Embroidery, Needlepoint or Cross Stitch Cost

Typical costs:

• You can get started in any of these crafts with $40-$100 worth of basic tools and supplies -- blunt-ended tapestry needles for needlepoint or cross stitch, crewel and tapestry needles for embroidery; a needle threader (optional); small sharp scissors for cutting thread and possibly a larger pair for fabric; a frame or hoop; a laying or stroking tool for needlepoint or cross stitch; masking or bias tape; embroidery floss or thread; and fabric or canvas. An optional frame stand or workstand can add another $10-$500 (depending on size and materials), and a clamp-on light and/or magnifier can run an additional $50-$200 or more.
• Directions for free projects in all three handcraft styles are online at Needlepointers.com[1] ; Needlepoint Now magazine posts free needlepoint projects; and thread manufacturer DMC offers free cross stitch designs. Patterns for all three handcrafts are sold individually or in books, starting around $3-$5 and go up to $25-$50 or more, depending on what's included; videos and DVDs run around $12-$40.
• Classes and workshops offered by senior centers, adult education programs, fabric stores, craft shops and others start around $10-$25 and can run $30-$100 or more for a longer series. Attending needlework conferences, shows or camps starts around $10-$150 daily and goes up to $200-$500 or more for a weekend event depending on the location and the level of personal instruction.
• A lot of hobbyists do hand embroidery, but some prefer the consistently even stitches and greater output of a machine. Prices for home embroidery machines range from $500-$8,500 and go as high as $20,000 or more for commercial-grade models. A realistic budget is $1,000-$2,000 for a basic hobby machine (plus software and attachments) that stitches up to a 4x4-inch area without adjustment. Less-expensive machines (under about $4,000) receive designs through pre-programmed memory cards; machines in the $4,500-$8,500 range let you connect directly to your home computer. Software for managing these designs in your computer can add $100-$400 to the total; computer programs to adapt and edit designs can run $400-$1,000.

• In embroidery, any sort of stitchable background is decorated (by hand or machine) with thread, using different stitches to create texture and interest. Embroidery is generally done freehand on plain fabric. NeedleNThread.com sponsors an online video library of embroidery stitches[2] .
• Needlepoint also uses a wide variety of stitches -- as many as 400 different styles -- but on a base of canvas, which is available in a wide variety of mesh sizes and styles. Free instructions for beginners are presented by NeedlepointNow magazine and Needlepoint-for-Fun.com[3] .
• Cross stitch is a popular form of embroidery in which there are only a few basic stitches, all of which are variations of an X-shape known as a cross stitch. Like needlepoint, cross stitch is done on canvas but with cross stitch not all of the background canvas is covered with stitches; the final product almost always has blank canvas showing around the stitched image. An avid hobbyist provides a detailed overview of counted cross stitching[4] .

• The best information and support for beginners comes from others who have already spent years enjoying these needlecraft hobbies; for information, contact the Embroiderers' Guild of America, National Academy of Needlearts[5] and National Embroidery Teachers Association[6] . To locate a local shop that specializes in needlecraft, contact The National Needlearts Association.
• ArtisticThreadWorks.com gives tips for buying an embroidery machine[7] .

1.  www.needlepointers.com/ShowArticles.aspx?NavID=372
2.  www.needlenthread.com/videos
3.  www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/needlepoint-instructions.html
4.  home.comcast.net/~kathydyer/
5.  www.needleart.org/
6.  www.embroideryteachers.org/
7.  www.artisticthreadworks.com/public/144.cfm

Check Out All Costs for Recreation & Activities		How Much Does Polymer Clay Jewelry Cost?		How Much Does Scrapbooking Cost?		How Much Does a Bounce House Cost?

Today's Featured Cost Articles

Make sure your gutters are clean before they start to fill up again this fall. Are you planning a Labor Day picnic? Need a new charcoal grill? Pruning trees before the storm season can help ensure dead branches won't imperil your home. Looking for help to take care of your garden? How much does garden service cost. The late August sun can leave a mark. Check out sunburn treatment options.

About CostHelper

CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community

UTI urgent care visit Paid: 147.00 Visit was $135. Antibiotics was $12. Waiting for four hours in the waiting room and the visit was quick... [more] -nervouschomper Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Cost Spanish Medical Interpreter Paid: 150.00 I worked with SynShyne Services out of Monroe, NC. They were so worth the price! Professional, friendly, accurate, great attitude and always on time. I recieved an itemized report after every contact and a user friendly invoice weekly... [more] -Gregory Richardson Interpreter Cost Dat Paid: 495.00 This is how much I am paying... [more] -Calista Christian Dental Admission Test Cost Shingrix Paid: 48.00 ... [more] -Not that BB Shingles Vaccine Cost Skin prick allergy test Paid: 573.00 Took my 9 yr. old in after an allergic reaction to eggs. Several panels for nuts, fish & top 8 allergens. Sure enough, egg came up. Got a script for epinephrine and left... [more] -D’s mom Allergy Testing Cost Estimate for Teeth Cleaning Cat Paid: 0.00 13 year old cat …teeth extractions, X-rays, blood work, anesthetic, cleaning estimate 2 to 3 thousand... [more] -Terrimarie Cat Teeth Cleaning Cost