If you’re not familiar with embroidery, Printful explains that it’s simply the art of stitching designs onto fabric or other materials. It’s often done by hand, but it can be done by machine as well to create pieces like gift shirts, hats, and dress shirts. This style of art has been around since ancient times, but it’s still an incredibly popular hobby today.
Embroidery can be used to spice up apparel, create decor and gifts, and even to make textile art that’s worthy of hanging in a gallery. There are also several different traditional styles of embroidery that are native to different parts of the world. In India, you can find Kutch embroidery, while Hardanger embroidery can be found in Norway. England is home to Crewel work, and canvas work or needlepoint is popular worldwide.
As far as why people love embroidery so much, it’s a very accessible hobby. The Diary of A Northern Belle notes that it’s inexpensive to get started, and it’s really not too difficult to pick up. If you’re on a tight budget, you can buy an embroidery kit from a craft store for under $20, and if you’re short on time, you can pick one that won’t take more than a few hours to complete.
Many people also love embroidery because it can be so relaxing. It’s a great way to calm your mind at the end of the day and get out of your head while simply focusing on using your hands. It can be therapeutic, and it can be done almost anywhere. On a plane, train, bus, or sitting on the couch watching television, you can be working on a masterpiece.
Embroidery is also a great creative outlet. While you might often see pieces featuring feminine designs like flowers, butterflies, and pieces of fruit, there are truly no limits to what you can create. And once you get the hang of it, you can start embroidering your clothes, your bedding, your pillows, your backpack, and more. Suddenly, everything you own will be unique and a beautiful display of your talent and personal style.
Once you get good enough at embroidery, you’ll never have to purchase another gift for a friend again. You’ll be able to create special, personalized presents that your loved ones will cherish for years to come. You’ll have to spend a little bit of money on supplies, but it’ll be worth it to give a customized gift that your friends and family members wouldn’t be able to purchase anywhere else.
If we’ve convinced you to take up embroidery, you might now be wondering where to start. Thankfully, The Spruce Crafts has a helpful guide to beginning your embroidery journey. First, they note that you’ll need fabric, embroidery floss, an embroidery hoop, needles, a water-soluble pen, and scissors. Then, you’ll want to select which stitches you want to use. There's straight stitch, back stitch, and starting/stopping. A quick tutorial on YouTube can teach you all you need to know about each one.
When it comes to finishing your embroidery masterpiece, The Spruce Crafts notes that you may need to soak or rinse the fabric to remove any markings and/or wrinkles. Then, you can place the fabric on a folded towel, press away any excess water, and press from the back with an iron. Voila! You’ve just put the final touches on your beautiful piece.
