Yes, You Can Embroider!

Tutorials, patterns and tips to build your stitching skills

Imagine sitting with a hoop in your lap, soft thread between your fingers, and just ten minutes to yourself.

You could stitch a tiny flower or a simple initial.

It’s a lovely way to slow down and create something special.

Start here (beginners welcome)

Not sure where to begin? Start here and I'll guide you step by step

the simple supplies I reach for most (hoop, floss, needles, small scissors)
which stitches to learn first (and how to practise them)
how to choose your first tiny free project so you actually finish it

The beginner embroidery supplies I reach for most—hoop, floss, needles, and small scissors

Featured right now

Creating tiny flowers with three simple beginner stitches

How to embroider flowers

Explore different stitches and styles for embroidering leaves in your design.

How to embroider leaves

Embroidered strawberry tutorial (Lazy Daisy stitch) — click to learn

Click to stitch this strawberry

If you have a little more experience, try a small, satisfying project you can finish in one sitting.

Stitch the Strawberry (Lazy Daisy tutorial)

Quick links

→ Browse free patterns

→ Troubleshooting tips

→ Finishing techniques

→ Explore the history of embroidery

Explore Techniques

Pick a style below and dive into tutorials and patterns...

Counted Thread Techniques

Cross stitch: tinys Xs that build pictures and motifs - no drawing needed.

My simple beginners blackwork owl downloadable design

Blackwork: Geometric fills and bold outlines (I'll break it down step by step)

I had fun designing this little owl in hardanger

Hardanger: Satin stitch, cutwork and needleweaving for intricate texture

A small sample or pulled work that is easy for beginners

Whitework: Investigate the wider world of whitework techniques

No counting involved

Redwork: One colour, simple lines and a relaxing way to practise your stitches

a slow stitching project depicting a scottish highlands holiday

Slow Stitching: A calming, freeform approach - no rules

My first piece of crazy quilting which I made into a wedding book cover

Crazy quilting: Playful, expressive quilting plus embroidery where quirks are celebrated

One of my stumpwork designs featuring a bunny in a basket

Stumpwork: Make your stitching stand proud with wire-raised and padded techcniques

And there's more!

My free Bargello bell design - click to learn

Needlepoint: Durable and endlessly adaptable - painted canvases or counted charts

Needlelace: Create deicate lacy fabric with stitches, use for crazy quilts or stumpwork

Needlefelt: Uses a unique notched needle and sheep's wool to create 3D projects, without actually stitching.

A cozy corner for fellow makers

There’s something quietly magical about stitching a design into being — the hush as thread slips through linen, the moment a bead catches the light, and how a finished piece ends up feeling like a little mirror of you.

This space is my cozy corner for fellow makers: a place to trade tips, share triumphs, and get gentle help when a tangle or wonky stitch shows up.

Got a stitch or technique you're wrestling with?

→ Ask a question

Stay connected between projects

If you’d like occasional updates from my embroidery room, including new patterns, gentle tips, and little things I think you might enjoy, you’re warmly invited to join the Stitchin’ Times newsletter.