Embroidery supplies for a novice

Donal94 · 17-12-2008 10:55PM #1

Hi I was just wondering if anyone could give me any advice on buying Embroidery supplies for my mother. As far as I know she can embroider already but hasn't done it in a long time. It would be as a christmas present so a shop in Dublin would be great. Any advice would be much appreiated as to where or what to buy her to get started again as she doesnt have any of the equipment etc. Thanks a lot

looksee · 20-12-2008 09:50PM

Do you know what kind of embroidery she likes to do. It could be 'tapestry' - where you get a printed canvas with wool yarns and fill in the pattern with a regular stitch; cross stitch - with finer thread on counted thread fabric (fabric with a very regular weave); crewel work which is a kind of rich jacobean style; or the kind of embroidery where you create flowers etc with satin stitch and chain stitch etc, often used for tablecloths in the past. You can get iron-on transfers for that kind of work.
If you go into Clerys they have a craft and fabric department. You could get her an 8 inch wooden hoop, a piece of linen fabric (about half a metre, its quite expensive), a selection of embroidery silks - they are not really silk, it is 6-strand thread, Coats is the best but for a beginer you will probably get a pack of toning shades for about €15 which would be a good start. Possibly a book of iron-on transfers. And a packet of needles.
Ask one of the assistants for help on identifying the various things. There is an almost endless range of fabrics, threads, patterns and equipment you can buy, so it might be a good idea to ask, does she have a sister who might know what she used to do?

Embroidery supplies for a novice

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