Like many great obsessions in my life, embroidery started as a casual interest and quickly became an all-consuming hobby. What was meant to be “a little something fun to try” has now turned into me hoarding embroidery floss like a dragon collecting treasure and spending entire evenings stabbing fabric with unwavering determination.
And honestly? I love it.
Embroidery is the perfect mix of creativity, patience, and the absolute satisfaction of seeing something beautiful slowly take shape. Plus, it’s one of the few hobbies where you can sit down, stitch, and pretend you’re being productive while actually just listening to a podcast and vibing.
So, if you’ve ever thought about getting into embroidery (or just need another creative outlet to take up space in your already chaotic life), here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Why Embroidery? (AKA, Why You Should Join Me in This Madness)
Embroidery is weirdly therapeutic—it’s slow, methodical, and gives your hands something to do while your brain either focuses or zones out entirely.
Here’s why I love it:
✔ It’s relaxing – There is something deeply satisfying about stitching away while watching TV or listening to music.
✔ It’s surprisingly easy to learn – Once you get the hang of a few basic stitches, you can create almost anything.
✔ It makes you feel like an artistic genius – There is something magical about looking at a plain piece of fabric and thinking, “I’m about to make this fabulous.”
✔ It’s slow but rewarding – Unlike hobbies that demand immediate results, embroidery forces you to slow down and appreciate the process. (Which is good for someone like me, who usually wants everything done yesterday.)
✔ It’s the perfect ‘I am being productive’ hobby – Unlike scrolling your phone for three hours, embroidery lets you feel accomplished while still essentially sitting in one spot and drinking tea.
What You Need to Get Started
Embroidery can seem overwhelming when you first look at all the fancy kits and stitch names, but you really only need a few essentials:
1. Fabric
Start with cotton or linen—they’re beginner-friendly and don’t stretch too much. Avoid anything too thick or too flimsy because you’ll just end up fighting with it.
2. Embroidery Hoop
This holds your fabric tight while you stitch. Hoops come in different sizes, but a 6-inch hoop is a good starting point.
3. Embroidery Floss
This is the pretty, colourful thread you’ll use to create your design. You can get massive sets online for ridiculously cheap prices and suddenly find yourself with 300 different shades of blue (ask me how I know).
4. Needles
Embroidery needles have a bigger eye (the hole where the thread goes) than regular sewing needles, making them easier to thread and less rage-inducing.
5. Scissors
Any small, sharp scissors will do. Just know that once you start using them for embroidery, they are no longer normal household scissors—they are sacred tools of the craft.
6. A Simple Pattern
If you’re a beginner, find a basic embroidery pattern online. You can get free ones on Pinterest or buy digital ones from Etsy that come with easy step-by-step guides.
Basic Stitches to Learn First
You don’t need to master fancy, complicated stitches to make something amazing. Start with these simple but effective ones:
🔹 Backstitch – The best stitch for outlines and making text look crisp.
🔹 Satin Stitch – A solid, smooth stitch that fills in shapes (also known as “the one that looks really good but makes you want to scream if you mess it up”).
🔹 French Knots – A tiny knot that adds texture (and tests your patience like no other).
🔹 Lazy Daisy – The easiest way to stitch cute flowers without having to think too much.
Once you get comfortable with these, you can experiment with different textures, colours, and more complicated techniques.
What to Stitch First? (AKA, Your First ‘Oh Wow, I Made That!’ Moment)
If you don’t know where to start, try one of these easy ideas:
🌿 A simple floral design – Leaves, vines, and tiny flowers always look impressive.
✏️ A short word or phrase – Embroider something like “Calm down” or “Tea first, then talk” in cute lettering.
✨ A tiny starry sky or a moon – Super easy but looks incredible.
😂 Something ridiculous – I have seen people embroider everything from sassy quotes to a stitched version of Heihei from Moana—there are no rules.
Things I Wish I Knew When I Started
💡 You will stab yourself with the needle at least five times per session. It’s unavoidable.
💡 The back of your embroidery will look like a chaotic mess. Don’t stress about it. The front is what matters.
💡 You don’t have to be perfect. Mistakes in embroidery don’t ruin the final piece—they make it unique.
💡 The first five minutes are the hardest. Every single time. You’ll stare at your fabric, overthink everything, and maybe consider giving up before you even start. Push through it.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Embroidery? Absolutely.
Embroidery is one of those rare hobbies that is both calming and rewarding. It doesn’t require fancy tools, you can start with zero experience, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about finishing a piece and thinking, “Wow, I made this with my own two hands.”
Plus, if you ever get really good, you can start gifting people handmade embroidery pieces and pretending you are a Victorian noblewoman with too much time on her hands.
So go on—grab some thread, pick up a needle, and embrace the chaos of stabbing fabric in the name of creativity. You won’t regret it!
My Handy Dandy List
My Recommendations if you’ve never held a needle
- Embroidery Starter Kit – My trusty companion from those early stitching days: https://amzn.to/3WHG6gq
My Recommendations if you don’t want a kit and want to start your own journey of stitching:
- Scissors – Something you don’t need but will want and is useful (but cute too) and not ridiculously expensive, something I can use on paper if I were to not pursue this hobby and sometimes you have to get some of the pretty stuff as a treat… right? https://amzn.to/3WCXCCj
- Thread – Okay, so this thread is cheap, and separating the floss is a total pain in the butt. But, if you’re anything like me and might get bored with this whole embroidery thing (no shame!), don’t go buying up all the fancy stuff right off the bat (scissors don’t count too pretty). Trust me, you can always upgrade your stash later if you get hooked! : https://amzn.to/3WKOko1
- Needles – The Pointy End of the Story: https://amzn.to/4jyjg4C
- Fabric – This canvas comes with water-soluble pens, perfect for those who ditch the patterns and let their creative juices flow! https://amzn.to/3WGP0dW
- Hoops – The Roundabout Way to Perfect Tension: https://amzn.to/3Q4xdcU
- Patterns – They’re free and cute and a great place to start: https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/l/cross-stitch-and-embroidery/cross-stitch-and-embroidery-patterns/free-embroidery-patterns
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