Stars and sparkles are traditional needlework motives in modern embroidery. We use them in festive and Christmas embroidery, for mending and embellishing garments, in hoop art, and many other types of surface embroidery. Learn how to embroider stars and you will be able to incorporate these motives in your original embroidered art, add a new…
Planning Christmas gifts Hi, Reader, How are you? I feel slightly overwhelmed by Black Friday offers, ads, and emails. There’s so much pressure to buy everything and anything like there’s no tomorrow! Instead of asking you to buy anything, I want to encourage you to make things with your hands! Time is precious, so plan your gifts ahead. Download my free Christmas gift-making planner > (Christmas gift making planner.pdf) and start brainstorming the gifts you could embroider this year! Read…
The holiday season is the perfect time to slow down, cozy up, and get creative. Hand embroidery allows you to keep your hands busy and let your mind wander and relax. Hand embroidery is the optimal choice whether you plan to make cozy decorations for your home, heartfelt gifts for loved ones, or just looking…
Hand embroidered Christmas ornaments Hi, Reader, I like to make my Christmas ornaments by hand. I embroider and sew them, make decorations from acorns and pinecones, make little mushrooms from cork, crochet snowflakes, or make origami decor. This year, I plan on making some himmeli ornaments from natural straw. DIY Himmeli kit for beginners on Etsy If you are unfamiliar with this technique, it’s a traditional Lithuanian (and Scandinavian) art in which the pieces of straw are assembled to…
A hand embroidered needle book is a practical and original tool for organizing sewing and embroidery needles. This DIY needlebook project combines creativity with functionality, allowing you to personalize your needle book with a botanical hand-embroidered design and a word of your choice. In this tutorial, you will learn how to make an embroidered needle…
About Advent Calendars Hi, Reader, How are you doing?It’s wild how all the content on social media transforms from spooky to jolly overnight! 🎃 -> 🎅I need more time to adapt to this change! Too early? It happens every year right after Halloween, but I’m never ready! One of my ways to get into the Christmas mood is by making an Advent calendar for my daughter. This tradition began years ago when she was three or four. I sewed linen bags and hand-embroidered the numbers from 1 to 24. We both…
Making hand embroidered gifts for the people we love is a labor of love that brings us much joy. If you are a maker, it does not matter if you have been stitching your gifts for years or are just getting started. Eventually, we all run out of ideas and need fresh inspiration for what…
OCTOBER OVERVIEW Hi, Reader, As usual, on the last day of the month, I share a monthly overview of articles, guides, and video tutorials published on the Practical Embroidery blog and YouTube channel. Ready to explore? Embroidery Advent Calendar The Perfect Holiday Gift for Stitchers Read Now Gifts For Embroiderers The ultimate guide to choosing the perfect gift Read Now Embroidered birthday card – DIY Tutorial + free PDF pattern Embroidery Advent Calendar: Perfect Advent calendar for…
DIY tutorial with a free printable magnetic bookmark template and Christmas wreath embroidery pattern If you are a book lover who enjoys adding a personal touch to your reading accessories, this magnetic bookmark DIY embroidery and sewing project is perfect for you! These custom magnetic bookmarks combine embroidery with practical functionality – they not only…
Hi, Reader, One of the questions I often get is how to find time for stitching and learn it faster? My short answer is: Well, hand embroidery is a slow craft by its nature, and the only way to learn it is with slow but constant practice. My longer answer consists of some tips to help you speed up the learning process: Start with the basics Choose Simple Stitches: Begin with foundational stitches like Running stitch, Backstitch, Satin stitch, French knots, and Chain stitch. Use Tutorials:…
