How to Embroider: Complete Beginner’s Guide (Easy Step-by-Step)
Learning how to embroider is easier than you might think. With just a needle, embroidery floss, fabric, and a few basic stitches, you can decorate clothing, home décor, gifts, and embroidery hoops with beautiful handmade designs. This beginner’s guide covers everything you need to know, including the best embroidery supplies, how to start and finish embroidery, how to transfer designs, and the easiest embroidery stitches to learn first. By the end, you’ll be ready to start your first embroidery project with confidence.
How to Embroider (Quick Guide)
The beauty of this skill is it can be as simple or as detailed as you like. The only tools you need to learn how to embroider are a needle, your material, and a thick embroidery thread.
- Gather your embroidery supplies.
- Choose fabric and embroidery floss.
- Transfer your design.
- Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop.
- Thread your needle.
- Learn a few basic stitches.
- Start stitching.
- Secure the thread and finish your embroidery.
What is Embroidery?
Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric with decorative stitches worked by hand or machine using thread, ribbon, or yarn. Hand embroidery uses a needle and embroidery floss to create everything from simple outlines and flowers to detailed pictures and lettering.
One of the reasons embroidery has remained popular for centuries is that it’s inexpensive to start and easy to learn. With just a few basic supplies and a handful of stitches, you can personalize clothing, decorate home décor, create handmade gifts, and add beautiful details to sewing projects.
Want to learn more about the history, different types of embroidery, and how embroidery has evolved over time? Read my complete guide to what is embroidery.
Can You Teach Yourself Embroidery?
Yes. Hand embroidery is one of the easiest needlecrafts to learn because it only requires a few inexpensive supplies and a handful of basic stitches.
Most beginners start by learning 5–10 simple embroidery stitches such as:
- Running stitch
- Backstitch
- Stem stitch
- Satin stitch
- Lazy daisy
Once you’ve mastered these stitches, you can embroider flowers, lettering, leaves, borders and decorative designs on almost any fabric.
What Do You Need to Embroider?
The embroidery tools needed for learning how to embroider can be broken up into needles, scissors, markers, frames and threads. You will also need good lighting.
Essential Embroidery Supplies:
| Supply | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Cotton, linen or calico |
| Thread | 6-strand embroidery floss |
| Needle | Crewel needle size 5-9 |
| Hoop | 6 inch wooden hoop |
| Marker | Water soluble pen |
| Scissors | Small embroidery scissors |
How to Embroider (Step by Step)
Once you have the tools for your embroidery basics, prepare your fabric for action and practice the stitches you need for your first project.
How to Embroider Video Tutorial
1. Prewash the Fabric
It is important, especially with 100% cotton and linens, to pre-wash the fabric and treat it as you plan to during its normal wash cycle in the future. Wash, dry, and iron ready for use. Without prewashing, the fabric and the threads may shrink at different amounts. Although ideal, it is rarely practical to prewash the actual threads. Most embroidery threads do not shrink but they may bleed when wet. The red color is most likely to run so wet a strand and test it before using it.
The exception to this is when you don’t plan on ever washing your embroidery, for example, if you are sewing a wall hanging.
2. Stabilize the Fabric
When you have decided on the nature of the embroidery and the stitches, you may like to stabilize the back with some iron-on interfacing. Stabilizing will give soft fabric more body to support heavy embroidery.
3. Find Designs
There are lots of free embroidery designs to be found on the internet but really the best source is often kids coloring books. They are full of simple flowers, plants, and animals.
If you can draw, well you have it made! Draw something original and make me jealous. Although I’m crafty, fine art is not my thing. Etsy is a good place to look for simple embroidery designs done by independent small designers.
Treasurie has lots of embroidery template sets for purchase.
EMBroidery templates
300
EMBroidery templates
Cats
EMBroidery templates
Letters
4. Transfer the Design
Designs can be transferred to embroidery fabric with a light box underneath the paper template. If you don’t have a light-box, use a window with bright sunlight shining through. Hold up your paper and the fabric on top and you should be able to see through enough to draw the design. Original designs can be drawn straight onto the fabric with your preferred marking method.
5. Start with a Knot
The best method to start and finish embroidery should not leave you tied up in knots! Starting your stitch craft with a knot is actually frowned upon in most embroidery sewing circles. How do you begin, you may well ask? Here are some simple alternatives to begin an embroidery piece.
How to Embroider The Loop
This is a great way to start; however, it does restrict you to using two threads. The loop method requires one strand of floss that is doubled and threaded through the needle before starting to sew.
- Pass the needle from the wrong side to the right at the point you wish to begin and then leave a loop on the underside.
- Return the needle to the wrong side close to the loop and pass the needle through the loop, pull tight, and there you have secured your thread and are ready to continue the sewing process as you push the needle through to the right side.
How to Embroider Double Backstitch
Managing a bit of thread holding while you gently sew some backstitch is also a clean method to start sewing. Pull your needle and thread through from the back and hold onto the thread while you put in a couple of backstitches to secure its place in the design.
When you are sure the thread is secure you can snip off the thread at the back.
How to Embroider The Normal Knot
Use the knot method to start with the knotted end being at the back of the fabric. Hold onto the knot and incorporate it into the sewing as you continue to stitch the design.
This kind of knot is easily camouflaged if you are working with satin stitch or a series of stitches that will cover over the original knot. Knots can affect the texture of your work and they can unravel with disappointing results, so try not to resort to the knot as a starter.
