As an embroidery beginner, one of the most confusing and frustrating parts of learning how to create great works of embroidery is finding an easy and quick pattern. The reason you want an easy pattern is in order to allow you the time to practice and gain skills. But, you also want to be able to find a method of learning from others that have more skills and knowledge than you do with certain aspects of embroidery.

At no time in history have so many embroidery patterns and embroidery designs been available to us to purchase online. Deciding what's next for us to make has to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of embroidery. Choosing that perfect embroidery design or embroidery pattern or finding the perfect pattern download is almost as much fun as stitching it.

But what if you aren't quite sure what its going to take in time and energy. What if you aren't quite sure which materials will be easier to work with until your skill level grows and your confidence in your own ability begins to develop.

Finding an embroidery design that doesn't seem like it will take eons to finish for a beginner isn't always easy, whether your medium is cross stitch, crewel embroidery or machine embroidery. Some of them seem nearly insurmountable and in fact, the more complex pattern pieces will take a great deal of time.

For a first embroidery design you may want to choose one that is smaller and less complex so that you don't become discouraged before you complete the embroidery pattern and set it aside. Another factor will be the thread.

Some types are easier to use, among them the cottons. Using silks or slippery threads for your first project will make it more difficult than is necessary, and may lead to your choosing not to continue.

An easy to use material for a first embroidery pattern or embroidery design will be cotton even weave such as aida, or linen. The more natural fabrics will be easier to work with and offer you the best chance to make an heirloom piece on your first foray into embroidery.

There are many resources online for information for beginners to embroidery, and one of the best places to turn is to the Machine Embroidery Designs Store which offers great designs, patterns, books and more.

You can also find discount fabric for your projects.

This is a great place to start, and for $7.00 per month, the price can't be beat anywhere else online.

Tear Away - I use this for just about everything. You use it when you don't want the stabilizer showing around the edges of the design from the back. A really good brand of tear away will come off cleanly, without having to pull so hard that you end up with little holes around the design. It should also tear easily in any direction. If the design can be seen from the back, then tear away will leave you with a cleaner look. The fact that it tears off so well makes a design more fragile too. The edges of the design are left unprotected. If you put something through the wash a lot, a tear away will disolve more and more, and your design will start to come undone. Not only that, it is itchy against your skin if you put it on clothes.

Cut Away - This is used for things that need to be washed a lot. It is thicker and more durable. With a cut away, you just cut around it leaving a margin around the design. Don't try to cut it right up to the edge of the design. That defeats the purpose. I usually leave about 1/4" around the edge of my design. Look at a shirt that has been embroidered that you bought or in a store. You will see that they leave a margin around it. It gives the design more support. If you have a sheer fabric, you wouldn't want to use a cut away because you will see the edge of the stabilizer around the design. On anything that you can't see through, go ahead and use it. Heck, if the design won't ever be seen from behind, you could use cut away all the time. Most cut aways are softer than tear away too, so you don't get that itchy feel against your skin.

Wash Away - These are for those times when you need a stabilizer, but you don't want ANY remains of it afterwards. It is really good for designs that have holes in them like lace or snowflakes. You can stitch the design, tear most of it off, and then the first time you wash it, all those little pieces that would have taken you hours to pull off with tweezers just disappear. This has the same drawback as tear away in that it leaves your design in a more fragile state than something more permanent, but it looks really good when you first make it.

You can find cheap stabilizer material and save a ton of money.