Carol Leather - Step-by-Step Embroidery Lessons for Beginners

Hello — I’m Carol Leather, and if you’re a beginner, you’re in the right place.

If you’ve ever looked at linen counts, thread weights, or a stitch diagram and thought, “I’m going to waste my materials and prove I don’t belong,” I want you to hear this first:

You do belong! Your'e learning and that is fun!

In needlework, being “a bit wobbly at the start” is not a flaw — it’s normal.

I still remember my grandmother guiding my hand through my first stitches, her warm Devon burr insisting my untidy work was “as good as hers.” That one sentence taught me something I’ve never forgotten: handwork is supposed to be kind to you.

How I help you (especially when your'e learning alone)

I’ve taught stitchers from complete beginners to adults returning to the craft after years away — always with a gentle, friendly approach. On this site you’ll find:

• Simple, step‑by‑step lessons that remove the mystery from stitches that look complicated at first.
• Patterns designed for real life — clear colour guides, sensible sizes, and notes so you can actually finish what you start.
• Rescue steps built in — because mistakes happen to all of us (me included), and most of them are completely fixable.
• Patient support. Quick troubleshooting, friendly advice, and encouragement when a stitch (or a day) goes wrong.

No jargon. No “just do this.” And you’re always welcome to ask a question.

A gentle way to start (no expensive mistakes required)

If you’re not sure what to do next, here’s a low-risk pathway:

• Start with an easy fabric — something forgiving, not your “precious” linen.
• Pick one stitch family to practise, so you don’t feel pulled in seventeen directions.
• Try a small sampler or motif first — then move to a bigger project when your hands feel steadier.

If you tell me your skill level and what you’d like to make, I’ll point you to a project that fits your time, taste, and mood.

Why you can trust my guidance

My story — the short version

I began stitching at seven with my grandmother and never lost that sense of wonder.

Later I discovered counted cross stitch and designed my first sampler for my daughter — a small, brave step that led to more designs, regular magazine work, and eventually my company, X-Caibre Designs, and this website.

To make my patterns clearer and easier to share, I moved from drawing charts on squared paper to using computer design software — so stitchers around the world could follow them with confidence.

Why stitching matters

Stitching is more than decoration.

Over the years, I've heard from people who found comfort in their needlework during hard times — including one man who taught himself to finish his late wife's embroidery of Mary and told me it gave him a reason to keep going. It turns out the pattern shared his wife's name. 

Those stories remind me that the slow, rhythmic work of our hands can be a true companion through difficult days.

If you're reading this and you're struggling, please consider reaching out to someone you trust or a local support service — you don't have to go through hard days alone.

Not sure what to make?

Send me a note through my Contact page with your skill level and what you'd like to create — I'll suggest a project that fits your time, taste, and mood.

One that won't make you feel you need a "proper needleworker" membership card to begin.

And if you'd like gentle encouragement between projects, you're warmly invited to join my newsletter — no pressure, just a friendly note now and then.