Embroidery Supplies 101: The Top 10 Tools You Need for Successful Stitching

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Embroidery is not only a beautiful art form but it's also been shown to have a positive effect on mental health because it is relaxing and meditative. Taking up embroidery can be a great way to relieve stress, increase mindfulness and get your creative juices flowing. Embroidery is also great for increasing fine motor skills - pinching the needle, manipulating the thread. Basically, embroidery is an amazing hobby to get started in!

If you're new to the craft, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. That’s why this blog post exists! Here, you’ll find a list of the five essential embroidery tools you'll need, plus a few bonus tools that will make your life easier! 

THE FIVE ESSENTIALS

These first five tools are technically all you need to start making beautiful embroidered works of art, but make sure you take a peek at the bonus supplies that will really help you stay organized and ready to master the art of embroidery. 

1. Embroidery Hoop

The embroidery hoop is essential to keep your fabric taut and in place while you stitch. Tight fabric prevents a wrinkled finished piece. You can use wither a wooden or plastic hoop depending on your preference. I'm personally not picky about the type of hoop I use, but a lot of people prefer a plastic hoop because they like the grip it provides. I simply pull my fabric tight as I stitch if I feel it loosening over time.

Next level tip: Some stitchers have one "good" hoop they use for stitching, and when they're finished their projects, they'll frame their finished pieces in a less secure hoop or in a picture frame with the glass removed.

2. Needle

The type of needle you use will depend on the type of embroidery you're doing and the weave of the fabric you’re working on. For most projects, an embroidery needle, tapestry needle, or chenille needle will work. Remember, the smaller the number on the needle, the larger the hole, and easier to thread.

My personal favourite needle is a Chenille 20 needle. It has a wonderfully large eye and can easily handle all 6 strands of embroidery thread, yet the point is sharp enough to still allow for accurate stitch placement. I start all my workshop students with a crisp Chenille 20 needle for their first projects.

3. Embroidery Floss

DMC thread is the gold standard when it comes to needlework thread. It's available in a wide variety of colours and thicknesses, so you can choose the perfect shade for your project. The most common thread you'll find is their Six Strand Embroidery Floss. Individual packs of thread are called skeins and can be used as-is or split down into smaller groups of thread to achieve different looks and textures in your projects. And at least in North America, it is reasonably inexpensive.

The brand of thread you choose does matter. If you buy cheap thread, you'll notice it frays and breaks down as it gets pulled through the fabric over and over. DMC thread is known to be durable and has a beautiful, shiny finish.

Other problems with cheaper threads include inconsistent dye lots (if you need to repurchase the same colour to finish a project, the different packs of thread may be noticeably varied in colour), non-colourfast threads (meaning if you get your project wet, the threads may bleed and ruin your design) and a dull, matte finish.

Ultimately, you need to choose the thread that best suits your budget, but if you do run into any of these aforementioned issues, you can know that they are likely a result of manufacturer quality and not user error.

4. Fabric

Embroidery and Cross Stitch use different fabrics, though many of the other tools are the same. The fabric you choose will depend on your project. 

For embroidery, Kona cotton is a great option. You can also find fat quarters of quilting cotton at your local craft store or at Walmart. Once you master stitching on cotton, you might try stitching on tulle, linen or silks! For fabric suppliers in Canada, I recommend Needleworks Studio located in Cochrane, Ontario and The Quilted Nest in Englehart, Ontario. Both small shops stock a wide variety of fabrics and they offer shipping! (And I may be a little biased, but both owners are absolutely wonderful women.)

Cross Stitch is outside of my wheelhouse, but the type of fabric you're going to be looking for is called Aida Cloth, and it is a more open weave, gridded style of fabric. The higher the thread count on the Aida Cloth, the more holes (stitches) per inch, and conversely, the smaller needle you'll need to use. 

5. Snips

Lastly, you'll need a good pair of scissors to cut your thread. It's important to keep them sharp so you can make clean cuts. And as long as the snips are smaller than 4 inches, they can even be brought on an airplane in your carry-on luggage when travelling! Hello, in-flight entertainment!

While you could use any old kitchen or craft scissors, thread snips are designed with a long, thin cutting edge so if necessary, you can carefully cut away a mistake without damaging surrounding stitches. 

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These first 5 tools are all you really need to get started, but if you're anything like me, you want to craft with excellence - and that means having the right toolkit. 
Read on to find out more. 

5 More Tools to Make Embroidery Easier

These next 5 tools are not exactly necessary, but they do help round out your toolkit and keep you organized. You'll find stitching is a lot more enjoyable when you've got the right tools to support your hobby!

1. Bobbins: Wrap and label opened skeins of thread to keep them organized.
2. Thread Box: Keep bobbins neatly stored for future use.
3. Hoop Stand: Free up your hands to perform more complex stitches like French Knots and Turkey Work and help your posture a little bit!
4. Needle-minder: A strong magnet used as a place to set your needle when you're not actively stitching.
5. Needle Threader: A device designed to help get those pesky threads into the teeny tiny eye of the needle. (These ones aren't exactly the sturdiest, but they're too cute!)
   
   

One bonus tip:

Something that people often ask me about is a pattern transfer method. For that, I suggest two different options.

• Heat Erasable Pen - my favourite method! Works like a normal pen but lines disappear when exposed to heat. 
• Print, Stick and Wash Away Paper - a great option if you're not comfortable tracing a project, but does leave a residue that can be noticeable on larger designs. It can also affect how threads lay, and for that reason, I only recommend it for smaller projects made with short stitches.

Personally, I prefer a good heat erasable pen to transfer a pattern. I always choose heat-erase over water-soluble because I've had water soluble pens run and bleed in the past. Heat erase is wonderful - though if the finished project gets cold (shipping during winter or displayed near a drafty window), those lines will reappear. They disappear once again when exposed to heat like that from a blowdryer or heat gun.

Choosing the right tools is important, but it's also essential to choose the right pattern for your skill level. Check out the Homebody Handmade Pattern Shop for a selection of beginner friendly patterns.

Remember to always choose high-quality tools to ensure the best results. By using the right tools and following the proper techniques, you can create beautiful embroidery projects that will last a lifetime.

If you found this helpful, please let me know by leaving a comment below. If you have any other embroidery-related questions, feel free to add them there or contact me directly using this form! And if you want more helpful embroidery content like this, sign up for emails to have my next stitchy tip sent right to your inbox!

Thanks for reading and as always,
Happy stitching!