How To Embroider Socks By Hand -

You can embroider on pretty much anything you can stick and needle and thread through, and socks are no exception! A small accessory that is often overlooked, socks are a great article of clothing to stitch on.

While I don’t usually think socks are the most exciting gift, I think receiving some personalized socks would feel like a very thoughtful embroidered gift. (Maybe a monogram or a small design stitched on them!) Whether you’re looking to make some for a loved one or you have a boring pair of socks you want to add a little something to, this tutorial will walk you through how to embroider on socks by hand. It’s really very easy to do!

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a person with black shoes wearing light yellow socks with a pink embroidered bow on the ankle

Hand Embroidered Socks Tutorial

Supplies Needed

3 inch embroidery hoop – not required, but helpful to hold open the sock (Amazon)
assorted sizes of embroidery needles (Amazon)
embroidery floss – DMC is my favorite (Amazon)
cotton ankle socks (similar ones on Amazon)
water soluble marker (Amazon)

Tips For Success

Select a medium to heavyweight sock made of cotton.
Due to the stretchiness and small space, it’s easiest to make small, simple designs on socks. Larger designs can be challenging to stitch and the stitches may disrupt the stretch of the sock.
The ankle is the best place to embroider on the sock because it will receive less wear and tear. However, if you’re trying to fix a hole, you can forego this advice and consider visible mending for it!
Make sure you secure all of the stitches with knots to prevent the embroidery from falling out.
While it isn’t necessary to have, stick and tear away stabilizer may be helpful to place along the inside of the sock if you’re having a hard time embroidering it.
Check out these tips for embroidering on stretchy material before you get started.

Mark Out The Design

First, draw the design you want to stitch directly on the sock. For this project, I drew a small bow using a water soluble marker.

It may be helpful to try on the sock to make sure you like the placement before moving on to the next step.

Embroidering The Sock

If you have any embroidery hoop, place it inside the ankle of the sock. I don’t think it’s really necessary to place it inside of the hoop, I just used the hoop to create some space and stability while I stitched.

Thread the needle and tie a knot at the end of your thread to start your embroidery stitch.

Then you’re ready to get started! These basic embroidery stitches work well for stitching on socks. Anything too complicated may be hard to use since you’re working in such a small space. I used the back stitch to outline the bow.

To end your stitches, I recommend securing them with knots. You can do this by tying 2 pieces of thread together or doing a sewing finishing knot.

Finishing Up

Rinse off the marks and allow the sock to dry. Adding backing to the embroidery isn’t necessary, but if you want something to cover the stitches Tender Touch stabilizer is an option.

Then you’re all set to gift or wear them!