Starting Embroidery–need help!?
What materials do I need to start Embroidery. I realize buying embroidery hooks, floss, needles, and pins are necessary, but what else? What kind of fabric do I use and can I buy it at JoAnn’s House of Fabrics? I want to do a handkerchief for my friend plus just wanna pick up the craft. Thanks 
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Almost any fabric is suitable for embroidery. Look for a material such as linen for your handkerchiefs.
You will also need patterns to iron on the fabric.
You should be able to find everything you need at JoAnn’s.
I would start with a kit, as they come with instructions.(i.e. embroidery does not use hooks). You would need needles and a hoop. The best type of fabric to pick for your handkerchief would be a loose weave like Irish linen.
Here is a site (source) with a list of what you need along with a lot of other information.
Practice on similar cloth before attempting the handkerchief.
Pick up a book on beginning embroidery for free at your local library. Grab some floss and practice on scrap fabric first. Most Joann’s Fabrics or Michael’s stores carry linen circles/squares & ovals that are edged with machine-made Battenburg lace. Try free–forming a design ( though I would recommend buying an embroidery transfer pattern that you iron on ; you can pick one up in a Dover embroidery book ( found at Barnes & Nobles or online). Better yet if you can get someone who knows the basic stitches ( backstitch, lazy-daisy, outline, stem, & french knots, etc.) to show you.