There comes a point in every stitcher’s journey where the beginner projects start feeling… well, a little too comfortable.

You’ve learnt the core stitches, you can happily finish a floral hoop without Googling every five minutes, and you’re starting to look at those beautifully detailed embroidery pieces thinking, “I’d love to be able to stitch something like that.”

If that’s you, firstly – congratulations! 🥹 That’s actually a really exciting place to be.

The jump from intermediate to advanced embroidery isn’t about suddenly becoming an expert overnight. It’s simply about choosing projects that stretch your skills little by little. Learn a few new stitches, experiment with different techniques, and before you know it, you’ll be creating pieces you never thought you’d be capable of.

So… where should you start?

Quick Answer: How Do You Go From Intermediate To Advanced Embroidery?

Honestly? To go from intermediate to advanced embroidery, you need to challenge yourself a little more with every project.

That could mean trying more advanced embroidery patterns, learning a handful of advanced embroidery stitches, experimenting with techniques like thread painting or mixed media, or even having a go at designing your own embroidery patterns.

You definitely don’t need to master everything at once. Just keep giving yourself something new to learn each time you pick up your needle. 🪡

Learn Some Advanced Embroidery Stitches

If I could only give one piece of advice, it’d be this.

Don’t try to learn every embroidery stitch.

Instead, pick a handful of advanced stitches, use them in a few projects, and let them become second nature before moving on to the next ones.

You’ll remember them far better that way.

Start With These 5 Advanced Embroidery Stitches

If you’re wondering where to begin, I’d start with these:

• Rhodes Stitch
• Blanket Stitch
• Four-Legged Knot
• Woven Spider Web
• Turkey Stitch

They’re all wonderfully textured and instantly make embroidery look that little bit more intricate.

Honestly, the first time you stitch a Turkey Stitch and trim it back into fluffy texture… it’s a very satisfying moment. 😅

Then Keep Expanding Your Stitch Library

Once you’ve got those under your belt, it’s time to start building a bigger stitch library.

Inside Bloom Embroidery Academy, there are tutorials for 34 advanced embroidery stitches, including:

• Padded Satin Stitch
• Tassel Stitch
• Herringbone Stitch
• Peking Knot
• Wheatear Stitch

The lovely thing about learning more stitches is that your projects naturally become more detailed without feeling any harder. You’ll start looking at flowers, leaves and textures completely differently because you’ll have so many more ways to recreate them.

Try Some Advanced Embroidery Patterns

Honestly, I think this is the most fun part.

Rather than sitting down and practising stitches over and over, I’d much rather learn them while making something beautiful.

That’s exactly what good advanced embroidery patterns do. They gently introduce new stitches and techniques without it feeling like homework.

Here are a few of my favourites…

1. Sunflower Bloom

This pattern isn’t particularly stitch-heavy, but the design itself is much more detailed than beginner projects.

It’s brilliant for learning how to build depth, layer stitches and tackle a more complex composition without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Cosy Christmas

If you’ve never stitched with beads before, this is such a fun one.

It combines bead embroidery with Turkey Stitch to create loads of lovely texture, and it’s one of those projects that people always ask about when it’s hanging on the wall.

3. Blossom

If thread painting has been sitting on your embroidery bucket list for ages… this is your sign.

Blossom introduces the basics of thread painting and teaches you how to blend colours together to create much more realistic flowers.

It’s one of those techniques that looks impossibly difficult until you actually try it.

4. Watercolour Arch

I have a real soft spot for this pattern.

It combines a gorgeous watercolour background with ten embroidery stitches, including four advanced embroidery stitches: Rolled Woven Picot, Coral Stitch, Buttonhole Bar and Rhodes Stitch.

It’s exactly the sort of project that teaches loads of new skills without ever feeling overwhelming.

(This pattern is exclusive to Bloom Embroidery Academy)

5. Spring Is In The Air

If you’re someone who loves learning lots of new stitches in one project, you’ll really enjoy this one. It’s a proper little confidence-builder!

It includes ten stitches altogether, including: Bullion Knot, Granitos Stitch, Weaving Stitch, Feather Stitch, Cast-On Stitch

(This pattern is exclusive to Bloom Embroidery Academy)

6. Woven Wall Hanging

Fancy trying something a bit different?

This project mixes embroidery with weaving, beads and other textured elements to create something that feels completely different from a traditional hoop.

If you’ve been stitching florals for a while and fancy a new challenge, I’d definitely recommend this one.

(This pattern is exclusive to Bloom Embroidery Academy)

Practice Some Advanced Embroidery Techniques

Learning new stitches is brilliant.

But sometimes it’s learning entirely new techniques that makes the biggest difference.

Mixed Media Embroidery

If you’ve never added beads or sequins to embroidery before, you’re missing out.

They add so much texture, sparkle and dimension, and they’re honestly much easier to use than most people expect. Once you’ve stitched with mixed media once or twice, you’ll start wanting to add beads to everything. 😂

Thread Painting

Thread painting is probably the technique that makes people say, “Wait… that’s embroidery?!”

By layering threads and blending colours, you can create flowers and animals that almost look painted. It definitely takes practice. But it’s also incredibly rewarding.

Try Some Advanced Embroidery Workshops & Courses

Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else do the planning.

Instead of wondering what to learn next, a good workshop gives you a clear path to follow and teaches everything step by step.

Advanced Florals Workshop

This workshop is exclusive to Bloom Embroidery Academy, and it’s one I recommend all the time to members wanting to level up their florals.

You’ll stitch six beautifully detailed flowers while learning how to create much more realistic petals using techniques like Bullion Knots, Cast-On Stitch and Blanket Stitch.

Everything comes with detailed video tutorials and a pattern booklet, so you can stitch at your own pace with a cuppa nearby. ☕

Embroidered Clothing Course

This one isn’t strictly an advanced course, as It’s designed more for intermediate stitchers.

But once you know how to embroider confidently onto clothing, jackets and denim, it opens the door to much more ambitious wearable embroidery projects later on.

Design Your Own Embroidery Patterns

Now this feels like advanced embroidery.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about looking at a blank page and thinking… “I wonder what I could stitch here?”

Designing your own embroidery patterns completely changes the way you look at embroidery. You stop simply following patterns and start creating them.

If that’s something you’d love to learn, the Pattern Design Course (PDC) by MME teaches a really simple step-by-step process for designing beautiful embroidery patterns again and again.

And honestly?  It’s pretty cool seeing somebody else stitching something that started as your own sketch. 🥹

Ready For Your Next Challenge?

If you’ve made it to intermediate embroidery already, it’s fair to say you’ve caught the stitching bug.

So rather than hunting around for your next project every few weeks, I’d honestly recommend joining Bloom Embroidery Academy.

For £27 per month, you’ll get access to absolutely everything inside Bloom, from beginner resources right through to advanced workshops.

If you’re looking specifically for advanced embroidery, you’ll find:

• 🪡 The Advanced Florals Workshop
• 🪡 34 advanced embroidery stitch tutorials
• 🪡 Workshops covering thread painting, mixed media and other advanced techniques
• 🪡 Four advanced embroidery practice patterns
• 🪡 Twenty advanced PDF embroidery patterns
• 🪡 A lovely community of fellow stitchers who genuinely love cheering each other on

The best part? There’s always something new to learn.

And that’s honestly my favourite thing about embroidery. No matter how long you’ve been stitching, there’s always another stitch to master, another technique to try, or another pattern waiting to become your new favourite.

Happy stitching, friend! 🪡💛