How to Embroider Fabric

Embroider Fabric
The right fabric is the key to making a good embroidery project. It needs to be soft yet sturdy enough to support decorative stitching, and it should be able to hold the weight of your threads and floss. It should also be a colour that is compatible with the embroidery design and your threads.

Choosing Embroidery Fabric
Choose a firm, thick, cotton or linen fabric with a suitable thread count. This will affect the overall quality of the finished product and is a big decision to make. It is important to use a cotton or linen fabric, as synthetics can fray and perforate over time, which can ruin the look of your work.


Using a Hoop
A hoop is a wooden circle with a clasp that fits together and holds the fabric in place to provide the correct tension for your stitching. Embroidery hoops come in different sizes so it is best to pick the size that will fit your project and embroidery pattern perfectly.

Tracing the Template
Most patterns will have a transfer template that you need to trace over before sewing. To transfer the design onto your fabric you can use a pencil, water-soluble pen or chalk in a colour that shows up on your embroidery.

Backstitch
The backstitch is one of the most basic stitches in hand embroidery, it is used to create straight lines and fill in details. To make a backstitch, insert your needle through the back of the fabric and pull it to the front of the fabric a stitch length away from the end of the last stitch you made.