From Doodles to Designs: How to Create Your Own Embroidery Patterns
Hello, my artsy friend! Ever doodled something on a napkin during a coffee date and thought, this would be absolutely adorable stitched on a tote bag? Or maybe you've been sketching little flowers in the margins of your planner and wondering if you could turn them into something more? Here's the thing: you totally can! And it's way easier than you think.
Last month, I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for our table, and I started doodling these simple little wildflowers on my kids' placemat. By the time our food arrived, I had the cutest little bouquet sketch that I knew would be perfect for embroidery. A week later, those same doodles were stitched onto a canvas tote that I now use for everything.
Today I'm walking you through exactly how to take your sketches—whether they're napkin doodles, iPad creations, or margin masterpieces—and turn them into custom embroidery patterns you'll actually want to stitch. We'll cover sketching, refining, transferring, and stitching your own designs, and I promise it's more approachable than you think.
Ready to see your artwork come to life in thread? Let's dive in!
Why Make Your Own Embroidery Pattern?
Before we get into the how-to, let's talk about why creating your own patterns is such a game-changer. First, it's your chance to express your unique style instead of only stitching other people's work. Don't get me wrong—I love a good pattern (hello, I sell patterns in my shop!), but there's something magical about seeing your own creativity translated into thread.
Custom patterns also let you personalize gifts, clothes, and accessories in a way that's completely one-of-a-kind. Want to embroider your bestie's dog on a tote bag? Or add your family's inside joke to a sweatshirt? When you can create your own patterns, the possibilities are endless.
And here's the best part: it's easier than it sounds! You don't need to be the next Picasso or have fancy art training. If you can doodle, you can create embroidery patterns.
Start with a Simple Sketch
The beauty of embroidery pattern-making is that you can start with literally anything—pencil and paper, your iPad, even a whiteboard if that's what you have handy. I've created some of my favorite designs on everything from sticky notes to the back of receipts.
Here are my top tips for sketching embroidery-friendly designs:
Stick to bold, clear lines. Think of how you'd draw something for a coloring book rather than a realistic portrait. Embroidery loves clean, defined shapes that translate well to thread.
Keep shapes simple at first. Start with florals, initials, or fun doodles rather than complex scenes. A simple daisy chain or your kid's name in bubble letters can be just as impactful as something more elaborate.
Think in outlines, not shading. Remember, you're going to be stitching these lines, so focus on the outline of your design rather than internal details or shadowing. You can always add texture with different stitches later!
I keep a small sketchbook in my purse specifically for design ideas. Some of my best patterns have come from random moments of inspiration—like that wildflower doodle I mentioned, or the cute cactus I sketched while waiting for my car to get serviced.
Digitizing Your Design (Optional)
If you're an iPad or Adobe lover, digitizing your sketch can be a total game-changer, but it's completely optional! I use Procreate for a lot of my designs because it makes refining and scaling so much easier.
The benefits of going digital include being able to easily scale your design up or down depending on what you're stitching onto, create clean printable patterns that you can use again and again, and if you're thinking long-term, it's perfect if you want to reuse or even sell patterns later.
But honestly? Some of my favorite patterns are still hand-drawn on paper, and they work beautifully. Don't let the tech intimidate you—your napkin sketch is just as valid as a polished digital design.
Transfer Your Design to Fabric
Once you have your design ready (digital or hand-drawn), it's time to get it onto your fabric. Here are my three favorite methods:
Method 1: Tracing with a window or lightbox. Tape your design to a bright window, place your fabric over it, and trace away with a water-soluble pen or light pencil. This works best with lighter fabrics where you can see through easily.
Method 2: Water-soluble pens. Draw your design directly onto the fabric with a water-soluble or heat-erasable pen. Perfect for when you want to freehand it or when your fabric is too dark for tracing.
Method 3: Printable stick-and-stitch stabilizer. This is honestly my favorite method! Print your design onto printable stabilizer — or trace it with an erasable pen — stick it right onto your fabric, stitch through both layers, and then dissolve away the stabilizer when you're done. It's foolproof and works on any fabric color or texture.
Speaking of stick-and-stitch, if you want to try this method but aren't ready to create your own designs yet, I have some ready-made options in the shop that are perfect for practicing!
A quick fabric tip: light-colored, smooth fabrics are your best friend when you're starting out. Save the dark denim and heavy canvas for when you're feeling more confident with your pattern transfer.
Choose Your Colors & Stitches
Here's where things get fun! For your first custom design, I recommend keeping it simple with outline stitches like backstitch, split stitch, or stem stitch. These create clean lines that really make your design pop without getting too complicated.
When choosing colors, think about what would make you happy to look at every day. I tend to gravitate toward earthy tones with pops of color, but maybe you're all about bright and bold, or soft and romantic. There's no wrong choice—just what feels like you.
If you're feeling stuck on color combinations, take a photo of something that inspires you (a sunset, your favorite mug, a pretty flower) and pull colors from that. Nature is honestly the best color palette generator.
Tips for Success
Ready for some real talk? Don't worry about perfection—the handmade charm is what makes embroidery so special. Those slightly wobbly lines and imperfect curves? They're features, not bugs.
Here's a pro tip I wish someone had told me earlier: take a photo of your design on the fabric before you start stitching. This way, if you love how it turns out, you can easily recreate it later without having to start from scratch.
And please, please, practice on a scrap of fabric first if you're trying a new technique or working with an especially precious piece. I've learned this lesson the hard way more times than I care to admit!
Your Artwork, Your Way
Creating your own embroidery patterns is honestly one of the most empowering parts of this whole craft. There's something incredible about seeing your own artwork—your doodles, your ideas, your creativity—come to life in thread.
The process we just walked through might seem like a lot, but remember: sketch, transfer, stitch. That's it. Everything else is just details that you can figure out as you go.
So grab that sketchbook, napkin, or iPad, and start doodling. Your next favorite embroidery project might just be hiding in your imagination, waiting to be stitched into something beautiful.
Ready to share your creations? I'd absolutely love to see what you come up with! Tag me @artsylyons or use #stitchyourstyle so I can cheer you on. There's nothing I love more than seeing your creativity in action. Stitch your style, one doodle at a time. ✏️🧵
Ready to get started?
I'd love to be part of your journey, so I’ve created a fun 15-stitch sampler guide with patterns that let you learn while creating something you’ll actually want to keep! Download your free pattern and guide to stitch along with me! The pattern has 15 different stitches for you to practice. And if you need help, I’ve got you! Hop over to my master stitch list or connect with me on YouTube to watch step-by-step videos for each of the stitches.
Want more accountability? Share this it with a fellow crafty friend who could use some creative inspiration in their life—because the more, the merrier!
Happy stitching, my artsy friend! 🪡✨
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