Your new hobby doesn't need a monthly subscription
So you've caught the embroidery bug. Maybe it was a hoop of wildflowers on your feed, a name stitched onto a baby's bib, or a mended jumper that looked better than the original. Whatever it was, welcome. You're in very good company.
The best thing about embroidery is you can learn every beginner stitch for free. Back stitch, satin stitch, French knots, lazy daisies, the lot. Some of the best embroidery teachers in the world have put their knowledge online at no cost, and plenty of talented stitchers film tutorials just because they love it.
Paid courses and kits can be lovely if they suit you, and there's nothing wrong with treating yourself. But you don't need to spend a fortune or sign up for a recurring payment to find out whether you even like this hobby (spoiler: you probably will though!). All you need is a few free resources, a handful of tools and some fabric - any fabric will do!
Start with the best teachers in the business (for free)
The Royal School of Needlework has been teaching hand embroidery since 1872. Its stitchers have worked on royal coronation pieces and famous wedding dresses. These are people who know their way around a needle and thread.
Did you know the RSN Stitch Bank is completely free? It holds more than 500 stitches, and each one comes with step-by-step instructions, photographs, illustrations and video, plus a bit of history about where the stitch comes from and how it's been used.
The Stitch Bank can feel a little overwhelming at first, so here's how to use it without falling down a 500-stitch rabbit hole:
- Browse the Stitch Wall, a visual grid of every stitch. Click on anything that catches your eye.
- Search by stitch use when you know what you want a stitch to do, like outline a shape, fill a petal or add a little texture.
- Save your favourites to a list as you go, so you can build your own beginner stitch library.
- Pick one stitch at a time and practise a row of it on scrap fabric before you use it on a real project.
It's a charity-run resource, so if it becomes a favourite, consider chipping in a donation to help keep it free for the next beginner.
Your phone is a stitch school
Sometimes you need to watch a pair of hands do the thing ten times before it clicks. That's where TikTok and YouTube shine. Thousands of embroiderers film close-up, slowed-down tutorials, often from exactly the angle you'll be stitching at. It's a bit like sitting next to a patient friend who never gets sick of you saying "wait, do that again".
The trick is knowing what to search for. Type the stitch name plus "embroidery tutorial" and you'll get far better results than a vague "how to embroider". Here are the stitches worth learning first, roughly in the order we'd tackle them:
- Running stitch: the simplest stitch there is, and your warm-up
- Back stitch: the go-to for outlines and lettering
- Split stitch: a slightly raised, rope-like outline
- Stem stitch: smooth curves for stems, vines and swirly writing
- Chain stitch: a bold, looped line that's more forgiving than it looks
- Satin stitch: for filling small shapes with smooth, glossy colour
- French knot: dots, flower centres and eyes (everyone fights these at first, it's a rite of passage)
- Lazy daisy: instant petals and leaves
- Fly stitch: little Y-shapes that make great leaves and grasses
- Woven wheel rose: looks fancy, is actually very easy, and will make you feel like a genius
- Long and short stitch: the next step once you're ready to blend and shade
When a creator's tutorial helps you, follow them, like the video or leave a kind comment. That free knowledge is free because people choose to share it, and a little love keeps them sharing.
The kit you need is smaller than you think
You don't need a 200-piece starter set or a drawer full of gadgets. A beginner embroidery kit fits in a pencil case. The basics are an embroidery hoop, some fabric, a few colours of stranded cotton and the handful of tools below. Grab the hoop, cotton and fabric from your local craft store or op shop. Plain cotton, linen or an old pillowcase is perfect for practice.
Then it's worth having a handful of good tools, because cheap ones can sometimes make learning harder than it needs to be. A blunt needle drags, a pair of chunky scissors can't get close to your stitches, and a sore fingertip will end a session faster than anything.
Embroidery needles. Embroidery needles (also called crewel needles) have a sharp point and a longer eye, so multiple strands of thread slip through easily. Our Embroidery Needles are made in Japan, packed in Australia, and come 20 to a sliding-lid tin, so a single tin will see you through a lot of hoops.
Small, sharp scissors. You want a pair that can snip a thread right at the fabric without nicking your stitches. The Small Go-To Scissors are 4" with a micro-serrated blade that grips thread rather than pushing it away, and a soft silicone handle. Stitching on the go? The Matchbox Scissors are tiny, airline-friendly squeeze snips that live in a matchbox, so your hoop can come on holidays too (check your airline's rules before you fly).
Adhesive Finger Protectors. Pushing a needle through fabric over and over can leave your fingertips sore, especially in your first few weeks. Our Adhesive Finger Protectors are little heart-shaped pads that stick to your fingertip, a thimble alternative for people who hate thimbles (it's most of us).
Australian Beeswax. Stranded cotton loves to tangle, twist and knot, usually right when you're getting the hang of things. Run your thread across a block of beeswax before you stitch and it glides more smoothly and behaves itself. Our Australian Beeswax is made in Australia and won't leave yellow marks in your work as it ages, which some synthetic conditioners can.
That's it. A handful of tools, a hoop and some thread, and you're stitching. No sign-up, no monthly fee, no cancelling on the last day of the trial.
Your first hoop, start to finish
Ok, ready to start? Here's a simple plan to get you started:
- Pop some plain fabric in your hoop and pull it drum-tight.
- Draw a few straight lines, a curve and a circle with a pencil or water-soluble pen.
- Pick three stitches from the list above. Back stitch, French knot and lazy daisy make a great trio.
- Look each one up on the RSN Stitch Bank, or find a video of it on TikTok or YouTube.
- Fill your practice lines with rows of each stitch until they start to feel natural.
- Then stitch something small and real, like a single flower, an initial or a wonky little sun.
It won't be perfect, and that's exactly the point. Every embroiderer you admire has a drawer full of lumpy French knots and wobbly first hoops. The only way through is more stitching.
So, grab a needle, find a stitch and have a go. Your new hobby is waiting, and it really doesn't need to cost the earth.