6. Start Stitching
Basic stitches form the fundamental structure of decorative embroidery and some of these stitches are the initial stages of other stitches. Making a sampler is a great starting point for how to embroider. It is an opportunity to practice the stitches and at the same time see what they look like while you make this reference for yourself. To identify different stitches you may have seen, read my article on 21+ embroidery stitches.
| Stitch | Difficulty | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Easy | Outlines |
| Backstitch | Easy | Letters |
| Stem | Easy | Flower stems |
| Satin | Medium | Filling shapes |
| Lazy Daisy | Easy | Flowers |
| Chain | Easy | Borders |
Easy starter stitches for learning how to embroider include:
- Cross stitch – you can use this stitch for entire designs or as part of a design
- Backstitch – great for outlines and stems on plants
- Blanket stitch – can be used in circles to form flowers
- Running stitch – the most basic of all the stitches, it can be used for outlines
- Chain stitch – variations include lazy daisy, detached chain, feathered chain
- Fern stitch – great for stems and coral
If you have never sewn a hand stitch before then start with the running stitch and backstitch. With just these 2 stitches, you can do outline embroidery and put it on t-shirts, kids’ clothes, and wall hangings. Look at the cat I made! Coloring book pictures are a good source of simple pictures to embroider.
7. How to Finish Embroidery
Once your design is complete, it’s time to secure the thread so your stitches won’t come undone.
Secure the Thread
Turn your embroidery over to the back. Weave the needle under several nearby stitches, then trim the excess thread close to the fabric. Avoid tying bulky knots whenever possible, as they can create lumps that show through on the front of your embroidery. If there are no nearby stitches to weave under, make two or three tiny backstitches in the same spot before trimming the thread.
Remove the Markings
If you used a washable fabric marker, remove the markings according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most water-soluble pens disappear with a little cool water, while air-erasable pens fade on their own over time. Always test your marker on a scrap of fabric before starting a project.
Press the Embroidery
Lightly press your finished embroidery from the wrong side using a pressing cloth or towel underneath to protect the stitches. Avoid ironing directly over raised stitches such as French knots or bullion knots, as this can flatten the texture.
Display or Use Your Embroidery
Your finished embroidery can be:
- Framed in an embroidery hoop
- Sewn onto clothing or bags
- Made into cushion covers
- Displayed as wall art
- Turned into handmade gifts
- Used to decorate quilts and sewing projects
With your thread secured and your fabric pressed, your embroidery is ready to enjoy for years to come.
Intermediate Stitches to Learn
After you have learned how to embroider the first 6 stitches, it is time to move on to more! Even though I have called them intermediate, they are still relatively easy and just build on some of the embroidery basics above.
All the links below will lead you to full detailed articles with loads of step-by-step pictures.
- Couching Embroidery Tutorial (stitching over threads to give texture)
- Double Herringbone Stitch (geometric looking stitch for contrasting threads)
- Faggoting Embroidery (stitch used to join edges of fabrics)
- Feather Stitch (feathery, free flowing stitch)
- Fishbone Stitch (solid-looking stitch that makes leaves)
- Fly Stitch (Y shape stitches which can be joined to form leaves)
- French Knots (makes nice small cluster flowers)
- Herringbone Stitch (geometric stitch)
- Lazy Daisy (pretty flowers)
- Sashiko Embroidery (Japanese style running stitch)
- Satin Stitch (solid stitching for shapes, flowers and leaves)
- Seed Stitch Embroidery (Rice Stitch)
- Stem Stitch (just as it sounds! great for stems)
- Straight Stitch (these are a group of simple stitches)
- Web Stitch | Embroidery Tutorial (look like spider webs and can be used for flowers)
- Whip Stitch
Best Fabric for Embroidery
Fabric comes in many different weights and textures and just about any kind can really be used for embroidery. It is important to know about the thread count for cotton and linens so that you choose a more open weave of the fabric. This will give your needle easy access through the weave.
When starting, try fabrics such as calico, canvas, muslin, cotton, Osnaburg, Hardanger, and linen. Kona cotton is a popular choice for quilting. Aida is often used for cross stitch as it is stiff and has a very open weave with visible fibers that as useful for counting stitches.
It is a good idea to try out your options before you start a project. I always use unbleached calico for all my samples as it is cheap and easy to embroider. As with all sewing, there is no right or wrong. Just choose the fabric that you think looks nice and if you are a beginner, get a cheap one. It is commonplace to use white or cream fabric for embroidery but if you want to use hot pink then go for it! Be individual.
How to Embroider FAQs
Yes. Hand embroidery is one of the easiest needlecrafts to learn because it requires only a needle, embroidery floss, fabric, and a few basic stitches. Most beginners can start creating simple flowers, lettering, and borders after learning stitches such as running stitch, backstitch, and lazy daisy.
To start embroidery you’ll need an embroidery design, hoop, thread and scissors.
In Conclusion
Once you’ve learned these embroidery basics, you’ll be surprised how quickly your skills grow. Master just a few stitches, practice regularly, and soon you’ll be creating flowers, lettering, decorative borders, and beautiful handmade gifts.
Author - Luisa Clare
Luisa Clare is the founder of Treasurie, a sewing and crochet education platform offering step-by-step tutorials and printable patterns. With over 15 years of experience in dressmaking, pattern design, crochet, and craft education, she specialises in teaching beginners through clear, easy-to-follow lessons. Her tutorials and patterns are used by home sewists and crocheters worldwide to build practical skills and confidence. Learn more about Luisa and Treasurie.
