- Embroidery is the process of embellishing fabric by hand or machine with designs created from thread or floss. Most people begin with simple kits to learn the stitches and move on to create original designs for the home, accessories, and clothing.
- While it's great to try out embroidery with a starter kit like the Caydo Starter Embroidery Set, you'll need to invest in more and better supplies if you decide to make stitching a lifelong hobby.
- We recommend Morgan Lap Stand Hoops to keep your fabric taut and Clover Embroidery Needles in a variety of sizes to match the thickness of whatever thread you are using.
I grew up in a home surrounded by embroidery. My first stitching was done as a cross-stitch ABC sampler. I drew out my design by hand on some linen and then stitched away. It was a bit wobbly, but I learned to refine my stitches and soon began to produce work that was good enough to share and sell.
I've done freehand embroidery and counted cross-stitch with fine floss and crewel embroidery with heavier yarns. I've also followed grid patterns and stitched prestamped fabric to create Christmas stockings, pillow tops, framed pieces, and bedding. With each project, I learned more about stitching and also what I enjoyed doing and what I didn't.
One of the things I've learned is that having the right tools and supplies makes all the difference. While it's great to try out embroidery with a starter kit like the Caydo Starter Embroidery Set, you'll need to invest in more and better supplies if you decide to make stitching a lifelong hobby.
In addition to the tools we recommend in this guide, there are other useful items you may want to purchase. A needle threader is always helpful, and I have several thread organizers to keep embroidery floss in order. I also keep compression gloves in my project bag to support sore hand muscles.
Read on in the slides below to discover our top picks for embroidery tools and supplies for both experienced and beginning stitchers.
Here are the best embroidery tools you can buy:
- Best embroidery hoops: Morgan 7- and 10-Inch Lap Stand Combo Hoops
- Best embroidery needles: Clover 235 No. 3-9 Gold Eye Embroidery Needles, Pack of 16
- Best embroidery markers: DMC U1539 Embroidery Transfer Pen, Blue or DMC U1540 Embroidery Transfer Pencil, White
- Best embroidery scissors: Kretzer ECO Embroidery Scissors
- Best light for embroidery: Brightech Lightview Pro XL Magnifying Glass and Light
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