Starting Your Embroidery Journey: Setting Goals and Expectations

If you're serious about starting to learn embroidery, then believe me when I say that you're gonna want to set yourself some goals.

Now stay with me here..

Because you're probably thinking something like "but it's a hobby, it's something fun to do, it's not a job!"

And yes, whilst you are absolutely right there, it's still important to set yourself some goals at the start of this brand new journey!

As with anything new, inside your job or out of it, it can always be helpful to map out your expectations, just so you know that you can keep yourself on track!

Whilst this is a hobby (and a pretty darn good one at that!), it does still take time and practice to master, and you're pretty much not likely to be an expert at it right from the get go.

So, by setting those goals and managing those expectations, not only are you going to be able to not feel demoralised if it doesn't go quite to plan at your first attempt, you're also more likely to stick at it and keep improving!

Let's dive in to this blog post, shall we?

Understand the Learning Curve

First things first, and as I just briefly touched on, you're not likely to be an expert from the outset! Like any new skill, there's always a learning curve that takes place, and embroidery is no exception.

It's perfectly normal (and expected!) to encounter difficulty at first. To be frank, I'd be worried if you didn't experience any difficulty in the early days of your journey! Whether it's puckered fabric, loose stitches or uneven lines while tracing, there's a whole host of challenges you could face that you will not be alone in.

Define Your Embroidery Goals

Next up, let's make those goals!

Now that you know what to expect of yourself, you're best placed to map out your goals.

So, I'm swinging the conversation back to you, friend! What is it that you hope to achieve by learning embroidery? Here's some thoughts that could help you:

To relax and unwind
To stop scrolling social media
To create handmade gifts
To embroider your clothes, or your kids' clothes
To learn something new
To be creative in your spare time
Or maybe to start a small business on the side?

All of the above? Yup, me too 😉

Map out a max of 3 goals you'd love to achieve, and let's focus on those for now.

P.S. If your goal is to embroider clothes, our stick and stitch packs are perfect for you!

Setting Realistic Expectations

Be kind to yourself here! You're only human, and setting a goal that's not achievable is only going to deflate you, and where's the fun in that?!

Embroidery is a slow craft, so in that true mindful nature, go slow with your goals too. With repetition, perseverance, practice and passion, you will improve your skills. That's basically a given!

Here's some goals you may want to start with if you're stuck:

Learn 3 embroidery stitches
Spend 10 minutes learning a new technique, or stitching your first/next project
Finish an embroidery project once every month, and dedicate small pockets of time throughout the month for yourself to be creative

Establish a Routine

Meh, routine. I hate routine, so if you do too, don't scroll past this one!!

Embroidery is a hobby, and it's something that's so easy to push to the side when time is a little bit scarce.

But, by incorporating it into your daily life and dedicating some time for yourself to be creative, you'll find it much easier to stick to it.

And then, not only will you be meeting those small goals we made earlier, but you'll also be doing something mindful and creative on a semi-regular basis ... double yay!

I struggle with routine, but I told myself that I would take just 10 minutes each evening after I'd put my little boy to bed to be creative.

Nothing groundbreaking, just 10 minutes. If I could do more, great! If I couldn't? That's cool, at least I had that small pocket of time to unwind and get away from screens.

Celebrate Small Wins

This one doesn't just apply to embroidery, it applies to life in general, so we're really handing out the goods here!

Alwaysssss celebrate your progress, even if it's only a teeny tiny baby step. But, celebrating those small wins not only recognises how far you've come, it also allows you to stay motivated and inspired to carry on!

You've learned 1 new stitch? That's awesome! You've spent 15 minutes away from your phone and done a bit of mindful stitching? That's fab!

Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunities

We all make mistakes at everything we do, and honestly it's a natural part of the learning process!

If you make a mistake, that's a good thing, because it means you're trying something new and making progress! Here at Mindful Mantra Embroidery we're big believers of 'progress over perfection', and making a mistake is a perfect step in that process.

Find Joy in the Process!

At the end of it all, the most important part of starting embroidery is for the enjoyment that you get out of it. After all, that's what hobbies are all about!

Whilst it's super helpful to manage expectations and have goals for improving your embroidery, it's even more important to enjoy it and have fun!

I cannot wait to see what you create, friend, and to see the progress you make in your journey! What's a goal that you're going to make? Let me know in the comments below this post! 👇🏼

P.S. Need some of my best tips whilst you're starting out your embroidery journey? Grab my FREE Beginners Guide booklet below!