When I first picked up a needle and thread, I wanted to know everything immediately.
I blitzed through tutorials, hoarded patterns like a magpie, and convinced myself that more = better.

(Spoiler: it wasn't)

If I could go back, I’d tell myself to take a breath, and start right here, with this blog post, instead. These three embroidery habits made the biggest difference in how confident and calm I feel when I stitch.

They helped me genuinely improve my embroidery skills, without the overwhelm or perfectionism I thought I needed.

Of course, progress isn't just about what you start doing - it’s also about what you let go of. So once we’ve covered the habits that helped me get better at embroidery faster, I’ll share the three sneaky habits I had to unlearn along the way, too.

 

3 Habits That Helped Me Improve Faster

1. Keep your fabric drum-tight

Proper hoop tension is one of the most underrated embroidery skills for beginners. Heck, even for intermediate stitchers, too!! 

When your fabric is taut, your stitches sit more neatly on the fabric, your lines are easier to follow, it's generally easier to stitch on, and the biggest thing of all, you avoid the fabric puckering. 

It’s a small habit that delivers big results.

Once I made “drum-tight" fabric every time a non-negotiable, I noticed instant improvements in my stitch consistency and overall finish.

Quick tip: Tap your fabric before you stitch - if it doesn’t sound like a drum, give it a gentle tug evenly all around the edges, and tighten your hoop screw with pliers or a screwdriver.

👉 Need a refresher? Here’s a full post on how to get your fabric drum-tight. And here's a full post on making sure you're correctly loading the fabric into the hoop in the first place!

 

2. Start small (smaller than you think!)

Don't get me wrong, I get it - big, beautiful patterns are exciting, and are probably what got you excited to learn how to embroider in the first place.

But when you're trying to get better at embroidery, or even if you're just trying to learn embroidery from scratch, starting small is actually the smarter path.

Smaller embroidery patterns give you the space to focus on learning without the pressure to finish a huge masterpiece.

Let's not forget, embroidery is a slow craft, and it generally takes longer than you think it will. And that mounting pressure to finish-the-thing-you-started is high. (Or maybe that's just my suspected-ADHD brain talking!)

But those small + simple patterns? They’re perfect for building confidence and practicing core stitches with intention. They're easy to finish, giving you that instant dopamine hit, and make you excited to keep stitching!

Try this: Grab a stitch sampler or a simple floral pattern to work through slowly - you’ll learn more (and feel better) than powering through a complex piece you secretly dread 🤭

3. Embrace the messy middle

This is where real embroidery practice happens - in the wonky, uncertain, middle-of-a-project moments where nothing looks quite right yet.

And trust me, this happens to everyone, even me!

At first, I thought imperfect stitches meant I wasn’t good enough. Now? I see that 'messy-middle' as part of the process - as proof that I’m still learning, stretching my skills + making progress in my work.

I’ve learned to love the wobbly work, because every stitch teaches you something.

👉🏼 If you need encouragement here, this post on embracing imperfection in embroidery might be exactly what you need! 🫶🏼

 

Now, let’s talk about the flip side.

Because as much as I grew by starting new habits, I also had to stop doing a few things that were secretly slowing me down...

 

 

❌ 3 Embroidery Habits I Had to Un-learn

1. Rushing through a pattern just to finish it

At some point, I convinced myself that the number of finished pieces on my shelf equaled my progress. I thought, “If I can just complete five projects, then I’ll be beyond the beginner stage.” Sound familiar? 🤭

It’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring success by how fast you stitch or how many patterns you complete - especially when you’re eager to improve your embroidery skills.

But here’s the truth: embroidery isn’t a race. And speed? It rarely means progress.

When I was rushing, I wasn’t absorbing anything.

I missed the gentle rhythm of the craft. My stitches were uneven, I felt disconnected from my work, and honestly… I started to lose the joy, and the reason for stitching in the first place!

It wasn’t until I consciously slowed down + gave myself permission to stitch for the experience, not the outcome, that things began to shift.

I started stitching with more awareness and connection. I noticed what felt right in my hands, I adjusted naturally without second-guessing myself, and my stitching confidence grew with every slow, intentional movement.

Turns out, going slower helped me get better faster. Funny how that works.

2. Avoiding practice pieces

I used to avoid practice hoops and sampler patterns because they didn’t feel “worth it.” But the truth? Embroidery practice is where all the growth happens.

Samplers, doodle hoops, play pieces - these are your training ground, the stabiliser wheels to help you get from A to B.

Plus, the added benefit? With zero pressure to be perfect, you’re free to explore, try new stitches, and truly get better at embroidery.

But I get it.. sampler patterns are usually kinda boring.. That's exactly why I designed some that still look super pretty if you want to display them on your shelf!

👉 Want a great starting point? Here’s why embroidery samplers are your secret stitching superpower.

3. Thinking mistakes meant I wasn’t good enough

For a long time, I treated every wonky stitch like a red flag 🚩🤣

I’d unpick endlessly, convinced that one crooked line meant I wasn’t cut out for embroidery at all. Worse still, I’d sometimes abandon projects halfway - not because they weren’t fix-able, but because I felt like I had failed.

I thought being “good” at embroidery meant doing it perfectly.

No mistakes. No visible learning curve. Just flawless work, start to finish, always.

But embroidery - like any craft - is something you become good at by making mistakes. They aren’t signs of failure, they’re the trail markers of growth.

These days, I see mistakes so differently. They’re not something to be ashamed of, or proof that I don’t belong here. They’re simply part of the process - little nudges that help me refine my technique and improve my stitching skills in ways a perfect piece never could!

And let’s be real: even the most experienced stitchers still mess up. The difference is, we’ve made peace with it, and we keep stitching anyway!

Final Thoughts..

If you’ve picked up a hoop lately and put even a few stitches in, you’re already doing something beautiful.

These habits absolutely didn’t change everything overnight - but they helped me build a calmer, more confident approach with my embroidery!

And that’s exactly what I want for you too 🥰🫶🏼

If you loved this post, you’d love what’s inside Bloom Embroidery Academy.
Everything I’ve shared here (and so much more!) can be found in our membership. It’s the place where beginner embroiderers and growing stitchers come to learn faster, stitch better, and build real confidence.

Inside Bloom, you’ll find:

• Digital Patterns with Step-by-step stitch guides

• 40+ Stitch Tutorials

• 20+ Technique Tutorials to help you improve your stitching

• Gentle feedback from experienced stitchers, and encouragement through every messy, magical stage of learning!

✨ Come take a look at Bloom Embroidery Academy - your next project could be your best one yet!