Several aspects help improve the quality and appearance of embroidery. The first thing I want to mention, but not dwell on in too much detail, is the quality of the materials. Of course, accuracy and technique are important, but low-quality or worn-out materials will not produce a masterpiece. How to choose threads and fabric for embroidery is the topic of a separate post, but here are short and simple tips:

• Do not reuse the thread. Waste yarn goes to another craft project or the trash. The structure of the thread is damaged, so the appearance will no longer be the same.

• Don't spare the materials. Being economical is a wonderful trait and benefits the environment. However, when preparing for work and during the embroidery process, estimate need in the materials that are needed realistically.

• Also, you should not try to embroider a couple more crosses with the remaining short thread - the tension will be different and the overall appearance of this element may be distorted.

How to make the reverse side better?

Planning

Plan the embroidery by the pattern before you start. It's always good to look at the scheme before working on it and think about your moves in advance, like in chess.

We usually embroider from the center of the pattern, color by color, outlines, or black, if any first, and then fill with color.

Estimate the geometry of the ornament and your transitions from one to another. Which elements and rows are better to embroider first, so that later it is easier to move without long jumps and fix the thread under them?

Starting

Let's start by securing the thread at the beginning.

In many embroidering techniques securing the thread starts the same. We make a small securing stitch, on which the real first stitch is placed on top according to the pattern. The tail of the thread is left on the front side of the canvas and then cut very close to the canvas after a few stitches so that the thread is secured nicely.

If you embroider with an even number of threads, you can fasten the thread through the loop at the end. To do this, we fold the thread in half (one thread into two, two into four) and put the ends through the needle so that there is a loop for fastening on the other side.

You should not make knots in your embroidery, they look untidy, protrude from the face, and besides, they carry the negative energy of the wearer of the finished product. Well, everyone wants life to be smooth and without knots, right?

Use different embroidering directions. Often the most beautiful back comes out if we go left to right with half crosses and then back. Then on the back, you get a nice fence, parallel, neat, and easy to fasten.

But this is ideal. Schemes are different, and if straight parallel rows are not the story, you can try to adjust the order of embroidery between the rows or use a different direction.

For example, you can embroider with "shuttles" in one direction, sewing off a full cross and taking a step forward, as if in a backstitch with a needle.

In order not to lose the direction, remember the rule: we move in the direction where the needle points.

Another important life hack is two-punch embroidery. This is when we always keep our hand on the front side and go in and out with the needle at a time. When embroidery is on a hoop, it requires some dexterity and skill and is not always suitable, but it is usually very useful in the work. This technique has many advantages:

• Even and consistent tension of the thread throughout the ornament, the thread lies better in one direction;

• Easier to plan and see thread transitions from the reverse side. With this technique, hold the needle strictly vertically (or horizontally) and it will tell you the most optimal ways.

• Speed. This is really at least twice as fast as embroidering transferring the hand each time.

Fixing the thread at the end

We fix the thread by wrapping it around several stitches on the reverse side

When you finish an individual element or color, fasten the thread along straight lines from the back. Also, choose less convex lines, then no extra asymmetrical volume will be created.

Finish the thread by pulling it along straight lines.

How to make the front side better?

I can recommend a few ways to improve the front side. In my opinion, the main life hack is to maintain an even tension. For this, you should take a not-very-long thread, follow the direction of stitches, and pull & fix the threads of the fabric if they are suddenly stretched.

The two-punch embroidery, which was already mentioned above, will also help. The embroidery will then be not only more even, but also more convex on the front side.

Some people like embroidering with both hands using a stand. Here, as with blind typing, when you start, it is very slow and clumsy, but when you master the skill, the process becomes fast, high-quality, and intuitive.

A small but important detail: always embroider on prepared, clean, and ironed fabric. It is not only about the neatness and quality of the embroidery but also about your connection with the embroidery. If you put your heart into it, the embroidery turns out better. You don't want to put your soul into a worn, dirty, and crumpled piece, right?

And by the way, I will say that both the front and back sides, tension, and smart planning moves work best if you embroider "in the flow", no matter how esoteric it sounds. Yet, concentration and a paced flow of thoughts are reflected in the embroidery - I tried it out myself.

Consider embroidery your kind of meditation and may you have your stitches all neat!