Free Embroidery Designs

I would like to start doing needlework projects but am not sure where to start.
I am thinking about asking for some for Christmas is why! I used to do a needlepoint but I forget what it was, the fabric was the same colors as the yarn.

Alice and I started out the same, with stamped cross stitch. From there, I learned other embroidery stitches, did crewel as well as thread embroidery, and needlepoint. I can do counted cross stitch, but another that I choose not to do.
My mother latched rugs, that was as close as I cared to get to that. Just was not for me.
I sew, I bead on material, I make jewelry.

I would recommend stamped cross stitch, it is easy to learn, and as you can see, can lead to other kinds of stitching. And it is generally inexpensive to learn and do. I have some pillow cases in the works right now, they and the thread cost me way less than $10, I had the needles and hoops.

Lots of sites online, Michael’s and Hobby Lobby both sell it in kits, and some individual pieces like baby bibs. My local quilt shop sells lots of cotton with designs for embroidery stamped on it, some are copies of antique designs.

And from there, you can make quilt blocks and quilts, make gingham aprons with cross stitch designs, learn to embellish clothes and accessories, learn to bead fabric [it is easy].

I have a stitching book, I think it is from Reader’s Digest, that my Mom bought me, I have learned several stitches out of it. Visit your local library and book store to see what you might be interested in. And of course, ask for the book for Xmas, too!

I am looking for a basket with a custom embroidered liner in boy colors. I saw the ones at personalizationmall.com and lillianvernon.com. I am looking for something a little more unique.

Pottery Barn Kids has some wicker baskets with gingham liners in boy colors. Monogramming for the liners is an extra cost.

PersonalizedPresents.com also has some very nice looking baskets with liners (Item #1878-00) and the personalization is free up to 8 letters. They ship the same or next day and offer a flat rate shipping charge. You also can pick the liner color, font, and embroidery color.

I have seen websites that show how to do stitches, but how do I make an entire design? For example, my cousin used a machine to embroider initials and it was beautiful, but my grandmother insisted she could do better "in her day" by hand…however she has arthritis and can no longer do it, let alone teach me. Also, I live in a small area, there aren’t classes to take so that isn’t reasonable. Any basic suggestions or instructions would be lovely 🙂

Begin with small things with larger stitches.

The major forms of hand-embroidery can be grouped into free-style and counted-thread.

Counted thread is done on relatively coarse fabric (ideally with the equal warp & woof counts). It can be done from charts or designs may be applied directly to the fabric and counted-stitching used for the design. One very simple method of beginning to learn this is to use a pale gingham check for an easy-to-see grid (no smaller than 5 squares/inch for learning). Shirt to other fabrics and finer counts with experience. I done counted work on handkerchief linen when I need to do so.

Ask for the assistance of the Reference Librarian at your library. There may be helpful instructional manuals there for free-style embroidery. If ILL (Inter-Library Loan) is available, the world’s at your fingertips. There’s also the Internet. Search [embroidery how-to] or [embroidery instructions stitches] etc.