Embroidery is bang on trend these days and it’s a super satisfying project to try yourself. It can elevate any sewing project and looks stunning when done right. Call it granny chic if you want but embroidery is here to stay so why not give it a go?
Picking the right fabric for embroidery will make everything easier, especially if you’re a beginner. When you get the right fabric, it’s easier to stitch through and gives an overall better look. There are lots of options out there so it can be a struggle to find what works for you. No need to worry, we have found a great selection of the best fabric for embroidery, so you don’t have to.
Related: The best embroidery machines
The best fabric for embroidery shortlist:
6 Piece Natural Linen Needlework Fabric
White 14 Count Aida Fabric
ZAIONE 100% Cotton Washed Denim Fabric
Zweigart Premium Quality Interlock Canvas 10 Count
Rico Design Towel in mustard
10 Piece Flower Fabric Cotton Printed Floral Fabric Squares
Pllieay 3 Sets Full Range of Embroidery Starter Kit
The best fabric for embroidery
1 of 76 Piece Natural Linen Needlework Fabric
The best linen fabric for embroidery: Coming in six versatile colours, this quality fabric is vegan and chemical free. It's soft, lightweight and perfect for embroidery. It's also great for making bags, tablecloths (as it is washable), pillows and other garments. Measurements: 20 inches x6
2 of 7White 14 Count Aida Fabric
The best Aida cloth fabric for embroidery: This fabric is described as a cross stitching essential, and we can see why. It's stiffly woven and has regularly spaced holes so stitch placing is clear. It comes in multiple colours but we think the white is a great blank canvas. Measurements: 30 x 46 cm
3 of 7ZAIONE 100% Cotton Washed Denim Fabric
The best denim fabric for embroidery: With a soft and thin feel, we just love this fabric for fun denim projects. You can make different garments with it as it's not rough on the skin and add beautiful, embroidered touches. You'll get multiple denim tones so you can try out different looks and designs. Measurements: 30 x 30 x 5 cm
4 of 7Zweigart Premium Quality Interlock Canvas 10 Count
The best canvas fabric for embroidery: This fabric is made from high-quality fibres, with wide gaps to ensure you can make larger scale, eye-catching embroidered designs. It works great for beginners and experienced embroiderers so it can handle any level of creativity. Measurements: 49 x 49 cm
5 of 7Rico Design Towel in mustard
The best towelling fabric for embroidery: Taking towelling fabric literally, this is actually a fun craft project. You can personalise this high quality, 100 per cent cotton towel with any embroidery pattern you want. It's made to accommodate whatever embroidered design you want so go wild. Measurements: 50 x 100 cm
6 of 710 Piece Flower Fabric Cotton Printed Floral Fabric Squares
The best quilting fabric for embroidery: These gorgeous cotton squares are softly textured and super durable. Use them for small embroidery patterns or just for practice. Measurements: 50 x 50 cm x10
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7 of 7Pllieay 3 Sets Full Range of Embroidery Starter Kit
The best embroidery fabric for beginners: If you're a complete beginner then this kit will give you everything you need to get started. The kit includes patterns, instructions, embroidery clothes with a floral pattern, three plastic embroidery hoops, colour threads and tools. It's great value for money and the fabric included is good quality. The printed fabric is soft and handles creative embroidered designs. This kit would make a lovely gift too. Measurements: 27.5 x 27.5 cm x3
What are the best types of fabric for embroidery?
Aida Cloth - This fabric can be found in many vintage embroidery pieces and is still popular with modern cross stitchers. The woven square pattern makes it easier to use for the self-taught and you can get it in a variety of lovely colours.
Evenweave Fabrics - Another popular choice, this fabric is tightly woven which is great for surface embroidery. Evenweave fabrics include cotton, polyester blends, linen, hemp and bamboo plus they come in a great range of colours.
Towelling - If you’re looking for easy to acquire, ready-made fabric them towelling works just fine. You can create some fun retro pieces with this.
Canvas - Also known as duck cloth, canvas is sturdy but can still be used for embroidery. You’ll need a sharper needle and a bit more muscle but it’s worth it for creating durable pieces.
Denim - This may also need a bit more elbow grease but it’s still doable. Why not try updating your old jeans or jacket?
Quilting Fabric - This is easy to stitch through, which makes it perfect for beginners or practicing your patterns.
What fabric should you avoid for embroidery?
You can embroider on many fabrics, but some are really difficult to work on and aren’t worth the frustration. If you’re a beginner, we recommend avoiding satin, velvet, corduroy, jersey and fleece.
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Eve Miller is a Storytelling Executive for WhatsTheBest with a love for writing, film, her dog and beauty. She also writes for Yours.co.uk.
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