3 Habits That Make You a Neater Stitcher in Hand Embroidery

Do you want to get better at embroidery? Do you want your stitching to look a little neater, more polished and professional, and maybe even a bit more intentional?

Perhaps you’ve finished a project and thought, “Why doesn’t mine look like the photos?”..
Or maybe you can’t quite put your finger on what’s 'off' about it. Your embroidery isn't bad, but it’s not as neat as you’d like it to be either!

If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone - and you’re very much in the right place, friend!🫶🏼🤎

I had this exact feeling early in my embroidery journey. Sure, my embroidery stitching was fine, but it felt like something was lacking; like there was some sort of secret that I hadn't been told as to how I stitched as neat as the original artist had stitched theirs!

Well, I have some good news for you: neater embroidery doesn’t come from being “naturally talented” or stitching perfectly from day one. In fact, it usually has nothing to do with learning dozens of fancy stitches or buying super expensive supplies.

More often than not, it comes down to a few small, often-overlooked habits. Tiny tweaks in how you stitch, the tools you use, and the way you approach your projects. And the best news of all? These habits are easy to build, no matter your skill level.

In this blog post, I’m sharing 3 simple habits I’ve picked up over 6+ years of hand embroidery - the kind of things I really wish someone had told me when I was just getting started (and even when I thought I knew what I was doing!)

They’re practical, realistic, + instantly actionable, and they’ll help you start stitching neater without sucking the joy out of embroidery in the process.

Sound good? Let’s dive in!

1. Use the Right Size Embroidery Needle (and the Right Number of Thread Strands)

One of the biggest game-changing habits for neater embroidery actually comes down to your embroidery supplies, specifically, your needle and thread!

I know, I know. It might sound boring… but stick with me here 🤣

Your choice of embroidery needle has a huge impact on how neat your stitching looks.

Why needle size matters more than you think

When you use the correct size embroidery needle, you’re able to be far more precise with your stitch placement. And if you’re new and thinking, “What on earth is stitch placement, Sophie?!” Put simply, it refers to where you put your needle down through the fabric, and where you bring it back up.

Consistent, accurate stitch placement is basically the foundation of neat embroidery. Once you start mastering that? Your work instantly begins to look more professional with every stitch. And, precise stitch placement is so much easier when you’re using the correct size needle.

If your needle is too large for the stitch (or for the number of thread strands you’re using), it:

Makes accurate stitch placement much harder,
Creates larger holes in the fabric than you need, and
Directly impacts how neat your stitches turn out

On the flip side, while smaller needles allow for more precision, using a needle that’s too small can make stitching feel frustrating, and embroidery should never feel like a battle!

Wanna learn more about choosing the right size embroidery needle?

2. Get Really, Really Good at the Basics

Next up (and yes, this one really does need to be said!) is getting super duper good at the embroidery basics.

One of the biggest misconceptions I see in newbies + intermediate stitchers alike is this:

Learn a few beginner stitches → immediately jump into difficult/complex designs → wonder why things don’t look neat 🥲

Sound familiar? If it does, just know you’re not alone! It's all too common for new embroiderers to finish a beginner-friendly embroidery pattern and suddenly think they're ready for a 10" embroidery project with 12+ 'new-to-you' stitches!

Getting really good at the basics of embroidery is your quickest path to neat + polished stitching, and also to having way more fun with your projects!

And no… I don’t mean stitching a stitch once or twice and ticking it off the list (sorry 😅)

So, what does 'mastering the embroidery basics' actually look like?

I mean truly getting comfortable with things like:

Tightening your fabric so it’s drum tight
Stitching beginner-friendly stitches (like satin stitch, French knots, and chain stitch) in your sleep, without needing to refer to instructions
Accurately transferring embroidery patterns so your design starts off clean

It might seem 'obvious' and 'basic', but, well, that's kinda the point!

My biggest piece of advice if you want to master the basics?

Make it a habit to actively practise the basics every time you stitch - even when you think you already “know” them, and even if it feels a little bit silly!

Only when you reach the point where the basics feel almost boring, will you notice something magic happening:

Your stitches become more consistent
Your tension improves naturally
Your designs start looking noticeably neater

That’s when the real progress kicks in!

Related Post: Why Consistency Is the Secret to Improving Your Embroidery

3. Slow Down (Yes, Really!)

You might think I’m slacking by putting this one third - but trust me, it’s just as important as the other two!

So many embroiderers rush through projects, eager to finish so they can move on to the ✨ next shiny thing ✨

And honestly? I get it 🤣 "Shiny Project Syndrome" is alive and well here at Mindful Mantra Embroidery HQ too!! But truly, slowing down is key if you want neater stitching.

Neat embroidery comes from intentional stitch placement

Yup, it all circles back to stitch placement again!

If you have straighter outlines, more evenly filled shapes, neater florals and leaves, cleaner lettering? Well, that's only possible if you are intentional with where your needle goes. And there's not really a shortcut for that I'm afraid - it simply takes time.

It’s very rare that I bring my needle up in the perfect spot on the first go. I regularly poke the needle in and out of the fabric until it’s exactly where I want it!

And that’s not a mistake - it’s the exact habit that leads to neater embroidery.

Final Thoughts (and Your Next Step)

These three habits might seem small, but together they make a huge difference to the neatness of your embroidery!

And the best part? They’re super simple tweaks, and chances are, you’re already doing some of them without even realising it.

If you’d love:

More practical tips for improving your embroidery skills
Friendly guidance without overwhelm
A supportive community of stitchers all learning and improving together

You’d absolutely love Bloom Embroidery Academy!🪡 It’s where I teach embroidery in a calm, encouraging, skill-building way, and where you never have to figure things out alone.

👉🏼 Click here to explore Bloom Embroidery Academy