Whether you're starting to learn hand embroidery or looking to develop your stitching skills, you'll encounter some trial and error. There are a variety of embroidery stitches to learn, techniques to adopt, and color combinations to try. It's what makes this craft so dynamic and fun!
While there's a lot to discover along your creative journey, there are a few key principles to remember.
Read on for the best pieces of embroidery advice that helped me as a beginner, and I hope they resonate with you too!
1. Wash Your Hands
I can't stress this one enough!
Nothing ruins an embroidery project faster than transferring something from your hands (makeup, food, ink, etc.) onto your fabric. Give your hands a good scrub beforehand. Trust me, your future self will thank you!
2. Be Patient
Those of you who've embroidered will know - it's a marathon, not a sprint.
Hand embroidery is a slow and mindful process, and often just as satisfying (if not better) than the finished product. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process along the way.
3. Embrace Imperfection
If you're a perfectionist like me, you'll be tempted to ensure each stitch is perfectly placed, each color is beautifully represented, and every design is flawless. You may even feel inclined to remove your embroidered stitches and start over.
But the true artistry of hand embroidery is that it's stitched by YOU, and not a machine. The human parts of your finished piece are what make it beautiful and unique.
4. Have a Plan
I absolutely encourage you to experiment with new embroidery stitches, play around with different types of thread, and sketch out design ideas as much as possible! However, I also recommend having a solid plan in place before starting a new embroidery project.
Because hand embroidery is such a slow process, build in time on the front end to plan out your design and approach. I always use water-soluble pens to mark my fabric before even picking up my needle.
Want to try out these tips?
Download a beginner pattern and start stitching today!
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