Our Favorite Embroidery Kits for Beginners

Any embroidery project starts with a design stitched in thread: a few lines, dashes, concentric circles, and knots can completely transform the fabric. For beginners, an embroidery kit will often come equipped with everything you need in a given project: sampler fabric, a needle or two, a few skeins of stranded cotton floss, and the instructions (called a "pattern") you need to get started. Some kits may include other notions like a wooden hoop, bobbin cards, or a note card of stitches. There's a whole set of stitches to utilize in such projects: the straight stitch, stem stitch, and back stitch all create clean lines. And all of them can be easily mastered with practice, a needle and floss.

By purchasing a kit, you can try your hand at a number of techniques: Whitework, for instance, refers to projects in which the stitching is the same color as the fabric (oftentimes, it will be white linen). Crewelwork, another type of embroidery, traditionally uses two-ply wool yarn in its stitchwork. Ribbon embroidery, another type of embroidery still, works its stitches in silk often depicted in floral designs. Projects come in all kinds of designs: beautiful profiles, flora and fauna, lunar cycles, and those of your own making. An introductory kit will teach you stitches in a sampler that can be displayed in your studio at home.

Pick one of these artisanal kits and they will teach you how to transfer a pattern, stitch, and display your own custom embroidery courtesy of, you, the artist.