(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best needlework supplies

FYI: I sent you lots of amazon links as I am not sure where you live or if you have access to craft stores such as Hobby Lobby or Joann Fabrics. I know for certain that I have seen most of these items cheaper at the store than what I could find online.

1. Embroidery scissors. The good ones (I.e. generally not ones that come in sewing kits) are incredibly sharp and a must. They are used exclusively for cutting embroidery floss. They make some really pretty ones that come in all sorts of colors and patterns.
   
2. A hoop or two. I personally prefer the plastic ones as they are a bit more durable and good for multiple projects. I also don't typically display my finished work inside the hoop. If she plans on making wall hangings, I would go with the wooden ones. They are typically a bit cheaper when you buy them at a craft store (I believe I have seen them from between 1-3 USD.) They have a nicer finished look and isn't that big of a deal to buy a new one when you start on your next project. I would buy her two of the wooden ones in two different sizes (a 4 inch and 6 inch one)
   
3. a box for embroidery thread. this one on Amazon that I listed is nice since it also contains the bobbins as well. These boxes usually cost about 3 USD at the craft store and are great for holding all of your different colors of embroidery floss. they often have one larger compartment which is perfectly sized to hold needles and the embroidery scissors as well. The floss bobbins are great at keeping everything organized in the box as well.
   
4. about a yard of fabric. Muslin is generally pretty cheap. For a beginner, I might also suggest Aida cloth. It it woven in a way that there is a "grid" in the cloth which makes it easier to make straight lines. It is typically used for Cross Stitch but can be used for embroidery as well. The cloth is more expensive that the muslin, and I personally don't prefer the finished look of the fabric, but it makes it easy to make straight lines and practice stitches. Someone on here also mentioned buying Fabric quarters which is a great idea. They come in a whole bunch of designs, run around 2 USD a piece, and work pretty well for embroidery.
   
5. Needles. You don't need the golden eye ones like I have listed here. Just make sure that the package says it's for embroidery as the of the needle varies depending on the type.
   
6. Now here's the hardest part of the whole thing: Embroidery floss. Most stores offer DMC brand cotton floss by the skein for about 0.48 USD. The problem is that there are literally hundreds of different colors and picking out just a few might be a bit difficult. The sets that DMC does sell are a bit pricey and aren't often set up to give you a beginner's set of colors. You could however buy an off brand set of embroidery floss that does come in a nice variety of colors and is cheaper. However, I have found that a lot of these packs have low quality thread. It often can look dull when compared to DMC brand floss. (look how Satin-y this Flower looks with the more expensive floss!) I have also heard of some people say that the colors can run when they get washed. All that said, these packs are inexpensive and great for someone just starting with embroidery as there are so many colors to choose from. Its great when you are practicing or are not 100% sure of what you are going to make yet.
   
7. transfer pen: I bought a set of those Frixion Pens that someone else mentioned in this post and I love them. They are a bit pricey. I believe that I bought my set at Target for 6 bucks. It came with 5 different colors including pink and silver which work great on dark colored fabrics. These pens are used to plan out your design on your fabric before you embroider. These pens are special in that they disappear completely with heat (such as an iron). If you don't want to go that route, they also make Water soluble markers which serve the same purpose. They don't work quite as well in my opinion as they tend to erase themselves after a few hours/days. They have the advantage of being inexpensive and work fine for small projects.
   
   I hope that all of this helps. Good luck on the shopping. I know that whatever you end up getting her she will love.

Hello, welcome to needle felting! Like the others have said, starting with a kit is probably the best way to go! The amount of options available can be overwhelming though, so i'll give a breakdown. Uh, prepare for a wall of text:

On A Budget) There are a number of kits available through Amazon for $6-20 USD with reasonable or even free shipping with Prime. You kinda get what you pay for; the lower end of the scale will usually get you minimal tools/spares with maybe a small amount of wool roving (6-12 colors in 5g rolls, enough for a few small projects). The higher half of that scale generally gets you a more complete set and a good amount of colors (12-36). Etsy has little starter kits like these too, but shipping may vary.

This one I bought after suggestions from this sub, but keep in mind it does not come with a felting mat:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BGTC2CC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_EacYBb61K43G6

not included in some kits is a foam cushion/mat of some sort. Optional, as one can always use upholstery foam, burlap rice bag, make one, etc. A mat isn't as essential as the needles, finger protectors, etc. but it helps to protect your work surface and needles.


