Hand embroidery books and tools and accessories are all well and fine – we need them to inspire us, to help us learn, to get the job done. But when it comes to actually producing a beautiful piece of needlework, it’s the basic materials that make all the difference in the outcome of the work.

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again. The fact is, average embroidery done on good materials will always look good. Exquisitely executed, perfectly stitched embroidery done with poor materials will never look better than just average. And poorly stitched embroidery with the wrong materials will pretty much always look like poorly stitched embroidery with the wrong materials.

The basic materials you use in your embroidery – the fabric and the thread – determine the difference between an average outcome and an exquisite outcome. If you take your embroidery seriously – if it’s more to you than just a fad or a craft that fills time and will eventually be faded, discarded, and forgotten – then eventually you’ll want to invest in the right materials for the best outcome and for the best chance of longevity.

Today’s give-away offers some of the Best basic materials on the market today for hand embroidery.