I get teased a lot for my mini yoyos. People don’t understand why I make small
things. I am not sure I can explain
it. Part of it is that you can finish a
project quickly if it is small. Part of
it is the challenge. And part of it
because I just like small things.
What got me started with tiny yoyo – finished size ½ to ¾ inches
– was a challenge. Someone asked “how
small can you make a yoyo?” So I decided
to see. And then, as they say, the rest
is history. I like small yoyos because
it uses up small pieces of fabric. I
don’t like to waste even the tiniest of anything.
I first learned of these mini hoops by reading a book on
embroidery but then I found them at a local craft shop and now I am seeing them
online (even on etsy) and in a local quilt shop. So I bought more and plan on doing more. The one I used is 1 ½ inch in diameter with a
display area of 1 ¼ inch.
But with such a small surface to embroider, you can’t just do any design you want. Trying out some designs, I have found it has to be very simple. A lot of detail will be overwhelming in a tiny embroidery surface. It could be a single image like my heart with some tiny addition to it or maybe a star with stripes. Or a flower made of the lazy daisy stitch or a simple shaped flower like a tulip done in a satin stitch. I haven’t actually stitched these out yet but when I do, I will share them with you.
I also noticed with my little heart that how many strands of floss makes a difference. I used 3 strands for the dark pink outline and close up it actually looks bulky to me. I used only 2 strands for the French knot and those look like the right size. So thin embroidery floss or perle cotton is probably the best. I wouldn’t use crochet thread with this like I might with other projects.
I should mention here that there are different size hoop, some bigger so you could add a little more detail. But still you need to watch the amount of detail you put in it.
One of the advantages of the small size is you can experiment with designs and thread without wasting too much fabric or embroidery floss. And speaking of fabric, I think a thinner fabric is probably the best. You don’t want anything too thick because these hoops are easier to break when putting the embroidered piece in the hoop and tightening the screw.
I have been teasing myself that I found a new obsession. And I think maybe I have since I now carry around a piece of paper with small circles drawn on it to doodle different designs. I will let you know how the designing goes and then the stitching. So if you are planning a new project, think small. It might just be the challenge (and fun) you need.
© 2019 Cheryl E. Fillion
But with such a small surface to embroider, you can’t just do any design you want. Trying out some designs, I have found it has to be very simple. A lot of detail will be overwhelming in a tiny embroidery surface. It could be a single image like my heart with some tiny addition to it or maybe a star with stripes. Or a flower made of the lazy daisy stitch or a simple shaped flower like a tulip done in a satin stitch. I haven’t actually stitched these out yet but when I do, I will share them with you.
I also noticed with my little heart that how many strands of floss makes a difference. I used 3 strands for the dark pink outline and close up it actually looks bulky to me. I used only 2 strands for the French knot and those look like the right size. So thin embroidery floss or perle cotton is probably the best. I wouldn’t use crochet thread with this like I might with other projects.
I should mention here that there are different size hoop, some bigger so you could add a little more detail. But still you need to watch the amount of detail you put in it.
One of the advantages of the small size is you can experiment with designs and thread without wasting too much fabric or embroidery floss. And speaking of fabric, I think a thinner fabric is probably the best. You don’t want anything too thick because these hoops are easier to break when putting the embroidered piece in the hoop and tightening the screw.
I have been teasing myself that I found a new obsession. And I think maybe I have since I now carry around a piece of paper with small circles drawn on it to doodle different designs. I will let you know how the designing goes and then the stitching. So if you are planning a new project, think small. It might just be the challenge (and fun) you need.
© 2019 Cheryl E. Fillion
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