Although almost everything about the pandemic was awful, there was at least one positive side to it: people taking up hobbies. A LendingTree survey found that 6 in 10 Americans tried out a new activity during the lockdown. In 2024, 67% of Americans say they have multiple hobbies.

Those who enjoy cozying up on their couch and making something with their own hands gravitated toward fiber crafts. Sewing, knitting, crocheting – fans even started recreating Harry Styles' viral cardigan at home. But today, we're dedicating a list to embroidery and its community on Reddit, r/embroidery. We have a new collection of the most gorgeous projects people shared there, so scroll away and be inspired!

We also reached out to professional embroidery artist Emillie Ferris, based in Warwickshire, UK. She told Bored Panda more about how a cozy hobby can turn into a career. Emillie also shared some tips for those new to the art of embroidery and the most important words of encouragement any beginner needs to hear: "You're already an artist."

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Emillie's work, although mostly fueled by her passion for needlecraft, draws inspiration from wildlife and the British countryside. Our longtime readers might remember her feature here on Bored Panda from back in 2016. She stunned us with incredibly realistic pet and animal portraits and had many readers wanting their own stitched portraits of their four-legged best friends.

Eight years later, Emillie now offers tutorials and courses for people who want to hone their embroidery skills and those who just picked the hobby up. She has been featured on numerous websites, including This Is Colossal, the Design*Sponge blog, and Frankie Magazine. Emillie's needlework has also been featured in magazines such as Vogue Brazil and Town and Country Magazine.

Emillie says that her journey to become a master embroiderer began during her university years. In her second year of university, she missed the countryside and the slower pace of life it brought with it, and in 2013, she began her embroidery journey. "Little did I know, when I had finished embroidering my first hoop, what a wonderful impact it would have on my life and career," she now reflects.

Emillie tells Bored Panda that romanticized paintings depicting women doing needlepoint by windows or in the countryside first inspired her to pick up a needle. "I was particularly obsessed with Tumblr (weren't all us girls back then?), photography, and the pre-raphaelite movement at the time."

Two paintings in particular caught Emillie's eye and ignited the spark to try fiber art. 'I Am Half-Sick of Shadows,' Said the Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse and An Afternoon Embroidering by Madeleine Jeanne Lemaire.

"I loved the idea of using this ancient craft to connect with these talented women from the past," Emillie explains her inspiration. "But mostly, I longed for a hobby that didn't require technology. I was doing a lot of digital creative work for my university degree, e.g., graphic design, photography, and videography. I longed for a low-cost, portable hobby I could take anywhere with me. After trying crochet for a week, embroidery quickly became an everyday passion of mine," Emillie tells Bored Panda.

Emillie tells us that she didn't expect her hobby to turn into a career. For her, it was just a passion that turned into a business. "It was something that progressed naturally through Instagram and through time. I would post photographs of my creations on Instagram purely for fun and encouragement, and from there, I started to receive a lot of emails and requests (to my surprise) from people wanting to purchase them!"

Since her start in the early 2010s, a lot has changed. "My business has since grown from creating custom pet portraits to helping thousands of others learn the craft of needle-painting," Emellie tells us. "I now have a following of over 200,000 people, and this still blows my mind today. I am very grateful to those who have supported my work and to my past self for trying something new."

Emellie tells Bored Panda that there aren't any prerequisite skills one must have to start embroidering. "The only trait I can think of is the will to try something new and perhaps be a bit bad at it to begin with!" For those waiting for the right time to take up a hobby, Emellie says: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

"Don't hesitate, don't doubt yourself, and just go for it!" Emellie encourages aspiring needlers. "Once you start embroidering, you will only wonder why you didn't start earlier. The materials are inexpensive and easy to get a hold of." She recommends embroidering projects you are truly interested in: nature, films, quotes, or anything else. "Be inspired by others, but remember to be your truest authentic self and don’t directly copy other artwork," she adds.

Emillie created tutorials for those who might feel overwhelmed by the technicalities of embroidery. Her Etsy shop is a treasure trove of information for beginners, with many tips and tricks. Emillie says that these materials help people feel less pressure to design a project themselves, especially if they don't feel up to it yet. "Good luck, and above all, enjoy yourself, express yourself, and have fun with it!"

We also wanted to know the most common mistakes beginners make. Emillie says that the first thing novices should avoid is buying beginner kits from Amazon, Temu, and the like. "They are often low quality and will be more likely to be frustrating due to poor instructions," the embroidery artist explains.

Emillie recommends scouring the Internet and socials for high-quality kits and tutorials from embroidery artists. Etsy and Instagram can be of great help in this search, she claims. "These people WANT you to love embroidery as much as them, that's why I created my kits. I don't want people to be put off after trying a new hobby once due to bad materials. I want them to fall in love with embroidery and feel proud of what they have created!"

If you're more of a cheapskate or just simply like a challenge and want to approach embroidery solo and with a little help from a YouTube video, Emillie recommends having these materials on hand:

1. Medium-weight cotton;
2. A pack of size 5/10 needles from brands such as John James/DMC;
3. A varied selection of floss colors from DMC or Anchor and a sturdy wooden hoop. (She suggests a 5" hoop from DMC.) Note: embroidery floss comes in six divisible strands -- use one strand for detailed, realistic work, and always make sure your fabric is DRUM TIGHT in the hoop.

Emillie also has more encouraging words: "You are good enough. Your time has not passed to try new skills. Go for it, try it, experiment with it. The materials are so humble, yet you can create your own mini-masterpiece to last [for] generations to come. You don't need much to get started. You can do this. Happy stitching!"