Embroidery can be a bit intimidating to start off with, but the key is to start of small and get your skills right. There’s nothing worse than trying to tackle a project that’s just too big or beyond your skill set.

A really easy started project is to embroider some napkins. They’re good to start with because if you don’t really like how it turned out you can just not use them for company, or if you’re really pleased with how they turned out you can use the same basic idea to make really cute embroidered pillows.

For these napkins, you’ll need:

1 yard of muslin fabric = 4 napkins (I bought the fabric by the yard online)
Basic sewing supplies
2 Buttons for each napkin
Embroidery Floss

Fold the fabric (I used muslin) into a 17 1/2″ square to make one napkin. Fold fabric under 1/4″, fold under again, press and stitch around perimeter to close.

Then just trace and stitch a stem and leaf in one corner of each napkin. One of the reasons this makes a good starter project is that a straight line isn’t needed, in fact the more “organic” it looks, the better. Then instead of trying to make a center for your flower just stitch the buttons at the top of the stems and you have some very cute embroidered napkins.

If you like how it has turned out then you can simply use the same basic idea to make a pillow. Just use the napkin, or you can make another one, as the front of the pillow, stitch a piece of fabric that’s the same size around three of the four sides to act as the back of the pillow. Stuff, close the open side and then place it on your couch or bed.