Embroidery is one of the easiest and most relaxing hobbies you can do today. Now that most of us are stuck at home social distancing, it’s the best time to pick up a hobby that doesn’t involve you looking at a screen. With basic embroidery skills, you can create beautiful crafts and designs on your favorite clothing items and home decors.
Want to learn embroidery? Here’s a step by step guide to help you get started on machine embroidery:
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Know Your Basic Embroidery Tools
Embroidery is a simple hobby in which you can start with a few materials. Here are the primary tools you’ll need for this craft:
- Fabric – Preferably a light-colored cotton fabric
- Embroidery hoops – are circular wood or plastic hoops that hold the fabric taut for easy designing. It can also be used to frame the embroidery art for hanging. For beginners, we highly recommend using 6-inch hoops.
- Embroidery floss – a thread that’s created for embroidery; it has 6 strands and usually made of cotton
- Scissors – Choose the small ones that are designed specifically for embroidery
- Needles – Embroidery needles are bigger than normal needles, Don’t use old and rust sewing needles for embroidery.
- Water-soluble markers – You need markers to create your own designs onto the fabric.
- these markers can leave no trace behind after washing.
Other Supplies You Might Need:
These aren’t necessary but they can help you keep your embroidery space neat and tidy.
Thread Organizer – Use this tool to store your thread and embellishments.
Plastic bobbins – if you’re working on a lot of threads, this tool can be of great help. Before stitching, write the color of the thread on the bobbins and wind it around the plastic piece, This helps you know what type of skin to buy when you run out of thread.
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Know Your Basic Stitches
Embroidery is a skill you’ll learn by using the needle. In order to master the craft, you have to familiarise yourself with the basic stitches.
- Straight stitch – a simple stitch done by making short straight lines
- Backstitch – a stitch used for outlining. It creates a continuous line of thread. This is one of the basic stitches you need to learn
- Satin Stitch – a stitch used for filling shapes.
- Running Stitch – a stitch for making dashed lines in your embroidery. This can be done by pushing threaded upwards through the fabric.
- French Knot – this stitch can be done by wrapping the needle to form a knot on your fabric. French knots are often used as decorative accents.
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Learn the Best Embroider Fabrics
There are several kinds of fabrics you can use for embroidery but if you’re a beginner, you must try to use the easiest fabrics to work on first. Beginners should use fabrics with a visible weave or a lower thread count.
These fabrics are easier to stitch on than others because they can allow the needle to pass easier. Examples are wool, cotton, and linen. Cotton can be used to create a variety of stitches. Linen just like cotton is very easy to work on plus it adds a classic look to your embroidery thanks to its glossy material.
You’ll be surprised but denim is also some of the easiest fabrics to embroider on. If you want to try out embroidery at home, you can start by using old pillowcases for practicing your stitches.
Feel free to check https://www.digitizingmadeeasy.com/ for additional tips and free embroidery designs.
