Best Practices to Follow in Hand Embroidery

Hi there!

It feels wonderful to be back on the blog after quite a long break! Life has been a whirlwind—catching up on pending travels, helping the kids settle into a new academic year, diving into some new projects, and getting someone to assist us in our digital creations. The last time I wrote, I shared some common mistakes in hand embroidery – Gosh, that was so long ago. This time, I thought, why not focus on the good stuff? Let’s talk about a few good practices that can make your embroidery journey more enjoyable and rewarding! ✨

Use good support and lighting.

1. Sit in a well-lit place
Always choose a well-lit location next to a window to do your project. Whenever possible, choose the daylight to do your project. If you are a night owl and like working at night, use a good lamp to see the details well.

2. Take care of yourself
Sit in a comfortable chair with good back and neck support. Avoid hunching forward while stitching—rest your back against the chair and keep a relaxed posture. Mount your fabric on a hoop to help maintain a natural position, and if possible, consider investing in an embroidery stand.

Take frequent breaks! Sitting in one position for too long can cause strain. If your arms feel tired, do some gentle exercises to loosen up—roll your wrists, stretch your fingers by opening and closing them, and shake out any tension. A little movement goes a long way in keeping embroidery stress-free and enjoyable!

Basic embroidery tools.

3. Use good quality materials
Invest in good-quality materials—they don’t have to be expensive, but they make a world of difference. Working with well-made tools and quality threads makes the process smoother and helps you enjoy the art so much more. Inferior materials can be frustrating to work with and may not do justice to all the effort and time you put into your embroidery. So, choose wisely, and let your work reflect the care and love you put into it!

4. Start small
Always start with a smaller project. They get you quick results, and you will feel good about it. Congratulate yourself and progress to a bigger one. As you progress, you will understand your speed and patience. This will help you to plan your next project. If you are looking for small projects to work on, I have curated three of them. Here they are:
Stitch Leaves
Stitch Flowers
3SAT Patterns

A sample from one of the simple projects.

5. Enjoy what you do
Enjoy the process of creation, and don’t tax yourself for perfection. Perfection will come with more practice and understanding of the art. Knowing this will save a lot of frustration and help you to feel proud of your work every time. Also, understand that it is the little imperfections and quirks that make your work unique and valuable. Don’t make the art of embroidery a job or homework. Make sure you feel happy when you do it. If you are not in the mood, take a break and return to it later!

6. If you are a beginner, start with the most basic
It’s easy to feel drawn toward the advanced side of any art—especially with social media making even the most complex techniques look effortless. Many of us are self-taught, too, which means there’s no one to guide or pace us through the learning process.

That’s why I always suggest starting with the basics, no matter how simple or “silly” they may seem. If you’re new to embroidery, begin with the Straight Stitch. Once you’re comfortable, move on to the Rice Stitch and then the Running Stitch. These foundational stitches will help you build confidence with the thread, needle, and other materials while allowing you to improve your hand-eye coordination. Mastering these basics will set you up beautifully for more advanced stitches later! Here is a list of basic stitches you can try before moving on to the more advanced ones: The 12 Basic Stitches. 

A simple stitch to start with.

7. Don’t be afraid to experiment
In any art, experimenting gives rise to new ideas and variety. Once you have the thread and needle in your hand, it is your space! Go ahead and experiment with colors, stitches, threads, and fabric. If you get an idea, write it down somewhere and try it out the next time you can. Save the ideas that have worked for you. This will be useful when you want to apply it to another project.

8. Be organized
Hand embroidery can quickly get messy, especially as you dive into more projects—threads, needles, and fabrics can end up everywhere! That’s why it’s so helpful to start being organized right from day one. Trust me, a little effort now will save you so much time later when you’d rather be stitching than cleaning up. Set aside a dedicated box, basket, or shelf to store all your embroidery tools and supplies. Keep your main tools—like needles, scissors, and threads—neat and easy to find. It’ll make your stitching time smoother and more enjoyable. I’ll share more tips on organizing your tools and supplies soon, so stay tuned!

A way to organize your threads.

9. Test the stitches
If you’re unsure about a stitch but want to give it a shot, try it out on a doodle cloth or scrap fabric first. Play around with different sizes, thread strands, and patterns to see what works best. This little practice session will not only help you understand the stitch better but also build your confidence before using it on your actual project.

10. Dedicate a time in the day
I’ve often heard learners say they want to continue hand embroidery but struggle to find the time. My suggestion? Dedicate just 15 minutes a day to embroidery. Even a short, focused session can make a big difference!

Try stitching for 15 minutes before bedtime—hand embroidery can be incredibly relaxing and a perfect way to unwind after a long day. Keep your embroidery kit handy, perhaps right next to your bed, to make it easy. If evenings don’t work for you, pick any time of day that suits you best. Whether it’s daily or three times a week, the key is to schedule it and stick to it. You’ll be amazed at the progress you can make with small, consistent steps!

Do you follow any good practices? Have I missed out on any? Mention them in the comment!

What’s new in Sarah’s Hand Embroidery

After receiving so many requests, we’re excited to share that we’ve compiled all our hand embroidery stitch videos in one place! Each video is just 2 minutes long and demonstrates a different stitch, making learning or refreshing your skills easy. Save the page as your go-to reference for hand embroidery stitches.  The library will be updated every month with new stitches.

Let us know how you find this new video library and what more you want to see!

Love,
Sarah