When you think of hand embroidery, it is easy to think of formal cross stitch pictures and tapestries. Hand embroidery is so much more than this, it can be used in a random way to create wonderful textures, you can vary the threads from very fine metallic threads to heavy textured threads. You really only need to master a few basic hand embroidery stitches to be able to produce some fantastic effects in your work.
Think of stitches as 'marks'. If you have never done any mark making then have a go (there are some helpsheets below). Think about how you can use your stitches to create tone, colour and texture, and select the 'best stitch for the job'. But above all, DON'T class hand embroidery as something old fashioned that you won't use....take a look at the gallery to see that it is so much more than this.