Embroidery for Beginners: Top 10 Free Online Courses to Get You Started

Whether you are an experienced embroider who is looking to refine your skills or a person who is picking up the needle for the first time, it has become very easy to learn Embroidery with all the available online resources.

From inspirational videos that will teach you Embroidery to using Embroidery in a more creative manner, many online courses will help you learn. There is something available for everyone online.

We have curated a list of 10 free online embroidery courses that you can look into if you are looking to learn this creative skill.

Things You Will Need to Learn Embroidery

Before we explore all the courses you can take, let’s look at the materials you will need to get started.

*These are basic supplies, and they might change a little as per the course you take.*

• Fabric
• Thread
• Needle
• Scissors
• Hoop
• Good Light and Magnification

1. Japanese Sashiko: A Daily Decorative Stitching Practice [Creativebug]

Taking you back to the 17th century, this course teaches you the methods of hand embroidery that Japanese peasant women originally used. In this course, you will learn how to make decorative patches that can be used in various art projects. The course starts with the basics, including using the Sashiko needle and Thread. By the end, you will learn a total of 30 stitches.

Highlights of the course

• You will get to learn about the Sashiko needle and Thread, their correct usage, and making patterns with it.
• You will also learn 30 traditional patterns, and that will encourage you to slow down and be mindful.
• You will get all the supply needs and a PDF of patterns that you have lifetime access to.

2. Embroidery: Clothing Repair Course [Domestika]

Give your used clothes a new look with the learnings from this course. This Embroidery: clothing repair course on Domestika will provide you with lessons that will help you repair your clothes with embroidery techniques in a creative manner. You will learn the Visible Mending technique that will help you become an expert embroiderer.

Highlights of the course

• You will learn ways to repair your relationship with fashion and give your clothes a new look.
• You’ll learn to repair your garments and use patchwork to achieve your creative ambitions.
• Use Embroidery as a tool to repair damaged clothes.

3. Hand Embroidery 101: Foundational Stitches And Techniques [Skillshare]

An easy-to-work-with beginner course, this Hand Embroidery 101 course is a great place to start. Taught by Heidi Sternberg, this course teaches you everything about making a hand embroidery toolkit and gaining confidence with stitching different patterns.

The good part about this course is that it tells you everything about Embroidery. Starting from all the supplies you will need to the stitches you will learn. 

Highlights of the course

• An overview of the embroidery supplies that you will need to start with.
• Learn how to transfer and use transfer supplies like pens, markers, and different templates on fabric.
• Creating beautiful patterns like flower designs and text patterns.

4. Layered Floral Embroidery [Creativebug]

This free online embroidery course will teach you how to combine bright floral patterns and vintage Embroidery. The tutor for the course, Rebecca Ringquist, shows how to create freeform style embroidery where you can experiment with different textures. Through this course, she demonstrates how to use different fabrics and prints as a base and add more Embroidery.

You get to learn a number of floral stitch patterns and add dimension and density to them. 

Highlights of the course

• You get to learn floral Embroidery and use it to decorate different pieces of cloth.
• You will learn to blend different fabrics and prints to make something beautiful and wholesome.
• You will know how to use Embroidery to add a little cheer to your fashion.

5. Modern Embroidery: Beginner to Pro [Skillshare]

If you are looking to become a pro at Embroidery, this course is a great course to look into. As the title suggests, you get beginner’s training and go up to being a pro. Ginny Nunez teaches 23 different stitches and how to create different textures, color gradients, and volume stitches.

After this, you will be able to handle needles and be able to create your own embroideries and design. This is a short 2 hours course that is very effective for learning.

Highlights of the course

• It is a course for learners of all levels.
• You will learn to embroider 23 different stitches.
• You will be able to make great pillows, bags, and clothes with your learnings.

6. Painting With Thread: Modern Embroidery For Beginners [Skillshare]

Learn to express your creativity with this free online Embroidery in this course. Painting with Thread is taught by Danielle Clough, and through this course, she helps you find new inspiration and ways to express yourself. Daniel is a photographer, designer, and embroiderer who will help break the embroidery rules and use non-traditional material to learn how to make paintings using threads.

She uses simple steps and tricks to teach you how to work with fabric and Thread. By the end of the course, you will be able to paint not just with your pens and pencils but also with Embroidery.

Highlights of the course

• You will learn a variety of basic stitches
• Use stitching as a medium of expressing creativity
• Prepare your fabric, and use a hoop, Thread, and needle
• create beautiful embroideries and paintings

7. How To Make Embroidery Design [Udemy]

This free online embroidery course by Udemy is a step-by-step course to learn Embroidery from the basics. It is an easy-to-follow course that helps you learn basic stitches and everything about making an embroidery design.

In this course, tutor Madhu Bhandari teaches you how to make complex designs without a machine. With different types of techniques, you will learn how to chain stitch, cross stitch and work out many other kinds of stitches.

Highlights of the course

• Introduction to Embroidery and materials required.
• In-depth explanation about different stitching methods and learning different colors to make an embroidery design.
• Learn hand embroidery in detail.

8. Introduction To Freehand Machine Embroidery [Udemy]

Introduction To Freehand Machine Embroidery is the one-stop online Embroidery course that will help you learn how to start drawing with your sewing machine. Taught by Meredith Wollnough, who is a visual artist from Australia, this course helps you learn different tools and techniques to start sewing. Learning with this course is simple, fun, and very addictive.

Highlights of the course

• You will know the most efficient tools and materials to get started with freehand machine embroidery.
• Set and get started with your sewing machine
• Draw designs for Machine Embroidery

9. Intermediate Embroidery: Explore Collage, Portraits & Embellishments[Skillshare]

Join Danielle Clough to take your embroidery skill to the next level in this course, Intermediate Embroidery: Explore Collage, Portraits & Embellishments. This course is a two-hour deep dive into stitch work and Embroidery. After you learn the basics in Danielle’s first course, you will be able to take your creativity to the next level with this intermediate course.

Highlights of the course

• Through this course, you will be able to add dimension and detail to your portrait embroidery.
• Explore your creative freedom
• Learn how to apply traces on different fabrics
• Embellish your favorite cloth piece of clothing.

10. Embroidery On Photograph With 10 Simple Stitches [Skillshare]

Elevate your photographs with hand embroidery. This Embroidery On Photograph With 10 Simple Stitches by Peggy Dean is a great course that helps you useEmbroideryy in ways you couldn’t imagine. Whether you have or haven’t triedEmbroideryy, you will be able to learn how to creatively decorate your pictures and make them look edgy.

Highlights of the course

• In this course, you will learn about color combinations
• You will learn different types of stitches
• You will also learn how to embroider a photograph without damaging it.

Conclusion

Embroidery is not just a creative skill but also a meditative exercise. If you take any of these Free Online Embroidery courses, you will learn to work with needles and threads by hand or machine.

This will help you elevate the look of your clothing articles, but not just that, because you will be able to use it in more creative ways, like decorating photos withEmbroideryy.

It is a great skill to learn and polish. With these courses, you will be able to learn new techniques and use them as a meditative resource. So, get out your needles, and let’s do some embroidery.