Little House Christmas Decoration

This little house Christmas decoration is made from felt and stitched by hand in India, with embroidered flowers around a textured doorway and a tiny heart above. It has the look of a cottage from a children's picture book, and a few of them hung together on a tree start to look like a small village.

The house is cut from felt, embroidered and stitched together by hand before a hanging loop is added at the top. Felt holds embroidery well and doesn't fray at the cut edges, which is why it suits a decoration this small. Each house is finished individually, so the colours of the thread and the placing of the flowers vary a little from one to the next.

At about 7 x 8cm, it also makes a small present for a stocking or to tie onto a wrapped gift.

We buy these from a fair trade importer with Guaranteed membership of the World Fair Trade Organization, which describes the makers as earning fair wages in safe working conditions.

Keeping Your Felt House Looking Its Best

A soft brush will lift dust from the embroidery, and a light dab with a damp cloth deals with most marks, as long as the house is left to dry flat afterwards. Avoid washing it, which can make the felt bobble and loosen the stitches, and store it flat between seasons.

• Material: felt with hand embroidery
• Size: approx. 7 x 8cm, plus hanging loop
• Made in: India