Embroidery 101!

In this instructable I'll go over the basic stitches that I use the most and the basic tools you'll need to begin embroidering.

This will help with building yourself a Robot plushie. ;)

Also: for additional help with the basic stitches and general handsewing, check out my other crafty instructable at http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Sew./

If you have any stitch requests, or you're confused about something, let me know! :D

The measuring cups and cupcakes are patterns from Sublime Stitching! The rest of the embroideries are my own design.

Step 1 Tools or hardware, if you prefer.

To start embroidering, you'll need the following items:

• embroidery hoop - this is a ring consisting of two parts. You put the fabric in between the hoops - this helps keep it taut, making the embroidering easier.
• small, sharp scissors. You can find these under many names.
• your fabric of choice! In most cases, this shouldn't be loosely woven or too stretchy. Simple quilting cotton will work fine.
• embroidery floss. This is cheap and comes in TONS of colors.
• embroidery needles. These have bigger eyes than normal needles to accommodate the size of the floss.

Comments

[fkflores]

I've been meaning to show you the Japanese curtains I made for my boyfriend after reading your Instructable! I have never done anything artsy before and this was my first attempt at embroidery. It was a lot of hard work but I pulled it off... Thanks again!

[jessyratfink]

Those are amazing! You did a beautiful job. Did you like doing it? Because I think you should keep on with it if you did - you seem to have a knack for it! :D

[neetz]

i am making a purse and i want to embroid it but it is way too small to use an embroidery loop. can i do it without it?

[destiny1952]

i just wanted to share a quilt that i just finished. the pegasus is hand embroidered with yarn. I wanted to do something with my art besides doing on paper. anyways, thanks for letting me share....

[GlenCoco]

Thank you, very well done! <3

[kjoberk]

Cannot wait to do this! I'm planning on making my daughters monster lovies for Christmas and need to embroider the happy, happy monster smiles!! I'll be going to get some embroidery thread this week! Thank you so, so much!

[frannylaurie]

Can not get the hang of this! Ahhh It looks as tho it is going to work then when I pull it through it unwraps and comes through as a stitch : (
Any advice?

[jessyratfink]

It could be that your needle is coming out and going into the fabric very close together. Sometimes, when I try to bring the needle down really close to where I started, it can form a larger hole and I'll just end up pulling the knot right through! I've done it tons of times when I've been in a rush.

If that's not what's happening, I'd make sure to wrap it at least two times, and hold the thread taut until the thread loop forms and starts to goes through the knot. Sometimes it can be tempting to let go too early. I've done that too and had it unravel. :)

This is a good video, too, if you think watching it being done might help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul8XT72oA68

[luckystar1985]

Thanks so much, great tutorial!!!

[jessyratfink]

Yay! You're welcome. :)

[jessyratfink]

I think I'm going to re-do all the pictures soon and add satin stitch. :D

[jessyratfink]

Pictures dooooooooone!

[Kryptonite]

Vair neat, this is an awesome Instructable :D

[jessyratfink]

Thank you! I'm very happy with the updates. :)

[Very Interesting]

Love them!

[rtty21]

AWESOME!

[bumpus]

I am still in the dark about this FSM/Flying Spaghetti Monster thing... Otherwise, awesome instructable!

[xACIDITYx]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastafarianism/
http://www.venganza.org/

[charchar2]

Wow!

[charchar2]

Those are wonderful pictures! Very detailed and explanatory. :)

[charchar2]

I really want to know how to do the blanket stitch, but I don't understand your instructions. Do you think you could put on a video? If you do, let me know. other than that, this is a great instructable! I'm rating it 4 stars.

[porcupinemamma]

There are all sorts of how -to embroider videos on you tube

[charchar2]

Thanks a lot! I think I understand it now! :)

[porcupinemamma]

This is so wonderful I love embroidery. I also love to do ribbon embroidery. If you know how to embroider with embroidery floss, using the ribbons are a sinch. the stitches just pop! lately i've been felting fleece, making baby slippers and putting a blanket stitch all around. some how I'm going to make an Instructable, because It's an easy and fun little project.

[Wicken]

Thank you so much for this awesome refresher. I haven't embroidered anything in about ... well, polyester was cool back then. And, I never could get french knots right. I found Pimp Stitch and am doing the little Lovebugs pattern with some floss I had left over from my cross-stitch phase. I just did 10 french knots in a row, no troubles, thanks to your i'ble. Below is a not-very-good photo of the half-way point taken with my Mac's camera.

[abeautifilledmess]

Awesome, can't wait to try this out =)

[lilgirl]

Thank you for the great pictures! I just started and could not get the hang of the french knot until your directions and pictures! Thanks!!

[iBunnyPop]

it looks so easy but the only thing i cant do is the french knot! Oh well, try try again. Your tutorial help me learn alot! thanx!

[cbsvaj14]

Thanks for the instructions. I remember some of these techniques from Home Ecc in high school, and I'm excited to get back into it.

[TychaBrahe]

Regarding separating strands, when I was young it annoyed me that as I separated the strands, the unseparated stuff would tend to twist. I would have to stop periodically to untwist it. I developed the habit of holding one end of the strand in my teeth and separating from the other end. The tension keeps the thread from twisting. Once the strand is fully separated, it will twist everything out when you release your teeth.

[The Handmade Project]

This was just what I needed! I added an instructable on how to make a sleep doll and found your tutorial on embroidery, so I linked it. Thanks for this great post!

[jessyratfink]

Thanks for linking! That's a really cute doll - good idea too. :)

[BeadSpinner]

I like that... just one more thing for me to try - not enough hours in a day!

[SoapyHollow]

Fantastic explanation of French Knots. Great pictures, clear clean text. Yay You! Thanks for this. (PS, I vote for the FSM. Hee.)

[aliceownsj00]

Omg, haha, now I can learn french knots!

[jessyratfink]

Yay! Tell me how it goes!

[FreshPineSent]

Great instructable, but I think this Flying Spaghetti Monster thing has gone on long enough. The kid wrote the letter to his school board as a joke. I almost feel like the only people believing in FSM are atheists, just trying to piss everyone off.

[jessyratfink]

More than anything, I find it funny, and I think most people do here as well. Saying you're a Pastafarian instead of an atheist often goes over better, anyway. I don't know that anyone here does it to "piss everyone off." ;) I'll probably be changing the main picture if it's going to cause fussing and getting off topic. I just don't have any other examples of my embroidery work uploaded at the moment. :)

[xACIDITYx]

You changed it, and got featured!

[GorillazMiko]

WE WANT PLUSHIE.