I have always been intimidated by embroidery and cross stitch. It always seemed like a skill or hobby for someone slightly fancier than me. My crafting is more often than not quite messy, and stitching seemed too elegant for me. I received an embroidery kit (Make Market Embroidery Kit) as a gift and because of my misperception it collected dust on the shelf for a bit. However, like a lot of us, I have had a LOT of time on my hands, so I decided to give it a shot. Never was I ever so wrong folks!! I love this hobby! It is relaxing and fun! It is easy to learn and kind of addicting. I highly recommend hand embroidery if you're looking for a new craft or hobby in your life. It is pretty inexpensive to get started as well, I used a kit to get started (which I would recommend) but you could also buy things separately without spending much.
The different stitches can be intimidating but I only needed to learn three stitches to make these patterns. I used the back stitch, the satin stitch, and the French knot for both pieces (all are shown in the video below). For the 'Life is good' pattern I outlined the words and then filled them in with the back stitch. For the flowers, leaves and circle border I used the satin stitch. Both stitches are very easy. For the centers of the flowers I used the French knot. This stitch is tricky at first but once you get it, it is fun and easy. For the yellow flower pattern, I used the same three stitches. Backstitch for the greenery, satin stitch for the flower petals and stem and the French knot for the flower centers. I do recommend practicing all the stitches on a scrap piece of cloth before starting on a project. Watch the video below to learn those three basic stitches to get started!
These patterns were included in the kit and there are plenty of others available for purchase. You could also sketch your own pattern onto your fabric too. My best advice is to practice with scratch fabric before starting a project but then go to town! Worst case scenario you make an incorrect stitch or get knotted, but you can just cut the thread and start again! I love any craft that has an easy fix for boo-boos. These are the first pieces I have ever made, I just taught myself those three stitches and went for it. I think I did much better on my second piece (the yellow flowers) so I am excited to continue learning more stitches and creating more pieces!
What you need: Option A would be to get a starter kit like I did but you can just purchase individually if you like, the essentials are listed and some add-ons that I found very useful.
· Embroidery thread (various colors)
· Embroidery needle(s)
· Embroidery hoop(s)
· Embroidery fabric, you can purchase preprinted patterns or make your own on blank fabric (any tightly woven fabric)
Additional (not necessary but helpful) supplies
· Needle threader
· Embroidery scissors
· Lighted magnifying glass
· Box organizer
What to do:
· Follow kit instructions or the directions in my video tutorial and get stitching!!
· I highly suggest using a scrap piece to practice different stitches before starting a project.