Really, REALLY on a Budget) This is what I started with before getting that Amazon kit. Daiso has little $1.50 kits that have JUST the bare essentials: One needle, exactly enough roving to make one keychain animal, and picture instructions. If you don't have access to a Daiso, some Etsy shops resell the kits, but marked up a little bit.


Kinda Splurging ) at the $20-$40+ range, you may find more value in checking out starter kits from sellers like Woolbuddy, LivingFelt, etc. and various Etsy shops. May be a bit much for starters, but these kits are significantly nicer to work with than most Amazon kits.

Actually Overkill) At $50+ dollars, there are definitely "advanced" starter kits on Etsy that are actually super nice but may be overwhelming for a first-timer.


Other Notes ) Important but usually sold separately are multi-needle tools and needle-nose pliers. Clover pens, punch tools, etc. speed up the time it takes to felt. Pliers are good for attaching jump-rings, bending armature wire, and just for holding stuff in place.

Will add more to this if I think of it, but hopefully this was thorough enough to help speed up your search!

I sent them through a chat, but I’ll resend them this way...
I would get the floss at Johanns, they also sell cute kits. As far as the rest of the supplies I’d go with Amazon because of your time limits. Look for needles by John James in a variety pack sized 5-9, fabric, look for I-Nee cotton, and hoops by Morgan. Amazon also has great light boxes for transferring patterns....
https://www.amazon.com/John-James-Needle-30-Assorted/dp/B001VJNOV6/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?keywords=john+james+needles&qid=1564833113&s=gateway&sprefix=john+j&sr=8-17

https://www.amazon.com/iNee-Cotton-Fabric-Embroidery-60-inch/dp/B07F171ZJY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=cotton+fabric+by+the+yard+embroidery&qid=1564833223&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

These are great pens for transferring patterns and drawing designs onto fabric
https://www.amazon.com/Threaders-Erasable-Fabric-Pens-3pk-Black/dp/B072QDSB2G/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=threaders+erasable+fabric+pens&qid=1564833299&s=gateway&sprefix=threaders+era&sr=8-3

Hoops
https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Products-Stand-Combo-Hoops/dp/B000YZ3YIQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=morgan+hoop&qid=1564833394&s=gateway&sprefix=morgan+hoop&sr=8-4
Or
https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Quality-Products-Embroidery-Interlocking/dp/B07B7C9QWQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?keywords=morgan+hoop&qid=1564833481&s=gateway&sprefix=morgan+hoop&sr=8-13
For future reference I get most of my supplies from 123stitch.com or embroidery.com
Great fabric can be found off Etsy
Shops I like on Etsy for linen
CloudCraftShop Robert Kaufman Essex Linen Fat Quarter Bundle, Naturals
BidouillArtStock Linen embroidery fabric coupon
FineStitchStudio Embroidery Linen 'Graziano' - Fat quarter

Etsy has good kits,
https:\namastehandembroidery.com has great kits as well. I personally love thread painting. If that’s something you think she’d like to try, go with anything from
https://trishbembroidery.com or any of her books!
Also
https://berlinembroidery.com/product-category/hand-embroidery-kits/needle-painting-kits/

Alright I uploaded some pictures on Imgur to get you started!

Album is here

Quick tip: I'm using a middle size cloth, there are different sizes to buy on the store , you can have small sizes which itself will affect the size of your cross stitch. The smaller they are, the smaller size you'll get. The brown lines you see by the top is a guideline for the stitching: each line is 10 squares, on some patterns you find there's going to be a square, the square will almost always be 10 squares big.

You'll usually find cross stitching everywhere on Pinterest which to me has been great! If I for example end up on a site for the alphabet in cross stitching I found that there are so many different and beautiful letters you can stitch as well, so I added an example of the K I'm going to stitch underneath. There are also a lot of different edges which can be simple, or complex, just remember to use the 10 square system for the patterns to see how big of a size it'll be for your bag!

When you get cross stitching yarn, you'll notice that they are very thick while mine is not. That's because I split the yarn into having 3 strands when I stitch (they usually come in 6 strands so it's just split in half) while the outline I have on this key is just one whole piece of the yarn.

