I guess that it depends on what you are planning to do with your embroidery. I found a website and you tube videos by Mary Corbet, who does beautiful work, but still does very good tutorials. I can't think of the name of the website right now, will look it up. She seems to use linen for her work but she is not making quilts. I use a lot of Crabapple Hill embroidery patterns and those call for a good quilting quality cotton backed with muslin to hide your knots, etc. Also, have used their designs for tea towels. And quilts.