for beginners. There are special videos for back and shoulders. Even just after several sessions I already felt like my back muscles were holding themselves upright and I didn't need to remind myself to sit correctly. On the contrary, it became inconvenient to sit in a bad posture and bend all the way down. Maybe you can find some other exercises for back, or wear special vests. But do consider starting to work on this problem right now! 5. Overstretching or under stretching your fabric Okay, back to embroidery-specific matters! When you hoop your fabric, the most important is that it is drum taut. For that, you will probably have to adjust the screw on top of it. It is not hard, I'm sure you will get how to achieve that. And while you are embroidering, it is normal that the fabric's tension will weaken a little bit. When it happens, you can adjust the tension again by pulling the fabric a little in the vertical or horizontal direction (not diagonal). However, under stretching your fabric is just as harmful for your embroidery as overstretching it. Both can result in puckering. You can usually see if you overstretched your fabric when the grid of the weaving gets wavy. It means that you pulled the fabric in one place more than in other places. Actually, I have this problem too! If I'm embroidering for a while and need to adjust the tension of my fabric, I just can't seem to be able to do it evenly. So I either pull the fabric very slightly, or take the hoop off completely and put it on again. And if the fabric still started puckering, here's what you can do to fix it. 6. Thread is too long This mistake is also what I remember from my own experience as a newbie. I used to think that it is easier to cut a long piece of thread and work with it until it finishes rather than cut shorter ones and start and end them again and again. Well, that was wrong of me to do :D First of all, your thread wears down while you are stitching. The end which you use when you just start stitching will look fresher, shinier and “healthier” than the other end after some stitching is done. You will surely start to notice it if you pay some attention. And the length of thread will not improve anything in this situation. You will just have about a half of that length completely worn out and not looking so pretty on fabric. Secondly, the longer thread you are using, the more prone it is to tangling. Which is another headache (here are some tips on how to avoid thread tangling). So, cut the thread shorter. With time you will figure out the length that you prefer the most but it definitely shouldn't be more than two forearms. Besides, starting and ending thread extra time will not actually take you that long :) 7. Dirty hands Be honest, do you drink tea or coffee with cookies at your desk while you are embroidering? ;) Because I do :D But I'm careful! It is really hard to resist to have some snack by your side while you're working/doing homework/doing any brainwork or even physical labor. Maybe that's why many of us crave to have a cup of favorite beverage and a treat when we embroider. But let's be smart about it, okay? We don't want to smear the fabric or thread with greasy and dirty hands. That's why cookies, candies, and fruit are allowed at the desk when the needlework, fabrics, and thread are hidden in the drawer/put away in a safe distance. After we have our snack and get a bit of rest, we wash our hands (+optional: apply hand cream), and only then we take our embroidery out again and continue. By the way, don't forget to have a bottle of water at your desk and keep hydrated. 8. Clumpy thread, long thread stretches at the back We don't look at the back of your embroidery all the time so sometimes there are some “amazing” things happening there that we discover too late. For example, clumpy thread. It's when your thread tangles on the backside but you don't see it and you continue stitching happily. And if you are attentive then you will probably wonder why your thread suddenly feels shorter. That's because a chunk of it got stuck at the back. Or, when the stretches of thread are too long at the back. That's not good because in case you pull your thread even just slightly too much, it can result in puckering. And if you keep the stretch weak, the last stitch before that would weaken and get loose. So, our prevention methods: To avoid clumpy thread and other “surprises” at the back, constantly feel it and track it with the free fingers at the back. In case the tangle happened after all and it annoys you, here's a way to fix it. To avoid long stretches of thread, when you need to travel from one point to another, couch your thread under some stitches in between. I have an old post here which is not exactly about it, but it shows how you can do it. I do that with small stitches there, but you can slide your needle under the body of long and short stitching, for example, too. Just slide your needle under some stitches until you get to the desired destination. You can also make a few tiny anchoring stitches on your way to the next point. Or simply end the thread and start it at the new place :) 9. Investing too much I already warned about it in my tips for beginners post, but I thought it is still important to include here too. At the very beginning, when you are still not sure which style of embroidery you like the most, what kind of fabric you actually enjoy working on, which thread brings you joy, when you still don't have a clear idea what exactly you want to do, it is better to be a bit more modest in your expenses. Because chances are that you will see beautiful Crewel pieces there on Pinterest, and being so in awe and inspired, you will buy wool thread, crewel needles, twill fabric, books, and kits, only to discover after a couple of weeks that the experimental blackwork stitches you made a day ago actually brought you more joy. You know what I mean? 10. Focusing on earning money / followers If you are into it because you want to have a following or you want to earn good money... I personally think it is better to do a self-check here. That is definitely not something that should be your priority, especially at the very start. Dear friend, if that is your main goal, then I'm afraid that the embroidery you do will be lifeless, lacking personality and spark. Instead, focus on what brings you joy, what makes you feel better and how you can actually spread that joy and happiness with people around you :) Popularity and money might come, or they might not. But at the very least, you did something that you enjoy! Don't get me wrong, having long-term goals and aspirations is cool. Making embroidery your main occupation is cool. But don't let it cloud your vision so much that you lose your own individuality and betray your passion. Focus on your art, be sincere, work hard and the rest will come, God willing! -BONUS- 11. Overthinking This is actually common among all newbie artists, whatever art form they are pursuing. But we all tend to think low of ourselves and that we will never reach the same level of skills as that one cool artist. But have you ever sat and considered that all the “cool” stuff from that one artist you see in the books or online is actually a result of thousands of hours of training? We all started somewhere. There is not a person who was born with a needle and thread in their hands and started making masterpieces in the crib. It's all the result of work and practice. You just don't see the start of that journey. You only see the result. I ramble more about this topic in my Fear of talent post, so if you need an extra reminder that no, you are not talentless, and yes, you can achieve the same level of skills and even more, then head there :) Wow, looks like this essay came to an end. Congratulations if you made it this far! Keep embroidering, don't be afraid of making mistakes and enjoy this journey!