The process of stitching can be very long if you plan on stitching a cross every time so I have a little video that I would recommend you to watch once you get used to the stitching, it'll really come in handy for bigger pieces like this : youtube

As you may notice, the color I'm using is different to the key on the pattern, but that's also what makes mine feel a little more unique than going fully for the pattern itself. I inherited a lot from my grandma when it comes to colors and needles, but I'll advice that if you get the tiny squares, get a smaller needle BUT not too small because it depends on how you are going to deal with the thread, the more strands of thread the bigger hole you need for the needle and usually the smaller ones would only allow you to fit 2 strands.

I DO recommend you check amazon or any kind of site that sells the threads in a rainbow set (something like this )because you do need to use a lot of different colors when it comes to stitching, and there are some sellers that will sell you a frame as well in the price (I'd say about 10-15 dollars which might sound a lot but usually you get ALOT of colored thread to that price.

Now here comes the creative tips that some people would love or hate:

You don't have to be "traditional" when it comes to these kinds of hobbies, especially if you're aiming to satisfy a gamer for example.
There are so many different designs in the gaming section to do!
Pixel art! You can take any pixel art you find and create it depending if you have he colors. You can make pokemon for example. The pokemon index on the web is one of the things you can look for and make all of them. Then there are final fantasy summons and bosses
If none of that inspires you, there are character creators on the net to make your own pixel character as well.
I'd also recommend cross stitching softwares that can turn images into cross stitching where they usually tells you the colors you need and the size you need.
I highly recommend checking the cross stitch community on Reddit as well.

I hope this inspired you.

Not sure how much you're willing to spend, but here's a few ideas based on you saying that you doubt she would want a kit.

Thread

I would get a bundle so she at least has different colors to get started right away:

25 colors - $8

or

100 colors = $25


Cloth (Aida)
These are sold in different colors, and various count (holes per inch). For a beginner, I'd probably go with a 14 count in a beige or white (easy to see the holes). Just linking an example here, feel free to buy whatever.

12 x 14 inches cloth 14 count - $3
Go nuts if you want, pick a few colors, whatever fits your budget.


Needles
I use what I have on hand, something like this.

Varierty Pack - $4

Kit
So I know you said no kit, but she needs to learn somehow. Is she handy with youtube? Google search to teach herself? Maybe you should get a beginner kit too.

Kit - $6

Hoop

Simple hoop set of 4 - $8

or

Q-snap - $11

Pattern
You might want to consider getting her a pattern. You know her well? What is she into? There's some free patterns out there, or paid ones. I would get a free or buy one and print it for her so it's all ready with your gift.

Just one example, pick something that suits her, but not too many colors and too complicated to start with
Example - $3

Learning Book
No real advice to offer, but would she read a book if you bought something, or will she go on the internet to learn?

Book sample - $7


Keep in mind that I linked random things for examples, but if you're into it, use these as basis for your own research. You know her best, and what your budget is. I think this is a super sweet gift, best of luck.

Thank you so much for this awesome contest! I actually don't know how to cross stitch/embroider/knit/etc., but I do sew and scrapbook quite a bit (I have an entire list dedicated to it... guilty pleasure I guess!) and I'm thrilled to see others getting crafty as well!

Now I link this one because I love rococo/pastel things... especially when they are fantasy and little girl themed. I love that this is so kitsch as well. I would die, it's so cute. All of this would be so perfect in my room c: I get excited about this stuff!

http://www.amazon.com/Unicorn-Collection-Counted-Thread-Needlepoint/dp/B001OGPC34/ref=sr_1_11?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1374450822&sr=1-11&keywords=unicorn+stitch

Probably my fave is the one with ribbons wrapped around the horn, but I love them all! <3 Thanks so much for the awesome contest!

Not OP but I'm happy to answer some of these questions for you.

Start by getting a hoop and some embroidery floss and then practice stitches on any scrap fabric you're able to get your hands on. You can get supplies online, at a local craft store or (most likely) your local walmart type store.

/r/embroidery is full of advice and sources including this one which has great video tutorials of a lot of stitches. There are tons of other tutorials on Youtube so you can always just search youtube for a specific stitch you're interested in. And many of these lovely stitches aren't necessarily as difficult as you'd expect at first sight. For example the spider web is very common and much more fun and simple than many people first expect. If a tutorial isn't making something clear there is always another on the magnificent Internet.

