Behind the scenes here at Needle ‘n Thread, I’ve been working on several embroidery projects – some large, some small.

This one is small.

This is the finish of a little project (really little) called “Lavender Honey.” The finished piece can be used as an ornament, a scissor fob, a little decorative tag or gift or … whatever! It’s just a “little thing,” something that can be worked up in less than a weekend.

I like making Little Things for a number of reasons: they give quick gratification to the embroiderer; they make great little gifts that can almost be prepared last minute; they’re really fun to work as group projects, and they’re generally pretty charming.

There are a few points to take into consideration when embroidering Little Things:

1. Your perspective has to change. You can’t approach a Little Thing the same way you approach a Big Thing. Threads and stitches, for example, must be chosen to work within smaller confines. Even the design must be approached from a different angle: how to get across the “vision” of what you’re making, without too much detail that could muddle the whole thing.

2. You have to be prepared to actually do the finishing, because you’ll arrive at the point of finishing pretty quickly. Finishing is one of those things that often gets put off, but when working on a Little Thing, it’s something you have to be determined to face.

3. And with that in mind, you have to consider your finishing approach. The trim that might work on a Big Thing, for example, could very well dwarf a Little Thing. The technique you use for mitering corners on a Big Thing might not translate so well on a 1.25″ Little Thing. These are things you have to think about ahead of time.

What about you? Do you ever stitch up Little Things? If so, what types of Little Things do you like to make? What do they finish into? Any tips to share on stitching and making Little Things? We’d love to hear them, if you do! Have your say below!

Hope your weekends full of all kinds of wonderful little things!