#embroider

My first piece of advice is don’t buy a whole bunch of embroider floss and hoops brand shit brand new! 95% of my stash is from garage sales and bags of unused thread at goodwill (and now my city has a creative reuse store!) I have about a trash bag full of thread so I never have to buy new again, same with hoops! There’s plenty of good quality used supplies out in circulation for a fraction of the cost. Also your needles make a big difference in the ease of sewing! This might seem counterintuitive but “embroidery needles” are actually pretty dull and are meant to be used on more of a cross stitch fabric, I embroider most of my patches on felt, then I stitch on many other fabrics here and there. Most of the time I prefer a sewing needle with a larger eye. Some people will say your brand/quality of needle is important but to me it isn’t, the sharpness is though, if your favorite needle is dull fold up a scrap of tin foil about 4 times or so and stab that bitch a dozen times and your needle is brand new sharpness again! I’ve been using the same vintage needles from the 70s for years! 

Next tip is embroider stabilizer is your friend and worth the purchase! I use a melt away stabilizer to trace my designs on then put on top of the fabric (right side) then for most fabrics I’ll use a regular stabilizer on the back which will stay long term, the melt away you rinse off with water when you’re done. Stabilizer prevents your fabric from pulling and bunching which can really distort your design. I didn’t use stabilizer the first couple years and my projects look noticeably less like clear and crisp.

Another tip: if you weren’t aware standard embroider floss is made up of 6 strands that can be easily separated. I stitch with 1-3 threads most of the time, my usual is 2 threads. I find using separated thread makes the final product look much more cohesive and makes my stitches seem to blend together better, I see less of harsh lines between stitches and this allows me to stitch finer details than I could with all 6 strands.

My best tip in terms of actually learning is try a bunch of different stitches and such and find what works for you! Don’t be afraid to deviate from instructions or modify a stitch in a way that works better for you. The way I embroider is definitely not the “correct” way at all, I use a standard whip stitch/back stitch for 90% of each project which most don’t see as the right way of doing it but it works for me. I layer so many stitches on top of each other and the process looks messy but it works for me!

Also consider what your final product will be used for. My designs are meant to be worn on clothes and washed and well loved, a satin stitch wouldn’t hold up nearly as well even if it might look better in the hoop and be the more standard choice. If you’re planning on hanging your finished project in a hoop on the wall you don’t have to worry about this as much but say you’re embroidering a hand towel? You will want to focus on shorter stitches that will snag less and ensuring everything is secure to last the wear and tear it will experience in use.

Most importantly! HAVE FUN! Find what works for you and find freedom in fiber arts, don’t trap yourself in a box of needless rules. Fiber arts are all about experimenting and making do with what you have and that is beautiful.

If you’re interested I can add on with some of my favorite supplies and what’s non negotiable in my sewing box/favorite tools. Everything I use is pretty budget friendly and minimal but I’ve found the tools that work for me! Also if you have more direct embroidery questions or want to show me what you’re working on please DM me! I am so passionate about embroidery and stitch work and encouraging others to pick up the art! Yay embroidery friends!