How Do You Know What Embroidery Stitch To Use?

When you're starting out on your embroidery journey, it can be hard to know what embroidery stitch to use when and where, let alone how many strands of thread to pick for each stitch or what type of thread and other materials to use for your project. Depending upon your crafting/ maker background, getting started with the needle arts can be more challenging for some makers than others.

How do you know what embroidery stitch to use?

The questions I get asked most often in my hands-on embroidery workshops are,"How do you know what stitches to use?" or "How do you pick the number of threads for a stitch." And often people want a definitive answer.

Some embroiderers will give you one. They'll tell you to use a specific stitch at this time only and another stitch for this specific reason, or a set number of threads. My answer to these questions is a little different. I think knowing what embroidery stitches to use and how many strands of thread to use for that stitch is a bit of a personal preferences of the stitcher and also about the end use of the embroidery project. So what do I mean by that?

Texture and Pattern

When I embroider, I think in texture and pattern. My projects are inspired by nature and while my designs are whimsical, they're also rooted in realism. Because of this, I will often look and the model I am trying to bring to life with a needle and thread. I see what textures it has in real life. Is the surface smooth? Does it have jagged ridges or bumpy edges? Do different colors blend together? Do these textures change depending upon how close up or how far away I am scaling the design?

I often make notes with my sketches that mention what stitches or colors I might want to use for a project. While new stitchers might not be as familiar with embroidery stitches, having a good reference book or two is always a helpful tool to look through and pick out stitches you'd like to try out. This helps you familiarize yourself with the look of embroidery stitches and know how you want to use them in your projects.

End Use

Before you start stitching an embroidery it is also important to keep in mind what it will be used for when it's completed. Is it a piece of decor? Will it become a set of napkins? Are you stitching on shoes? For each these projects I might choose slightly different stitches and finishes for an embroidery because of how it would be used.

For a decorative embroidery you can go wild and use any stitches you want. The world is your oyster. These stitches will be on display and the back of the embroidery doesn't really matter since it'll probably be covered up.

For functional items like napkins and shoes, it's important to choose shorter stitches that are closer to the fabric. This is because longer stitches pop away from the fabric and will get caught or snag while the piece is in use. Additionally, you'll want to avoid long pieces of thread on the back of the project for the same reason.

When a project is worn, you might also finish the back differently with a stabilizer covering or use a different kind of starting and ending technique. These techniques and finishes would ensure the project is more comfortable to wear.

I hope this gives you a better sense of what stitches to use when embroidering your next project. Happy stitching!