Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn hand embroidery
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
A needle, a hoop and a few colours of thread are all it takes, and a beginner's first class works a handful of stitches such as chain, stem and couching into a real design. Day classes often come with a kit containing everything for the project.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoors or outAlone or with othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
These are real people who did this, as reported by the outlets named. We opened each one before linking it. None of them is connected with this site.
What you learn first
Beginners' classes start with a small set of surface stitches and the basics of hoops, thread and fabric. The University of Utah's three-evening course covers outline and decorative stitches and how to work through mistakes, snags and knots, ending with a finished piece.
The Royal School of Needlework's Introduction to Crewelwork, a day class at Hampton Court Palace, works a repeating design of Jacobean leaves in heavy chain, stem stitch, trellis, couching, woven wheel and fishbone. The kit includes everything needed, and frames, magnifiers and lights can be borrowed on the day.
What beginners pay
| Where | Course | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Royal School of Needlework, Hampton Court Palace | Introduction to Crewelwork: one day, 10am to 4pm, kit included; suitable for beginners | £131 |
| City Lit, London | Textiles: embroidery and embellishment, a weekend introduction | £329, or £263 senior and £214 concession |
| University of Utah Continuing Education | Three two-hour evening sessions; all skill levels welcome | $124, including a $25 fee for some shared materials, plus some supplies of your own |
In the US, the Embroiderers' Guild of America has a chapter map: enter a zip code to find a group of stitchers near you.
How to start
- Book a beginners' day class or a short evening course at an embroidery school or adult education college.
- Check whether a kit is included; the Royal School of Needlework's class kits contain everything needed for the project.
- Practise a few minutes most days, then look for a local guild branch or chapter to stitch with others.
Where to go
- Royal School of Needlework: Introduction to Crewelwork day class (Hampton Court Palace) UK
- City Lit: embroidery and hand stitch courses (London) UK
- Embroiderers' Guild of America: find a chapter US
- University of Utah Continuing Education: Hand Embroidery, From Stitches to Design US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need experience for an embroidery class?
No. The Royal School of Needlework says its Introduction to Crewelwork needs no prior experience, and the University of Utah's class welcomes all levels.
What do I need to start embroidery?
A hoop, embroidery thread, needles, fabric and small scissors. Many day classes, including the Royal School of Needlework's, supply a kit with everything for the project.
What is crewelwork?
A style of surface embroidery. The Royal School of Needlework's introductory class works a design of Jacobean leaves in stitches such as heavy chain, stem stitch and couching.
How do I find an embroidery group near me?
In the US, the Embroiderers' Guild of America's chapter map finds chapters by zip code. In the UK, embroidery schools and adult education colleges such as City Lit run classes where you meet other stitchers.
Where this comes from: Royal School of Needlework, HCP2072 Introduction to Crewelwork: A Wheel of Jacobean Leaves; City Lit, Embroidery, stitch and surfaces courses; University of Utah Continuing Education, Hand Embroidery: From Stitches to Design; Embroiderers' Guild of America, Where can I find chapters in my area?. Opened 8 November 2026.
Read next
From the Latest Music Bar to the hospital lab: Angi Mariani's first in biomedical science
How a Brighton music-bar owner and TV presenter took a part-time science degree alongside a hospital lab job, what national figures say about who keeps learning, and how to find a course or a way into laboratory work.
“Education has no expiration”: Virginia Ordaz and her mother finished their degrees in the same class
How a retired fire dispatcher from Stockton, California, finished the degree she started in 1989, and how her mother finished hers more than 40 years after her last class. How to find out what your own old credits are worth, in the US and the UK.
More like this
Moderate
Make your first patchwork quilt
Moderate
Learn an endangered heritage craft
Gentle
Learn to crochet
Moderate
Learn to sew your own clothes
Gentle
Go to a life drawing class
Gentle
Learn to paint in watercolour