You can also find embroidery patterns online. I've seen free vintage ones around and I know there are some for sale on etsy as well as websites like this one. To start I'd recommend flowers, letters, or anything else that comes in a package pattern but allows you to try one small piece at a time.

But really just get the materials and mess around. Its tons of fun.

I haven't got this altogether on an Amazon list, some of it's from Michael's, but here you go:

Washable Embroidery pen for marking grids.

Needles

Hoopla hoop. It's plastic (wood and metal stain projects), it grips well (with the overhang), and it's my preferred hoop for working on projects. There are other plastic hoops, but not all have the one piece with an overhang, and it's the overhang that keeps the hoop pieces together tightly so you're not constantly adjusting back together. I do use wooden hoops for mounting final projects, though.

DMC 6 strand floss. I always use DMC floss, it's silkier than cheap dollar store floss, meaning it doesn't knot as much. PRISM is cheaper, yes, but it's crap compared to DMC, imho.

Loops & Threads 14 count Aida cloth is a good place to start. This brand is more starchy than DMC brand, I find, which can make it a bit more challenging to get on the hoop, but it also stays put easier and needs less adjustment during stitching. Totally a personal preference. Aida comes in several basic colours and styles, like gold/silver dusted, pale blue, red, green, black, white, oatmeal, antique, etc. Some people hand-dye aida and sell it on Etsy for a decent price, and then you can get a much wider variety of colours if you want something unique for a project.

You'll need a nice bobbin box to organize your floss.

You'll need some floss bobbins, to organize, maybe some floss number stickers (or you could write with a sharpie), and if you're looking to see what colours of floss are available, get a colour card.

Like others have posted, try getting a kit or two first, as they give great instructions, all the supplies needed, and will get you going. Or you could just assemble the things I listed, buy a pattern from Etsy, and dive in head first!

Good luck!

I don't know as much about embroidery as cross stitch, but of course there are a bajillion embroidery how-to videos and instructions online.

Cross stitch is my hobby of choice, and it's really easy to get into and stitch all sorts of great stuff. The easiest way to learn initially is to buy a kit, either online or somewhere like Michael's, that has everything in it you need: fabric, thread, needles, the design, and (usually) very good, detailed instructions. It really is very easy to follow those paper instructions, but again, there are plenty of how-tos online. The only thing that might not come in the kit is a hoop to stretch the fabric on, and they're sold nearby the rest of the cross stitch materials.

Practice on a few simple kits, ( This was my earliest kit, and I still think it's cute. ) and before you know it you'll be spending months on a single project, like this behemoth.

Look for cross stitch patterns on Etsy and you'll find really cool, modern stuff.

Oh, and check out /r/crossstitch to see if cross stitching is your bag at all.

I have a few stamped cross stitch kits, and I LOVE them! Just haven't gotten to finishing them because I'm easily distracted...anyway. Stamped cross stitching is super nice because, as long as it's properly printed, there's no need for a complex pattern or counting. You can turn on Netflix, sit back and stitch the day away without having to constantly check that every stitch is right.

The three kits I've gotten (Tree, Wolf, and Garden) are surprisingly good quality, and all are printed perfectly. Not super high quality, but good enough for a gift or hobby project.

Also, you are able to wash them! The ink used to color the aida is water soluble. There should be instructions in the directions that came with it on the best way to get the pattern off. I can't remember exactly how (and my easily distracted butt hasn't finished the three I'm working on...) but I do remember seeing it explained in the instructions. If not, Google is a wonderful thing. Good luck with your tree!

I saw down lower that she likes eevee and pikachu. If she is crafty or would like to try cross stitch, on Etsy I found this adorable easy Eevee cross stitch pattern for only $2. You'd need to also get a hoop (Heres a set of hoops for $5, so if she likes it she could do all sorts of sizes later), some Aida fabric ($5), and one embroidery floss skein of each color. You can find skeins for like $0.99 or less in stores like Michaels. It's only $0.49 at Walmart, but Walmart carries only a few limited colors. It would be good for black and white thread. It's a small pattern so it would only need one of each color (pattern would tell her each color), and it doesn't look like there are more than 5 colors. Over all this would be less than $20. And if she ends up liking cross stitching, then she already will have the hoops and some extra fabric. So future projects would really only be the cost of the embroidery floss skeins, and maybe the pattern, if she buys one. But there are also lots of free patterns online, and some free websites that let you put in a jpeg and convert it into a pattern.

