Have them work the stitches on scraps of fabric first, using really big stitches so they get the mechanics of the stitch down before moving on to an actual project for best results. Save more complicated embroidery stitches for a later time. Also, don’t get discouraged if a child loses interest in the embroidery lesson after just a few minutes. Don’t force it—just smile and try again another time. Remember that the process is more important than the final product. Keeping that in mind will alter your own experience, which is more likely to make it a fun experience for the child. You could even invite another stitching friend of your own so that you can all stitch and work together. Basics such as washing hands before working on embroidery projects and not eating while stitching helps keeps the project and materials clean. Learning not to use knots and avoiding common embroidery mistakes leads to good stitching habits that last a lifetime. That said, remember that they will have time to learn these things, and it’s more important that they feel like this is something they can do, without being overwhelmed.
