Hand embroidery for beginners, step by step
Transferring patterns, thread tension, finishing a hoop, and washing and pressing finished work.
4 tutorials published
Test for color bleed, wash by hand in cool water with mild soap, roll the piece in a towel and press it face down on a soft base. A cautious routine for cleaning finished embroidery.
Center the design, trim the fabric to a circle, gather it with a line of running stitch and cover the back with felt. A simple, reversible way to make a stitched hoop ready to hang.
Good embroidery tension means each stitch lies flat on the fabric without lifting or pulling the cloth in. Learn what to look for, how the hoop helps and a short drill to train your hands.
Four reliable ways to get an embroidery design onto fabric: window tracing, transfer paper, water-soluble stabilizer and iron-on pens, with advice on which suits light or dark cloth.