​

Edit to add-Since Birthday is so close to Christmas, one half could be a Christmas gift, and the other a Birthday gift. It may be less than $20, but I have certainly been in very tight money situations where $20 is way more than I could spend.

The first cross stitch I ever did was a small bookmark pattern, maybe when I was about 12, something like this

I definitely agree with other posters that it's really great to buy a complete kit for your first project. It comes with everything you need.

The alternative to a kit is finding a pattern online (etsy sells a BAJILLION of these), and then buying needles, fabric, and floss (aka thread, sorta) on your own.

If you do the latter, get a good simple pattern with no more than 6 to 10 colors, and fairly small so you feel like you can complete it.

I made this little dude in about 10-12 hours, and I love it. I made the pattern myself, so if you want it just PM me and I'll send it to you with the floss colors.

Good luck! Cross stitch is awesome.

YES GET INTO IT. Start small. Find a kit like this or this. It makes it easier to say, "Yes! I finished something!" before you go insane and stitch something like this. (Yes, I'm insane.) I'm still relatively new to the art/hobby, but I LOVE it. I'm currently working on a piece I designed myself (with inspiration from other designs).

Also, check out r/CrossStitch. SUPER helpful tutorials and FAQs over there.

I switched my current project from a hole-punched bit of cardboard over to this last week and I will never. go. back! It’s so much easier to take the floss on and off the little spokes/foam than it is to unknot/re-knot the bunches! It’s soooooo much faster to get more floss or switch colors now!

They have them on Amazon (here!) but they are cheaper on Wish.com, where I discovered and purchased mine! It took about 3 weeks to receive; for those unfamiliar, items on Wish are usually coming from China/overseas. I only bought one at first, to try it out, but I have a second on its way to me right now from Wish. Search for “floss organizer” to find a bunch of options.

Like I said - I love it! I’d say the only downside is that there are only spots for 30 colors per unit, and the spots don’t hold that much thread. The entirety of my current project - from a large but non-full-coverage kit - fit on here with me doubling up on a few colors that aren’t too heavily used/didn’t come with a lot of floss. This may not be that practical if you’re working on something with more than 30 or so colors, or lots of floss per color.

The green felt areas of the unit are for pre-threading needles, if you’d like. They stick into those little spots and stick up, ready to grab. I won’t be using that feature.

The unit came with four double-sided inserts (they slide in) for writing the symbols/numbers on. I photocopied these to make many more, and I also scanned them to have more as a printable file. You could probably also use White-Out carefully to reuse the inserts.

I started about 3 weeks ago. Michael's had a bargain bin filled with these kits at 2 for $3. Perfect all around - perfect size, perfect price. $1.50 is nothing to invest, and I was able to finish my first project in just a few days, which is really far more important than some would think. They come with a little frame that's suitable both for stitching and display, though I didn't bother with them.

And don't let the 'few days' thing put you off - I'm incredibly slow and tend to stitch in increments of 5-20 minutes at a time. I guess the total time to make one was probably around 3 to 4 hours. I did four of them before I branched out to a larger piece. And while I am now starting to have ambitions of trying it without a kit, I'm still happy to have that little hand-holding aspect taking care of me until I'm more confident in my abilities.

I'm glad you like it!! I just started making these and they are very fun. They're small as well so they're quick to embroider too for a newbie like me who's just learning. I love it.

Here's the mini hoop frames:

DIY Mini Embroidery Hoop Frame - Miniature Embroidery Hoops - DIY Tiny Hoop Kit - Mini Hoop Frame -Diy Necklace Tiny (12pcs differents size) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077XBTP6J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ztb8Bb3SS9S7X

You can also get these at hobby lobby but they didn't have the convenient wood backing to cover the messiness of the fabric that pokes out on the back.

I made the embroidered part in a normal hoop first, and I just did maybe a millimeter or so larger than the opening of the mini hoop so it would all fit in there.


Then I removed it from the regular hoop pressed the design into the mini hoop. After that I cut the excess and then hot glued it into place. It comes with a wood backing so I hot glued that over the back to make it look clean on the back.


Otherwise I just tied twine string to it folded so it's two strings and knotted it about an inch apart throughout the chain to give make it a little thicker and more interesting.


Lastly, I used the excess string from tying it to the pendant to put on the feather charms, which I glued the string flat to the back so they would lay at the bottom of the pendant like they do.