Embroidery

written by Christine Carone @somethingstitches

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If you’re someone looking for an artistic outlet, but painting & drawing just aren’t for you, you may want to try embroidering. Embroidery is a great craft because it combines slow repetitive movements (which have been shown to be beneficial to one’s mental health) with artistic expression. Plus, it has so many uses. You can breathe new life into clothing by embellishing it, make an original wall decoration, or customize towels or cloth napkins with embroidery.

How do I start?

If you're interested in starting embroidery, you're in luck! It's easy to learn and supplies are affordable. There are many beginner kits for sale on sites like Amazon, but I actually recommend against those. Very often they're not suited for beginners and are just images printed on fabric without actual instruction. Look on sites like Etsy to find kits from embroidery artists. They'll have kits suited to beginners because they were actual beginners at one point too!

My hot take is that you don't even need a kit to get started. YouTube is full of free and comprehensive tutorials for beginners - look up a “back stitch” tutorial and you're ready to go. Scrolling through social media would have you believe you need to know a thousand different stitches, but most embroidery pieces just use a back stitch.

Ok, I don't want a kit. What materials should I buy?

You need a bamboo embroidery hoop, I recommend 3-6 inches (any larger can get unwieldy.) For a beginner, get a non-stretchy fabric like cotton. Embroidery floss, or any thin thread you may have on hand.

And a needle - look for sewing needles in a size 5, 6, or 7.

You’ll also need scissors, which you’ll probably have at home.

The great thing about embroidery is that your beginning supplies should only cost around $5, so if you decide you don't like it, you haven't lost a big investment.

What do I make?

That’s the best part - the possibilities are endless. Trace a simple piece of clip art onto a piece

of fabric and embroidery for a quick and personalized wall hanging. Or go big and make a

colorful thread painting. Get inspired by browsing sites like Pintrest or Instagram, which have a

massive amount of creators posting their embroidery pieces. The embroidery community is

warm and welcoming - we can’t wait for you to be part of it!

- Christine Carone, fiber artist @somethingstitches