Here are some of the best hand embroidery classes online you NEED to take to level up your embroidery skills or to learn the basics!

These 8 fun and challenging decorative embroidery border stitches would look fantastic in your next hand embroidery project.

This page gives you an idea of how the reverse of the basic stitches looks like. As a beginner, we are curious to know how the reverse or the back-side should end up - just to make sure that we are stitching the right way. So, I have picked the...

Learn how to start and end embroidery stitches with this easy to follow tutorial featuring three simple methods.

So it looks like you want to learn embroidery? Great news! The lockdown is actually the best time for that :) You are probably captivated by all the charming works you see on Instagram and Pinterest and want to stitch the same thing right now, or better, yesterday. Well, in fact, if it is a one-time project you can, indeed, tackle an easy pattern right now. But if you want to master hand embroidery, and make it your long-time friend, then you will have to go through several stages. I would argue that there is no formula, no universal ladder that will take you from one stage to the other stage until you reach the peak (is it even possible?). The journey varies from person to person and depends on many aspects: what you like, how much time you can spend on it, what resources you are exposed to, and so on. Nevertheless, here is a very rough list of common points that we go through in the process of learning embroidery and which you may or may not come across as well. 1. Get yourself a needle, thread, and fabric That's actually all the instruments you will need to make your first stitch. Add to that any scissors you find at home, then take a photo frame and fix the fabric with office clips on it, and you got yourself a nice embroidery frame. I actually use this trick sometimes :D Of course, you can totally get yourself a table mat for cutting fabric, a needle-threader, special boxes for thread bobbins, etc. But personally, I think you don't have to bother with that in your first stages. An abundance of instruments and materials that you don't have a use for yet, will only distract you. I've been embroidering for several years now and I don't have much of the equipment that is mentioned in some articles. So take it easy and start small, give yourself some space to grow and later choose what you really need. Now, you might question: but what kind of needle? What kind of fabric and thread? If you are a complete beginner, then take anything you find at home. Search in your stash and take whatever you're okay to use. You or your parents most probably have that tiny sewing kit and some extra linen or cotton at home. Make your first stitches with what you already have, and when you acquire the “feel” of the needle and thread, you can upgrade to something better. I didn't have a good fabric and good needles when I started. I took what I found at home and if I bought something, I bought something really cheap. Actually, I don't want to encourage you to save money on embroidery materials. Not at all! Good quality fabric and thread, correct needle, a nice hoop – all of that is important for a pleasant result. But I think it is okay to level up in your equipment along with leveling up in your skills, you know? And when the time for the upgrade comes, read these posts: What you need to know about hand embroidery fabrics How to choose embroidery needle 10 things you should know about embroidery needles 2. Learn some basic stitches You know, when you learn a foreign language, the first words you need to memorize are the most popular ones. Because in daily conversations our vocabulary is actually not that large! The same goes for hand embroidery where stitches are our vocabulary. You don't need to know a hundred stitches to be fluent in embroidery. In fact, you only need a bunch of them because the vast majority of hand embroidery designs and projects use the same group of stitches. Read this list of 10 basic hand embroidery stitches, practice them and you'll be able to complete virtually any embroidery project. And little by little add the new ones to your vocabulary from this Stitch Library. The good news is that, after you practice the first ten stitches, the other ones will be easier to get right! 3. Don't get disappointed at your first results I remember that learning new stitches was one of the most fun stages in my embroidery journey, even though they didn't turn out that well, haha. Well, I will never get tired of repeating this: Needle and thread are just like any other craft instrument. Your hands, eyes, and the whole body system need to get used to them and the new movements that you do. That's also why you can see people who draw a lot get nice results in embroidery quicker. Their bodies are already accustomed to something similar. I think I already told this example in a post before but I will tell you here as well. In the beginning of my embroidery journey here was one stitch that I attempted to work and it just didn't get right no matter how many times I tried. So I put it away and forgot about it. After several years of doing embroidery, I returned to this stitch and it turned out right from the first attempt! The only difference between the two attempts