Free Embroidery Designs

I am someone who can’t even sew a button. I am a total beginner, but I’d like to learn how to embroider and something about crewel really appeals to me. I know they sell kits at craft stores. What would I need to make sure the kits have? In other words, what would I need to begin? I’m scared I will go into Michael’s and spend 4x more than I need to because I don’t know what to get. Thanks!

Crewel is surface embroidery with wool on linen — it’s fun, but there are some texture issues for some people, as well as expense. Most of us who embroider started with cotton floss (DMC and Anchor are good brands) on cotton fabric. See my answer to: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101122123123AAk0Aft

If you want to stick with crewel, you’ll want a beginners kit and a hoop — 6" is a good size for most women’s hands — when you get really good you can move to stretchers. Or you may find that you prefer to work without a hoop — some of us are crazy that way. <g> I’d also buy an extra pack of assorted size embroidery/crewel needles, about $1 at Walmart, probably under $2 most other places.

If you want to do embroidery with cotton floss, pick up some colors of floss that you like, a packet of embroidery/crewel needles, and a 6" or so embroidery hoop — the ones I like for beginners look like this: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Bates-Hoop-La-Embroidery-Hoops/dp/B000GBO9M8 or http://www.beverlys.com/plastic-embroidery-hoop-5.html You’ll also need a pair of scissors or a nail clipper to cut threads (why, yes, I’ve embroidered on airplanes, why do you ask??? <g>)

The book I learned most of my first crewel embroidery stitches from, and still a very good one, is Erica Wilson’s Embroidery Book: http://www.worldcat.org/title/erica-wilsons-embroidery-book/oclc/657147/editions?editionsView=true&referer=br and Erica Wilson’s Fun with Crewel Embroidery: http://www.worldcat.org/title/fun-with-crewel-embroidery/oclc/567395&referer=brief_results — check your local library, they’re likely on the shelves.

I am at a beginning level and would like to reproduce an image from a book. Is there anyplace I can find people who can give me advice? Thank you.

Go to this site and go down to " Description of the technique"

Crewel embroidery – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Description…|See also|References|External…Crewel Embroidery, or Crewelwork, is a decorative form of surface embroidery using wool and a variety of different embroidery stitches to follow a design outline applied to the fabric….
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewel_embroidery – Cached

Okay….so I have a stupid question. I really want to try cross stitching/embroidery but I have no idea what that material is called or where to get it. Not aida cloth, but that plain white fabric you always see people use in embroidery hoops.

Any ideas?

Take a look at this fabric… it’s plain old muslin, and you can get it at any fabric store, or even the Walmarts that haven’t thrown every bolt of fabric out.
Probably in the range of $2-5/yard for 45" wide fabric.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21784677
That’s about a 10" wide piece shown there… here’s what the fabric looks like up close:
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/22521551
the machine stitches here are 3 mm long.

This is what I typically give to beginners for surface embroidery, or for doing stamped cross stitch. It’s cheap, easy to work with and holds up well.

The real secret of embroidery is that once you know what you’re doing, you can embroider on anything you can get a needle through, from the most delicate silk organza like the wings of this dragonfly: http://stitchinfingers.ning.com/photo/stumpwork-dragonfly?context=user
to heavy velvets http://www.hchc.edu/hellenic/campus_life/library/archbishop_iakovos_collection/gallery.html?pic=15 and even leather: http://natural-history.uoregon.edu/metis_textiles13

If you want to do counted cross stitch, then a fabric where you can really see the holes, like aida or evenweave linen, is easier to start with. I usually start beginners at about 10 stitches per inch.

Finest embroideries are found only at the most prestigious shops and stores that feature true artists of the industry. These artists are usually locals that strive for excellence and real craftsmanship. But did you know that there are already prevalent online providers of free embroidery designs From the simplest to the most elaborate designs, an enthusiast or fanatic can surely find anything from these stores.

Embroidery is a wonderful craft that brings pleasure to many people. With the availability of free designs, it can be quite inexpensive to start the hobby with a small pattern and the purchase of the minimum amount of tools. The most popular free embroidery designs are usually divided in different categories:-

Nature- These embroidered designs are usually for aesthetic purposes. They embody the natural beauty of our Mother Earth.

Foods- These designs are made for institutions and places that serve foods and drinks like restaurants and cafes. But due to public demands, there are designs and patterns made and used for homes, especially on kitchens. It is also available for restaurant people clothing and accessories.

Religious – angels are the most common design. These are also used by most parents for designs of their babies clothing and accessories.

There are several embroidery patterns, you can check out reputed websites and acquire your choice. All you have to keep in mind id that there are varieties of options available for you; you just have to be very resourceful.

You can even find it from your old books and magazines. These magazines give you a lot of tips on designs along with other useful information. These magazines mainly focus on the most important aspect of the needles and thread that you will need to finely craft a pattern. You can even create your own designs which you can personalize using photo editing software.

Most designs are done by surface embroidery. Most embroidery software packages contain some free embroidery patterns, but also allow for the creation of custom embroidery patterns.

Many websites offer a huge collection of designs, you may download 3-4 in a week for free and if you would like more embroidery designs, they can be purchased for an additional fee. New free designs get continually added to these websites and their variety is outstanding.

Finest embroideries are found only at the most prestigious shops and stores that feature true artists of the industry. These artists are usually locals that strive for excellence and real craftsmanship. But did you know that there are already prevalent online providers of free embroidery designs From the simplest to the most elaborate designs, an enthusiast or fanatic can surely find anything from these stores.

Embroidery is a wonderful craft that brings pleasure to many people. With the availability of free designs, it can be quite inexpensive to start the hobby with a small pattern and the purchase of the minimum amount of tools. The most popular free embroidery designs are usually divided in different categories:-

Nature- These embroidered designs are usually for aesthetic purposes. They embody the natural beauty of our Mother Earth.

Foods- These designs are made for institutions and places that serve foods and drinks like restaurants and cafes. But due to public demands, there are designs and patterns made and used for homes, especially on kitchens. It is also available for restaurant people clothing and accessories.

Religious – angels are the most common design. These are also used by most parents for designs of their babies clothing and accessories.

There are several embroidery patterns, you can check out reputed websites and acquire your choice. All you have to keep in mind id that there are varieties of options available for you; you just have to be very resourceful.

You can even find it from your old books and magazines. These magazines give you a lot of tips on designs along with other useful information. These magazines mainly focus on the most important aspect of the needles and thread that you will need to finely craft a pattern. You can even create your own designs which you can personalize using photo editing software.

Most designs are done by surface embroidery. Most embroidery software packages contain some free embroidery patterns, but also allow for the creation of custom embroidery patterns.

Many websites offer a huge collection of designs, you may download 3-4 in a week for free and if you would like more embroidery designs, they can be purchased for an additional fee. New free designs get continually added to these websites and their variety is outstanding.