Embroidery for Beginners - High Pavement Learning Centre - Adult Learning

Explore embroidery techniques in this six-week course. Each week you’ll tackle a small-scale project, experimenting with a variety of stitches (such as stem stitch, French knots and rose stitch) and embellishment methods. You’ll also learn how to add texture and interest using fabric scraps, beads, or sequins. In the final sessions, you’ll plan and complete your own personalised embroidery piece. This course is perfect for complete beginners looking to learn hands-on skills in a relaxed, supportive environment.

What will be covered on the course?

Over the course, learners will explore a range of hand embroidery. The course places a strong focus on developing core skills while working towards a larger finished project, including a hand-stitched heart hanger.

Early sessions introduce foundational stitches such as stem stitch, French knots, lazy daisy, and back stitch. Learners will practice these techniques through guided activities and mini tasks, building confidence, control, and understanding before applying them within their main project.

This course is suitable for complete beginners.

What will learners achieve by the end of the course?

Secure fabric in a hoop and thread a needle for comfortable, safe stitching.

Execute key embroidery stitches (straight, stem, French knot, lazy daisy, blanket stitch) with confidence.

Combine embroidery with simple appliqué using fabric scraps to create textured motifs.

Incorporate small embellishments (beads, sequins or similar) to enhance surface detail.

Plan a cohesive embroidery design, transfer it onto fabric, and stitch it to completion.

Course resources

Light-coloured cotton or linen fabric (a plain old or spare pillowcase that you are happy to cut up will be suitable)

An embroidery hoop

Embroidery needles – Large eye and sharp point.

Embroidery thread/floss in a few colours of your choice

Small scissors

Friction pen or pencil

How to embroider : techniques and projects for the complete beginner Author: Johns, Susie.

Optional - A needle threader.

Funding and Fees

If you receive certain benefits, you may be able to take the course for free.
If money is stopping you from enrolling, please visit our funding page to see what help is available.

Living in England

To book and join one of our courses, you must live in England permanently and either:

• Live inside the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) area (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire)

or

• Live outside the devolved areas listed below

You cannot enrol if you live in these devolved areas:

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

• North East Combined Authority

• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

• Tees Valley Combined Authority

• West Midlands Combined Authority

• West of England Combined Authority

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

• York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Hull and East Yorkshire

• Greater Lincolnshire

• Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority

• Cornwall Council

• Lancashire Combined County Authority

• Buckinghamshire Council

Residency Requirements (Additional Information)

If you live in the UK on a visa, we’ll need evidence of your visa to confirm funding. You can upload this when applying, and you’ll need to complete a short questionnaire.

Some exceptions include:

• Your visa must last until after your course ends.

• Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for at least 6 months while their claim is being processed.

• You are supported by your local authority under Section 23C or 23CA of the Children Act 1989, or under the Care Act 2014.

Anyone who does not meet the funding criteria would need to pay full course fees.