Five things get you through a first flower at the kitchen table: cotton scrap, needle, hoop, floss and small scissors. Everything else in the craft stores is optional until you know what you like.
So, what do you need to embroider? For hand work, you need fabric, floss, needles, a hoop and sharp scissors. For machine work, you add a machine, machine thread and a stabilizer that sits under the fabric. The sections below cover 16 embroidery tools and materials, 8 for each method, plus what to skip and what to buy first.
Not sure which method suits you? Read our beginner's guide to hand embroidery first, then come back and build your kit.
What do you need to embroider by hand?
This list is for anyone who wants to start with a needle and no machine. Most of it fits in a shoebox, and most of it is cheap.
1. Fabric
Pick a tightly woven cotton or a linen and cotton blend. Loose, stretchy fabric puckers around every stitch, which is the most common reason a first project looks wavy. Pre-wash it, because cotton can shrink after you have spent hours on it.
2. Embroidery floss
Stranded cotton floss is the standard. One skein holds six thin strands you pull apart, and two give fine lines while all six give bold ones.
Pick a dozen colors you like instead of a 100-color box. Our guide to using embroidery thread explains strands and lengths.
3. Embroidery needles
Look for a long eye, which lets floss pass without fraying. Sizes 5 to 9 cover most beginner work. Buy a mixed pack, since the right size depends on how many strands you use. If the needle leaves a visible hole, it is too big.
4. A hoop
Hoops hold fabric drum-tight so stitches stay even. Wooden ones of 5 or 6 inches with a screw closure are easy to handle. Keep the fabric edges pulled flat as you tighten. There is more on sizes in embroidery hoops for beginners.
5. Small sharp scissors
Kitchen scissors will not do. You need a pair with pointed blades that can snip a thread flush with the fabric. Tie a ribbon to the handle and you will stop losing them in the couch.
6. A water-soluble pen
Draw your pattern directly on the fabric, stitch over it, then dab it away with a damp cloth. A plain pencil works for a first try. Test the pen on a corner before you commit to a whole design.
7. A needle minder or thimble
Magnetic needle minders park your needle on the hoop so it does not vanish into the carpet. Thimbles help when you push through thick fabric like denim. Neither is a day-one purchase, but both stop small annoyances early.
8. Good light
Dark thread on dark cloth is hard on the eyes. A daylight lamp or a seat by a window saves your neck as much as your stitches. Magnifiers only matter later, with very fine work.
What do you need for embroidery on a machine?
This section is for people who want lettering, fast repeats or designs on clothing. A machine does the stitching, so your skill goes into hooping, thread choice and stabilizer.
1. An embroidery machine
Entry-level machines handle small designs and a few built-in patterns. Larger models take bigger hoops and imported files. Start by asking how big your designs will be, since the hoop area decides what fits. Our post on an embroidery machine for beginners goes through what to look for.
2. A machine hoop
Machine hoops are made for one model or a family of models, and a wrong fit gives crooked stitching. Buy the hoop your manufacturer lists, not a lookalike that "should" work.
3. Machine embroidery thread
Polyester and rayon are the usual picks. Polyester stands up to repeated washing, which matters for clothing. Rayon has a softer shine. At Me Do we stitch with French DMC thread, and it has not faded or bled for us after washing.
4. Bobbin thread
The bobbin sits under the fabric and is usually a thinner, lighter thread. It rarely shows, so you do not need a rainbow of it. White and black will cover nearly everything.
5. Stabilizer
This is the layer behind the fabric that keeps stitches flat. Cut-away is the usual choice for stretchy knits such as sweatshirts, tear-away works on stable woven cloth, and water-soluble suits towels and fuzzy surfaces. We back every design with stabilizer so the stitching lies smooth and does not pull the fabric.
6. Embroidery needles
Machine embroidery needles have a larger eye that protects thread at high speed. Many people start with a size 75/11 and change it often. A blunt needle causes skipped stitches before it ever breaks.
7. Snips and curved scissors
You trim jump threads between letters all the time. Small snips and curved scissors that follow the hoop curve let you cut close without nicking the fabric.
8. Design files and digitizing software
Machines stitch from stitch files, not images. You can buy ready-made files at first. Software that converts art into stitches has a learning curve, and the post on what digitizing means shows why it takes practice.
How to put a starter kit together in 5 steps
- Choose your method. Hand work costs less up front, while a machine pays off if you want lettering or clothing.
- Buy fabric, a hoop and a mixed needle pack first.
- Add 10 to 12 floss colors or two machine thread colors you will really use.
- Stitch one small test on scrap fabric. We run every new design on scrap before it touches a garment, and you should too.
- Only then add extras like a needle minder, a lamp or a second hoop size.
What do I need for embroidery and what can I skip?
If you are standing in a craft aisle with a full basket, put some of it back.
- Skip huge floss sets. You will use the same dozen colors for months.
- Skip specialty needles until a project calls for them.
- Skip metallic thread on your first project. It snags and tangles, and it is harder to pull through fabric.
- Skip expensive hoops. A basic wooden one works fine.
- Skip software until you have stitched a few ready-made designs.
Common mistakes when buying embroidery supplies
Most beginner frustration comes from the same few choices.
- Using stretchy fabric without stabilizer, which makes the design ripple.
- Picking thread close to the color of the fabric. The stitching turns hard to read, and this is why many of our designs offer a choice of thread color.
- Buying a machine before trying a small hoop of hand stitching to see if you enjoy the craft.
- Skipping the wash test. Some floss bleeds, so soak a snippet in cool water first.
How machine embroidery looks on real clothing
Once your kit works, the same tools make letters and small images on sweatshirts, hats and tote bags. Our machines stitch a detailed design in about 4 to 9 minutes. The finished lines sit inside the fabric, not on top of it.
If you would rather wear embroidery than make it, browse our embroidered sweatshirts or the personalized embroidered gifts collection. Machine-stitched pieces also last through washing if you follow our care tips for embroidered clothing.
Embroidery tools and materials FAQ
What is the best fabric for a beginner?
A tightly woven cotton or a cotton and linen blend. It holds stitches cleanly and does not stretch under the hoop.
Do I need a machine to start embroidering?
No. A needle, floss and a hoop are enough. Add a machine later if you want fast lettering or designs on clothing.
Can I use regular sewing thread for embroidery?
You can, but it is thin and has no separable strands, so stitches look flat. Embroidery floss or machine embroidery thread gives better coverage.
How do I choose the right needle size?
The eye should be big enough to pass your floss easily, and the needle should not leave visible holes. Use a larger needle when you thread more strands.
What do I need for embroidery if my budget is small?
Fabric, a basic hoop, a mixed needle pack, a few skeins of floss and small scissors. That kit covers your first several projects.
Is hand or machine embroidery better for a beginner?
Hand embroidery costs less and teaches stitch control. Machine embroidery suits lettering and clothing. Many people try hand stitching first.
