Embroidery is an art of materials (mostly fabrics) with designs stitched with together with yarn.
This can be done either by hand or by machine. The thread that you use is a special one made only for embroidery work. It comes in many colors also yarn can be used but this is used mostly for embroidery work called crewel and you will usually use a heavier fabric. When doing crewel this can be framed and hung on the wall as a picture or for a decorative pillow on a sofa or for the seat covering of chairs. When embroidering the use of the right needle is very important. Needles are available in many types and different sizes. When doing embroidery the needles should be changed every 20 hours. A necessary skill for any embroiderer is to select the appropriate needles. Example for crewel a medium length needle is used with a very sharp point. All purpose needles can be used f or most embroidery projects. For beginners an assorted needle package would be the best purchase for beginners.
Sewing machines can also be used to create machine embroidery designs. This type of embroidery is very popular for designs on jackets, sweatshirts, and sports wear etc. Mostly these embroidery designs machines are computerized that read digital embroidery designs files made by some specific software. Many machine embroidery designs can be found on internet and one can easily work on those by downloading designs. There are some machines only for embroidery designs purposes while others are combination of embroider design and sewing. You can download some good embroidery designs from Embroidery Designs Shop
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Here is the link:

http://www.everythingcrossstitch.com/pm-5541-60-walking-to-town.aspx?AFFILIATEID=10101

If you talk to those who cross stitch, they will tell you that they enjoy cross stitching since it is very relaxing. This type of stitching also grants you a great feel of achievement and fulfillment to show off the finished works. The best thing is that cross-stitch is relatively easy to learn. Have you ever looked up to somebody's needlepoint work and marveled why it seems really beautiful? Do the color combination looks vivacious and the stitches look tidy and clean? In case you like to get the best result from your cross stitching works, simply follow these tricks and tips.

Always begin the stitching work from the center of the fabric. In order to find out the center of the fabric, fold it up in half two times. The center of your fabric will be at the point of intersection of the two foldings. Following the two arrows, you can find the center of the chart. One of the arrows will be in the mid left side of the chart and the other in the top center. Where these two arrows meet is the center stitch.

Most people like to begin cross stitching just about the center of the design so that the design is centralized on the fabric. This way, framing the finished work becomes easier. Another good thing about beginning at the center is that you find you will have sufficient material. It would be a downright stupidity in case you begin on one side, just to find later that after all the hard work, you don't have sufficient material to complete your needlepoint work.

If you are not paying attention on the current cross stitch plan, wrap up the fabric and keep it in a neat cardboard roll. Placing the fabric rolled up in place of folding it, will forestall creases in the fabric. As creases in the fabric are difficult to straighten out after the work is completed, it is better to avoid them as far as possible.

We can buy kits that come full with cross stitch fabric, threads, and directions or we can make our own. We can also sketch our own impressions on the fabric and become creative with different colors. Many books that instruct you how to cross stitch are available in the market, but videos on the topic is the best method to learn. Videos are better in many ways, than pictures printed on paper. The informative books and kits sold nowadays, we can generate some excellent art works with cross stitch. The work will look even better with the right kind of frame.

In case you are an absolute newbie, begin with a simple kit of cross stitch, and once you become more experienced, try to do more detailed works or design your own creations. It's a good way to start by writing Marry Christmas in a handed-down Christmas cross stitch method and you will be surprised to see the result. Try making a project with your favorite slogan or your initials. It will definitely be a simple but exceptional idea. You can seek assistance from chart generators to design alphabets and this will help you create your own pattern in some simple and easy steps.

You can Buy Needlepoint kits suitable for beginners from http://www.buyneedlepoint.com

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Find out what cross stitch materials and preparation you need to get started stitching.

Preparation

You should always cut the fabric you are going to stitch onto at least 8-10 cm larger than the finished size of the design, this will allow you to turn up a seam, or to mount your work or make it into a gift.
If you are making a garment with a cross stitch design you should mark out the pattern of the garment onto the fabric before you start stitching to ensure you place it correctly.
To prevent the fabric from fraying you can either turn over the edge and machine stitch it or bind it using tape. I find masking tape good for this job.
You should always start stitching from the center of the fabric. Fold the fabric in half one way and then the other way to find the center point.
Separate your threads - If you are working from a kit the thread for the project will likely be supplied. You should separate and mark the colours before you start to make sure you identify each colour correctly. A floss organizer is very handy for this job and you can pick one up for only a few dollars these days.

Equipment

Very little equipment is actually needed for cross stitch. If you are working from a kit the fabric, needle and threads will most likely be supplied. You will need an embroidery hoop or frame to mount the fabric on. Take a look at the cross stitch materials information below:

Hoops and Frames

If you mount the cross stitch fabric on a hoop or frame your work will be easier to handle and stitches will be kept flat and smooth. You should choose a frame that accommodates the whole design so you don't have to fold or bend the fabric.

If you bind the outer ring of an embroidery hoop with white bias tape it will prevent it from marking the fabric and prevent slipping.

Needles

You should stitch your design using a tapestry needle which has a large eye and a blunt end to prevent damage to the fabric. Choose a size of needles that slides easily through the holes of the fabric without distorting or enlarging them.

Scissors

A sharp pair of embroidery or sewing sissors will make you floss cuts neat and tidy.

Thimble

A thimble will help stop your finger hurting.

Threads

Cross stitch designs are worked with floss thread. These come in many colours and clever use of colour creates wonderful cross stitch pieces.

Fabric

The Majority of cross stitch is worked on Aida fabric which comes in several sizes. The most popular size is 14 count which means there are 14 threads to 1 inch.

Laura Anne Grey has been a cross stitcher and enthusiast for over ten years. She owns a craft business in South Wales and is an expert in her field. Find more information on Cross Stitch at http://www.lacrossstitch.com

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If you are interested in learning embroidery, then the first step is to learn about the various stitches. Once you have learnt and understood each stitch, then no matter how complex a design maybe, it is not difficult to fill it up. Ideally, you must start with a simple design and the progress towards larger designs that also require more detailing.

In this guide of how to embroider for beginners we will take a look at various embroidery stitches...

The stitches:

The line stitch: This is the stitch usually done to create the outline of a design. This is the simplest and most basic stitch also used in sewing objects. There are various line stitches, which are as follows:

Running stitch: This is also termed as the basic sewing stitch; and is also used as a decorative embroidery stitch. Right-handed individuals will work this stitch from the right to the left, or top to bottom, as required. The left-handers will ideally work from left to right, or bottom to top. This is a forward running, continuous stitch.

Whipped running stitch: In this stitch the needle has to be brought up to the point where the running stitch began. Following this the needle has to be taken down through each of the running stitches. If a contrast thread is used then the line would look like a candy.

Back stitch: This is also an outline stitch and is used for sewing objects. This is a tight stitch. With this stitch the gap in the running stitch is covered.

Outline stitch: In this type of stitch the stitches form a solid rope-like line.

Stem stitch: This is a stitch, which is tighter than the outline stitch. This stitch is ideal for creating embroidered leaves and flowers.

The other stitches include:

Coral stitch
Scroll stitch
Chained stitch
Fishbone stitch
Flat stitch
Satin stitch
Buttonhole stitch
Lazy-daisy stitch
French knot
Fly stitch

Embroidery patterns can be used to adorn any kind of dresses including wedding outfits and pageant dresses.

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