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What Can Be Embroidered?

If you need to know what to embroider, you're in the right place!

By: Mary Campbell, Editor, AllFreeSewing.com

If you're curious about what you can embroider, all you need to know is that you can embroider practically anything you put your mind to!

You can create home decor, clothing, and accessories with the delicate elegance that embroidery adds!

If you're interested in what kind of material you can embroider on, just know that it is dependent on the kind of embroidery project you are completing. There is no set rule for what material you use.

You can embroider on cotton, linen, polyester, leather, felt, denim, muslin, and practically any other material you can get your needle and thread through.

Some fabrics, like cotton, are easier to embroider on, but you can still use other types in your projects based on your embroidery experience level.

If you need information on what tools you need to begin sewing, check out this List of Basic Sewing Tools. You also don't want to miss reading our 7 Essential Tools Needed for Embroidery page.

The following list has all types of projects that will answer your question: What Can Be Embroidered? Each of the sections includes projects that you'll love to create. There is no lack of embroidery inspiration once you begin!

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Embroidered Home Decor:

Embroidery can add a touch of beauty and uniqueness to your home decor with a variety of places you can incorporate it! With home decor embroidery, it's important to keep in mind what I mentioned earlier about the types of material you're using.

If you are embroidering on thicker material, like the fabric around a personalized picture frame, it is going to be a bit more difficult to move the needle and thread through. However, don't get discouraged! The difficulty of the project doesn't mean it's impossible - it just may take a little longer!
 


     - Bath towels
     - Dish towels
     - Kitchen towels
     - Table runners
     - Placemats
     - Pillows
     - Pillowcases
     - Cushion covers (shown above)
     - Coasters
     - Picture frames
     - Napkins (shown above)
     - Hoop wall art (shown above and below)
     - Canvas art
     - Stuffed animals
     - Welcome signs
     - Flags
     - Advent calendars
     - Christmas ornaments
     - Christmas tree skirts
     - Christmas stockings

 

Embroidered Clothing:

One of the most common answers to what can be embroidered is clothing! Clothing is a very easy place to start when you're embroidering. Most of the time you'll be using a lightweight cotton material, which means the needle will move more smoothly through the fabric.

In the case of denim, you'll need a thicker needle! The fun part about this kind of project is that you can enjoy more freedom in your design.
 


     - Shirts (shown above)
     - Sweaters
     - Blouses
     - Dresses
     - Shoes
 (shown above)
     - Jeans
     - Pants
     - Shorts
     - Skirts
 (shown above)
 

Embroidered Accessories:

Unlike home decor and clothing, accessories have a wide variety of difficulty levels depending on what the specific project is and what material it uses. Delicate earrings that use a fine fabric for mini-hoops will be easier to move your needle through, but they require more time and attention than other projects.

If you're a beginner, I recommend starting with lighter projects, like handkerchiefs, and working your way up as you become more confident in your embroidery skills!

Accessorize in style with these fun embroidery ideas! Any of these would make cool gift ideas, too.
 


     - Tote bags (shown above)
     - Earrings
     - Necklaces
     - Bracelets
     - Bookmarks
 (shown above)
     - Pins
     - Patches
     - Pouches
 (shown above)
     - Keychains
     - Handkerchiefs
     - Wallets
     - Wristlets

 

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