is the amount of embroidery practice I had. That's why you should NEVER despair and think “I just can't do it, it's just not for me, why others' stitches look so neat and mine aren't” and so on. No, no, no! The neat and pretty stitching you see on Pinterest and Instagram is always a result of hard practice. Either hard practice in embroidery, or hard practice in another field like drawing that makes embroidery easier for them. But hard practice anyway! Let's learn to respect that without putting ourselves down. 4. Stitch your first project Most of us learn new stitches by working short lines or small shapes and motifs. I personally think that's a great way to start and get used to this new fun activity. I did the same! However, after a while you might want to attempt stitching a “project”. What would be a good project for a beginner though? Anything you like! You have many options. There are lots of embroidery freebies to try, there are even vintage embroidery books you can read online for free, there are Youtube tutorials and lots of patterns on Pinterest suitable for personal use. Pick whatever attracts you and get started! It might be nerve-wracking to get to this more “serious” stage. Try to relax and do this for your own practice. You don't owe anyone a museum masterpiece, right? Just enjoy your stitches and have fun with the needle and thread! 5. Practice more and observe In my personal opinion, practical knowledge is far more beneficial than theoretical. That's why I wasn't eager to tell you which needles and fabrics to choose at the very start. Because after trying this and that fabric and needle yourself, you will start noticing certain things. You will start noticing that this kind of fabric fits more with this kind of thread and this kind of needle. You will start noticing that this kind of stitching looks better on that kind of fabric. You will start noticing that when you take this needle that stitch looks better. And so on. Maybe you won't have any “academic” definition for your observation. It will be more like intuition. But hey, intuition is important. You also might start noticing that certain things are more effective than others. Or, on the contrary, that there is a certain problem you don't know how to solve. That's usually the period of asking more specific and detailed questions. How to end thread in an open area? What should I do if marker inks stay after washing? And if I really like certain fabric but it is too lightweight for the kind of stitching I want to do? Well, I can just recommend reading some tips, tricks, and guide to embroidery posts, observe what other stitchers do, what mistakes they talk about and ask them about what makes you confused. You can ask me through the contact form or chat with me on Instagram. 6. Celebrate your progress Save your first embroidery pieces! Or, at least, take pictures of them. It will be so fun to look back at them after a couple years of practice and see the difference. Maybe your journey will be different from what I described here (very likely), and that's amazing. Follow your own way, there's no right or wrong here! The most important is to take the first step, then the second step, then the third step, then start walking and then start running :)

A Basket stitch is a decorative hand embroidery stitch for filling, often used in botanical embroidery - to depict wider stems and vines.

Compare both techniques - which one is your favourite?

Unsure what supplies you need to start your first embroidery project? Discover fabrics, hoops, threads, and more in this handy guide.

Embroidery pattern with step-by-step photo tutorial. If you do not require a full guide and just want the pattern to trace, please visit my Instagram @needlessdesigns . :) [ About ] This is a digital PDF embroidery pattern that will teach you 14 beginner embroidery stitches that are very commonly used in the art of embroidery. Once done, you can keep the piece as a reference guide for your future embroidery projects. :) PDF comes with photo guides and detailed steps to guide you in the right direction. Project teaches a variety of different beginner friendly embroidery stitches and their common uses. Perfect for those looking to learn embroidery! [ Recommendations ] Recommended for beginners who want to get into the hobby of embroidery. Recommended minimum hoop size is 6.7 inches (17 cm). [ PDF Includes.. ] - List of materials - Tips on how to transfer pattern - Both normal and mirrored versions of pattern - Explanation of each stitch and when to use them (with examples) - Stitching legend and photo guides to follow [ Policy ] There will be no refunds, exchanges, or cancellations as this is an instant digital download. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. :) You can follow me on Instagram at @needlessdesigns for any future patterns and updates! Remember, you can find help and resources online and on Youtube if you need help getting started. Thank you! :) The original beginner embroidery sampler guide as seen on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Embroidery/comments/min3of/i_made_a_little_reference_piece_for_my_future/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Want to learn how to embroider? This beginner embroidery resource page has everything you need to know to get started stitching.