So you have decided to try your hand at the art of embroidery and have no idea of what you need? Did you watch a thousand videos on the subject and buying expensive materials to get started seems absurd?
Never fear! In this article, you will find a complete list of the most commonly used materials with an explanation of their use.
Before listing the materials, however, I would like to specify that it is crucial to sit comfortably and have good lighting, since embroidery, as much as sewing, is an activity that often takes hours and it is important to protect your back and eyesight.
I am aware that everyone will have different needs and methods, so the materials you will find below may not be what you are familiar with. That said, I use them every day for work and would recommend them, but of course choose what is most comfortable for you and what you work best with.
So let’s move on to the list of materials.
- Needles
I usually use John James or Milward needles, which are sewing needles, for very detailed work such as satin stitch or long and short stitch. I also happen to use embroidery needles from DMC, especially when I have to use more threads together, because they have an elongated eye, specifically to use more threads.
As for sizes, I usually use 10/11 for medium and light fabrics and 8/9 for heavy fabrics such as denim.
I know that many people use much thicker needles with a rounded tip for jersey, as it is a stretchy fabric. After trying different methods, I still prefer thin needles because I have noticed that the result is much more precise and the fabric wrinkles less.
The thick, blunt needles are usually used for embroidery on wool, to avoid separating the fibers of the garment.
- Thimble
I will never stop repeating how important it is to wear a thimble when using a needle.
Not only is it most important for protecting your middle finger when pushing the needle through the fabric, protecting your nerves from the repetitive motion of pushing the eye of the needle, but it is also very beneficial to have a faster and safer hand when embroidering. So even if you don’t embroider professionally, learning to use the thimble can make a difference in the quality of your work.
You may be tempted not to wear it because “I’ve always stitched without a thimble and never had any problems” and “It’s inconvenient, I go much faster without it.” Believe me, I heard this phrase dozens of times, until a boy I was teaching came to me with scratches all over his finger and didn’t understand why. Learning a different method can be uncomfortable at first, but it always pays off in the long run.
Usually found in metal, silicone or leather, I use the metal ones because I have always gotten used to this type, but the silicone ones are just as good. I do not recommend the decorative ceramic thimbles that are often found in stores because, although beautiful, they are not very functional.
It is very important to choose the right size, so go to a haberdashery and try it on if you can and avoid buying it on the Internet unless you are sure of the size. And in any case, especially at this time, it is important to support small haberdasheries that, unfortunately, are disappearing.
- Threads
As for yarns, I try to get only DMC yarns or at most Anchor. If you can, avoid buying synthetic or poor quality yarns, since they are less comfortable to work with. Also, DMC threads, if we are talking about the classic 6-thread mill, they are 100% pure cotton and, regardless of temperature, the color never fades.
Depending on the type of embroidery you need to do, choose the number of threads you will use and try to pull them all out of the skein together. If you pull them out one at a time and then use them together, they will knot together and it will be much more difficult to work with them.
For convenience, I usually wrap the muliné thread in plastic bobbins so that they can be stored neatly and divided by color.
- Scissors
With scissors, the important thing is that they are small and very sharp. For embroidery, you can use plain scissors with curved blades (similar to nail-cutting scissors) or thread cutters, although I would not recommend them at least to start with, because since they have a spring that triggers them, you would have little control and risk hurting yourself or inadvertently ruining your work.
I would also recommend that you have fabric scissors and I caution you: never cut paper or anything apart from fabric with these scissors or it would blunt the blade over time.
- Hoops and bases
And here we come to the hoops. They can come in different shapes and sizes and can be fixed, movable, or to be attached to a support base.
By fixed hoop, I mean a structure with a base that rests on the table, from which two arms start that support the hoop. It is widely used in Haute Couture embroidery and bridal embroidery, with techniques such as Luneville.
Semi-mobile hoop frames are simple embroidery hoops that are attached to a base anchored to the table, usually a wooden arm that can be adjusted in height and angle.
Finally, the movable hoop is the classic embroidery hoop and you can find it either made of wood with the screw that allows it to be adjusted or interlocking, usually made of plastic.
Fixed hoops, like semi-mobile hoops, are very convenient because they allow you to work with two hands, so the work is much faster. Portable hoops, on the other hand, have to be held in the hand, so they do not allow for smooth, continuous movement. If you have the ability to make this expense, I would recommend a fixed or semi-mobile hoop. Alternatively, I have seen embroiderers getting crafty and using an electrician’s clamp (which you should find at the hardware store) to attach the portable hoop to the table.
- Embroidery magnifiers
The last tool I want to tell you about is the embroidery magnifier. For some very detailed techniques such as satin stitch or Hardanger, it would be wise to use a magnifying glass to protect your eyesight and avoid overstressing it for many hours at a time. It is not necessary, of course, but it can make your life easier in some specific cases. Embroidery magnifiers are 12 to 15 cm in diameter and have a strong built-in LED light to help you see your work more accurately.
So there you have it, my list of materials to start your embroidery adventure!
