Best Threads for Hand Embroidery: Floss and Thread Guide
Changing up the stitches is certainly a big element in making your hand embroidery as creative as it can be, but what you choose to stitch with adds yet another...
Embroidery
Embroidery, whether by hand or machine, is gaining popularity as a fiber arts technique that anyone can do. Some folks prefer to follow a pattern for tried and true embroidery designs. Others will take their embroidery stitches in brand new directions to create original art. And stitches can look very different depending on your choice of embroidery thread – color, weight, twist and fiber all add unique elements that make your work unique.
Beginners will find patterns and tutorials to learn everything from French Knots to Lazy Daisies. Experienced stitchers will find inspiration and resources while exploring the creations of working embroidery artists. So, let’s start stitching!
Embroidery Basics
10 Easy Embroidery Stitches to Embellish Your Projects
Hand embroidery is so relaxing, and small projects can go anywhere with you. There are a gazillion stitches out there. (Sometimes we invent our own if we embrace little slips...
Best Tools for Hand Embroidery
I love to stitch, and I’ve found that I enjoy the experience much more when I have my favorite tools close at hand. Hand embroidery doesn’t require a lot of...
Embroidery Artists and Inspiration
Spotlight: Michelle Kingdom, Embroidery Artist
With a strong sense of narrative, Michelle Kingdom embraces embroidery as an art form that has long been sidelined as "women's work". With lines of stitching, she creates textural drawings...
Spotlight: Alexis Acevedo, Embroidery Artist
Alexis Acevedo was studying fashion design when the needlepoint bug that had bitten her in childhood came buzzing back with the infinite design possibilities of color and texture she could...
Spotlight: Shirley Hudson, Designer
While her first embroidery project at age 10 presented challenges, Shirley Hudson is glad she persisted. She has made a career out of stitch, and her work designing patterns doesn't...
Sashiko Embroidery
Beginner’s Guide to Sashiko Supplies
Whether a student of historical Japanese Sashiko or a Modern Creative just looking for an easy, enjoyable slow stitching project, Sashiko might be “it”. All you need are simple sashiko...
How to Sashiko Stitch: A Step-by-Step Guide
Sometimes I want to get a project done really fast, but lately I have picked up a hand stitching project when I want to unwind. The slow, meditative process of...
How to Make Sashiko Ornaments
Making Sashiko ornaments is a great way to see what the slow-stitch movement is all about. It's slow stitch, to be sure, but the projects are so small you can...
More Embroidery
Flat Stitch Embroidery
The flat hand embroidery stitch fills areas that are too big for satin stitch. You can achieve fast coverage of a space that needs a solid look.
Closed Buttonhole Stitch Hand Embroidery Tutorial
The closed buttonhole stitch is a variation on the buttonhole stitch and is used for borders and as an edge stitch. It can be used as an applique stitch, too.
Buttonhole Stitch
The buttonhole stitch is perfect for applique, crazy quilting and borders. This hand embroidery stitches is formed by stitching through thread loops.
Closed Feather Stitch
The Closed Feather stitch is a lovely outline stitch for both curves and straight lines. Often used in crazy quilting and applique, this easy stitch is fast.
Embroidery: Open Cretan Stitch
The open cretan embroidery stitch is used for borders, edges and applique. Its feathery look is light and perfect for adding surface texture to your project.
Fern Stitch Embroidery
The fern stitch is great for vegetation fill on your hand embroidery project. Vary the threads and size of the stitches to convey different sizes of plants.
Pekinese Stitch
The Pekinese stitch makes a great outline where you want more texture with its loops. Perfect hand embroidery stitch for linear surface design.
Cable Embroidery Stitch
The cable stitch works well for straight and curved lines in your embroidery project. It is worked left to right with parallel lines of stitching.