Hand Embroidery Fabric
 

What's the best fabric to buy for hand embroidery? I've heard that you're supposed to use linen, but is that regular linen? Muslin works, but I'd like a more "professional" look.

I usually use a cream on cream 100% cotton print or white on white print and line it with muslin or batting when doing hand embroidery. I have never used linen - my work is usually incorporated into a quilt with other 100% quilting cotton.

Probably a low thread count linen would be easiest to work with. Depends on the overall look you are going for, imo.

I use a good cotton and back it with a fusible interfacing so stitches pop and the knots and carry over stitches don't show.

When I did it, I used a good cotton too. I got an embroidery machine and have used "shirting" cotton - it washed up beautifully, don't know why you couldn't hand embroider it too. It is a bit heavier than the quilting cotton.

I'm with Lynnie. I prefer a good cotton (my favorite is Northcott) and I use an interfacing on the back. My first embroidery quilt I used muslin for ole times sake and yes, it looks old fashioned but I am not really happy with the quality. Live and learn.

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.

I've used the Kona white or snow, depends on what your doing. Kona is great for everything.

I've always used Kona "snow" for all my embroidery. In years past I did use a 200 thread count fabric from Springs that was great but I think it's long gone. IMHO any color of Kona is good depending on what you are doing. I also like Bella (thunk its from Moda) - have charm squares that feel really nice and seem to be about the same or nearly as Kona but haven't tried it out yet.

I still do not understand the use of fusible interfacing on the back of your fabric before embroidering. I'm self-taught and absolutely never travel with my thread more than 1/4". It's a real pain when you have to do french knots (I actually use colonial knots - they come out much nicer) and they are spaced too far apart but I r learned how to manage. I read something long ago - like a really long time ago �� that said your embroidery should look as good on the backside as it does on he front. I'll never be quite there but mine mostly looks pretty good on the back. Probably should since I've been embroidering for 50 years. Went to a small college and girls couldn't leave campus without written permission from her parents. Found thread (5 cents a skein) and preprinted pillow cases at the 5 and dime and just started.

Sorry for for going on so long -
Sandy in Mooresville, NC - visiting in upstate NY (Gloversville) at the moment

I think it depends on the style of embroidery you are going to do - hardanger, cross stitch, blackwork, Swedish darning, drawn thread, stump work, cut work, crewel..etc.etc. more info. needed. Also, what sort of thread you are using.