Embroidery has often been disregarded as a women’s craft, not worthy of the same value placed upon art made by mostly men. The prized art that we hang to gaze in awe of in exclusive museums, are far from the craft of embroidery when we reach for popular art and artists throughout time.

However I’d argue, just as many other fantastic embroidery is an art-form, a practice that asks us to spend time & habits to refine. One that is worthy & valuable in our days and that has a long, rich history. The act of weaving thread through cloth is purposeful & important. It reveals stories, songs and traditions that held, and still hold, importance to our homes & societies. More than mere stitches, embroideries we create have meaning to our selves and each other.

An old shirt, tea-towel, pillowcase ~ almost any fabric surface would be delighted to be decorated by our clever selves. There is no need for costly supplies and the most basic of stitches can be used to create pattern & texture, breathing new life into well worn cloth.

Like any other art practice, once you understand the basics, you can use your new skills to explore your own creativity. A palette of thread colours, something to snip with and a needle to stitch with. Embroidery has hundreds of stitch styles, with technically correct techniques you can learn. Being self-taught, I take more of a ‘stabby’ approach to my technique, so this is how I teach.

Below is a gentle guide to the beginning basics of embroidery, I hope you enjoy!