THE EASIEST NEEDLEWORK TO LEARN

I started out doing embroidery at 3 or 4; machine sewing at 5; knitting at 8; still can't make anything much of crochet or tatting but lumpy strings.

Kay

I suspect for adults, needlepoint or cross stitch might be the easiest to start with.

I agree, needlepoint and cross stitch are easy. Straight knitting is easy also, following a pattern takes some learning and practice.

Nellie

On Thursday, June 19, 2014 12:10:43 AM UTC+3, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: plain sewing than embroidering mirjam

The favorite art of the best teacher is the easiest to learn.

That said, my favorite art is dressmaking, and I've had some success teaching embroidery. But I'm a certified lousy teacher.

When I had access to children, I'd have them poke needles into soft cloth, then running-stitch with bonded-nylon thread around a printed circle that surrounded their artwork, and use it to gather the fabric over a cardboard disk. Because of the limited time (and because I don't trust strange children with hot or sharp objects) I'd press and trim the excess fabric, then they would write their names and the date on paper circles and paste them on the back. (The main thing I was trying to teach is that sewing is fun. I took Sharpies for children whose parents held them on their laps.)

I'm due next Saturday to teach shirt-button replacement. Whether I'll be swamped or in dire need of something to do, nobody ventures to predict. I suppose I'd better make sure I remember how to sew on a button before then; I've been using hooks and snaps for the last fifteen years.

I would tend to agree with Kay. Making xs (xes? What's the plural of x?) or slanted lines is pretty easy. There is a lot more coordination involved in the rest, especially tatting (although I've only done needle tatting, which I find very similar to crochet).

Who are you trying to teach?

I'm not trying to teach but considering trying to learn.

Basic cross stitch is going to be the cheapest to learn (the yarns and canvases used for needlepoint are generally much more expensive). But you can pick up a piece of Aida cloth (which looks like this: (and comes in smaller pieces, too), a pack of "tapestry needles" (about $2), and a small embroidery hoop for another $2-4 (6" is a good size for most women's hands), and a couple of skeins of something like DMC embroidery floss for under $2 and get started.

The holes in the aida cloth make it easy to make nice even stitches on, and when you're well practiced, you can switch to cross stitching on different fabrics, or you can start learning some new embroidery stitches and work over into surface embroidery.

Everyone who embroiders (and cross stitch is a form of embroidery) tends to develop their own ways of working and what they're comfortable with. I mostly work without hoops, and usually do many different forms of stitches, not just cross stitch (here's a quilt square I did for a friend:

) We all develop our own styles and preferences, and that, to me, is one of the great things about embroidery as a hobby. Kay

Yeah, what Kay said! And remember to keep posting here, especially if you have questions/problems. We mostly have lots of experience with most types of needlework and are great at enabling! :)

Thanks to all of you for your input. It looks like embroidery is the best choice for a beginner like me.

Crochet was easy for me to learn. At least it's an easy ripout.

I never could knit well - lumpy-bumpy. Embroidery can be tough to master. Tatting I never tried. I love needlepoint, but my fingers say it's time to quit.

I knit very similarly to crochet, IOW, I "pick" the yarn, rather than "throw" it. Knitting rips out just as easily...you don't want to know how I know! Lol!!

And even tougher to rip out!

I haven't learned to shuttle tat (although I'd love to...there are some beautiful shuttles I'm coveting!) but learned needle tatting a few years back at a CATS show. I found it very similar in motion to crochet.

My problem with tatting is...what do you do with the stuff you tat? The one thing I did tat was some insects to applique on Cheryl's hugs quilt a few years back. I'm not into frilly edgings or doilies. Hmmm... we're remodeling our living room so maybe some tatted arm/headrests for the couch? I'll have to keep that in mind. We're getting a wine-colored couch.

Tatted snowflakes make good ornaments... just starch them stiffly.