55 results
Embroidery Storage ideas and organisation inspiration
Crafters of all kinds will know this problem all too well - the more you get into your hobby, the more equipment you acquire. Some new threads and a few different hoop sizes here, a couple of fabric options for the stash that were on special offer there…
5 Hand Embroidery Stitches for Letters
Learn 5 fabulous stitches for embroidering letters and writing!
What Are the Basic Hand Embroidery Stitches That Every Beginner Should Learn?
Learning these basic hand embroidery stitches will give you a solid foundation for your embroidery journey. Even the simplest stitches can create stunning, intricate designs! As you practice and become more comfortable with these stitches, you can combine them and explore more advanced techniques.
Braided Chain Stitch
Also known as Hungarian Chain Stitch, Braided Chain Stitch is excellent for embroidering chunky, textured lines.
The Red Dress Project
Sometimes you see an embroidery project that blows you away. The Red Dress project - conceived and developed by British artist Kirstie MacLeod - is one of those. Take a look!
What is Embroidery?
As the most basic description, embroidery is the art of using a needle and thread to decorate fabric. In this post, I'm going to explain what embroidery is and take you through a few of the different types of embroidery, as well as show you photos of historic and modern examples of each type.
Coral Stitch
Coral Stitch is a great stitch for adding texture and interest to otherwise straight or curved lines - it can be a lovely (more complicated!) substitution for Back Stitch.
How to display Embroidery Art
What options are there for displaying your finished embroidery pieces?
What are the Best Threads for Hand Embroidery?
Let's talk thread - the main brands, and the main types of hand embroidery thread available.
Embroidery Tools for Beginners
So, you've collected the basics that you need to start embroidering. There's also a few tools that can help you on the way - whether that's helping with threading pesky needles, easing sore hands and fingers, or help with learning new embroidery techniques!
Embroidery Stitching Full Guide
Learn how to do the most popular stitches in hand embroidery!
Chain Stitch
Learn how to do Chain stitch in 4 simple steps!
7 Flower Embroidery Stitches for Beginners
This video covers 7 great stitches for creating floral embroidery.
Picot Stitch
Woven Picot Stitch makes a striking 3D effect - it’s a simple one to create, just with needle and thread!
How to Make an Embroidered Patch
Learn how to make a hand embroidered patch with our full guide for beginners. Patches are a useful way to customise your shirts, jackets and accessories. They're perfect for upcycling old clothes!
Embroidered accessories ideas
Embroidery is such a versatile craft that can have so many lives outside of the hoop. The art of creating patterns and text with just needle and thread can be transferred onto all manner of other mediums...
Hand embroidery and mindfulness
Embroidery helped me get through some of my most stressful times at university - Here's my personal take on the relation to mindfulness!
10 Beautiful Ways to use Satin Stitch in Embroidery
Here's some examples of how Satin Stitch can be used in different designs!
Fall Embroidery Designs
With the evenings getting darker and colder, it’s the perfect time to get started on new projects, make the most of cosy evenings and add a bit of seasonal decor to your home. To help get you in the fall mood and inspired for your next embroideries, I’ve put together my favourite Paraffle designs that I feel really fit with the season.
Backing Embroidery with Felt
Learn how to finish off your piece of embroidery by backing it with felt.
Ultimate Embroidery Guide for Beginners
You're keen on getting started with embroidery, but still have a hundred questions? Find all of the answers in the Ultimate Embroidery Guide for Beginners!
French Knots
If you're getting stuck with French knots, check out these tips & instructions!
Back Stitch
How to do back stitch in 4 simple steps
6 Tips for Using Metallic Hand Embroidery Thread
Gold embroidery thread tangling? Silver strands fraying? Here are our top tips to help you master those metallics
Whipped Back Stitch
Whipping a stitch is simply winding a second thread around a previous line of stitching.
It creates a twisted effect with your thread, and is great for smoothing out gaps between stitches - perfect for writing and letters!
Turkey Work
Turkey work has to be one of my favourite stitches! It's so tactile and fluffy - here's my tutorial on how to do it!
10 tips for Hand Embroidery Beginners
Some tips for any beginners out there suffering from "blank hoop syndrome"!
12 Embroidery Ideas for Christmas
The holiday season is nearly here, which means it’s time to get thinking about festive crafts! There’s so much related to Christmas that can inspire a make, from words to objects, and of course – glitter! Whether you’re planning to make something for your own home or as a gift to a loved one, I hope these 12 Christmassy creations will help you find the perfect idea.
How to Use Carbon Paper to Transfer Embroidery Patterns
I show you how to transfer a pattern from paper to fabric using carbon paper - and a pen!
Lazy Daisy Stitch
Learn how to do lazy daisy stitch - great for flowers!
Our Black Friday Charity Event - with Excellent Development
I'm SO excited to announce the continuation of our favourite Paraffle tradition: our Black Friday Charity Event! This year, we’re partnering with Excellent Development - 25% of Paraffle sales from the Black Friday weekend will be donated to them.
How to embroider letters
There's a few ways to embroider lettering - I'll take you through some of them in this article!
Colonial Knots
Learn how to master tricky Colonial Knots with a quick, two minute tutorial!
Long and Short Stitch
Long and short stitch is an excellent filler stitch you can use to blend colours together. Here's how to do it!
Split Stitch
Split Stitch is great for creating smooth, curved lines without leaving gaps between stitches - and it’s easy to do, too!
Feather Stitch
Feather Stitch is a great stitch for adding borders to pieces, and is able to fill fairly large spaces with a gorgeous textured effect.
Couching
Couching is a useful way to add textured lines to your pieces - and it's fairly easy to create, too!
Why An Embroidery Kit Can Be A Great Christmas Present
The gift that really does keep on giving
How Difficult is Embroidery?
Ok you're tempted to try embroidery, but it looks complicated - more complicated than cross stitch - let's go into some detail about how difficult embroidery is or isn't!
How to Choose and Use an Embroidery Hoop
Carrying on from my series on the basics of embroidery, it’s time to talk about another staple – the hoop.
13 Embroidery Patterns for Halloween
With Halloween coming up, I’ve put together a collection of 13 incredible embroideries from other artists that will help you find some spooky inspiration. Happy Halloween!
Free Modern Embroidery Sampler
A little treat! I made this sampler recently while experimenting with new colours - and now I'm offering it as a free download on the website. Hooray!
Best Fabrics for Embroidery
Wondering which fabrics are best for hand embroidery - and which ones really aren't? Check out our guide to different embroidery materials!
Christmas 2020: Out with the Old, in with the New
Yes! The Christmas embroidery kits are ready - with added jingle bells! Looking back to last year's Christmas designs and patterns, it's been quite a year...
Starting and Tying off your Embroidery
A quick video and text tutorial on starting & tying off
Stem Stitch
Learn how to do Stem stitch - perfect for plant stems or vines!
Woven Wheel Stitch
Woven Wheels are a simple way to create a gorgeous flower or rose effect - and are great for showing off shiny thread colours!
What can I Embroider?
Looking for ideas as to what you can hand embroider directly on to? I've listed out a few ideas here!