Beginner Embroidery Projects – Tips, Tricks, and Patterns for Newbies

Do you want to learn a slow hobby to go along with a more slow and intentional life? How about beginner embroidery projects as a place to start?

Hand embroidery is nothing new but it has been given new life in recent years with more and more hand embroidery artists and designers creating modern embroidery art and patterns for the masses. Embroidery is rather accessible, beginner-friendly, and a beautiful creative outlet. In addition, it can also be quite meditative and calming, a slow hobby, which can bring a sense of peace and grounding to your days.

Beginner Embroidery Projects

What you’ll need before you start any embroidery project.

• needles
• fabric
• hoop
• carbon transfer paper (optional)
• water or heat soluble marker (recommended)
• embroidery floss (DMC or affordable options on Amazon)
• embroidery snips (recommended)
• pattern

Common stitches used in many embroidery patterns, below.

• satin stitch
• french knot
• back stitch
• straight stitch
• woven wheel stitch
• leaf stitch
• long and short stitch

Hand Embroidery Tips

I began embroidering my own patterns several years ago. I went from knowing nothing to being rather skilled with embroidery. It took a lot of practice, YouTube videos, and classes but I finally got to a place where I felt confident in my embroidery abilities. I recommend the following for any newbie to embroidery.

1. 1. Start with an easier project and work up from there. Whether it’s your own design, or a pattern, I would recommend a basic flower, plant, cactus or something of the sort. I may even recommend just working on an outlined project to get the hang of fabric in a hoop, needle and thread, and following along with a pattern.
   2. Find color palettes on Pinterest for your first piece OR use the exact colors recommended in the pattern you choose to follow along with. So often we can get overwhelmed with the sure amount of floss colors. Try not to overwhelm yourself with the options and find simple color palettes online, then go to the DMC website and match them to their floss colors. Or better yet, just follow along with any pattern you choose to take the guess-work completely out of it.
   3. Choose a design that doesn’t use anymore than 3 stitches at a time in the beginning. If you’re brand spanking new to embroidery and don’t know ANY stitches, I would stick to a pattern that doesn’t use more than a few stitches at a time. This way you can learn slowly and don’t overwhelm yourself with different stitches.
   4. Stick with a cotton blend fabric. These are fairly easy to work with and that can be important with stitching.
   5. Stick with light colored fabrics as they’re easier to transfer patterns onto.
   6. Make YouTube your best friend. Search terms such as: beginner embroidery stitches, basic embroidery stitches, hand embroidery stitches will help you get started.
   7. Buy a book or two with patterns and tips! There are so many really great books out there now.

A few books I recommend

botanical embroidery

paint with thread

freshly stitched

Woodland Stitches

thread folk

lovely little embroideries

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FREE EMBROIDERY PATTERNS

• snake plant by crewel ghoul
• home sweet home pattern by anchor
• monstera plant by anchor
• spring flowers pattern by the stitchery

BEGINNER EMBROIDERY PATTERNS ROUND UP

Please click each photo to be taken directly to the pattern for sale. Every photo below is the pattern makers photo from their shop listing. I don’t take credit for said photos.

Mountains of Thread

Lemon Made Shop

Forest Chorus Studio

Matryoshka Doll Shop

Harvest Goods Co

For further patterns found on Etsy, you can click this link. 

 

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