Indian artist crafts world's smallest wooden spoon that can fit through eye of a needle

An Indian artist went through the painstaking and delicate process of creating the world’s smallest wooden spoon – one that’s so tiny it could fit through the eye of a needle.

K. Bijay Kumar Reddy, an electrical engineer and miniature artist known locally as the “Odisha Chalk Artist”, made a spoon that measures just 1.13 mm.

His artwork, created in Berhampur, Odisha, India, in January beat the previous record of 1.4 mm, set by fellow Indian Dr Manoj M last year.

Bijay, 23, told us: “I wanted to attempt this record because I have a deep passion for art and creativity. Being known as the Odisha Chalk Artist, I always try to do something unique that represents both my skills and my state. Setting a record is not only a personal achievement but also a way to inspire others, especially the youth, to follow their passion and think beyond limits.”

The artist is used to working at this sort of miniature scale, although he usually creates his artworks out of chalk rather than wood.

And he said creating this teeny tiny wooden spoon was actually his biggest project so far.

Explaining his process, he said: “To make the spoon, I first selected a small piece of quality wood suitable for fine carving. I used miniature tools to carefully shape the handle and bowl of the spoon with steady hands.

“The process required patience, as even a slight mistake could damage the design. After shaping, I smoothed the surface with fine sandpaper to give it a neat finish. Finally, I measured it precisely to ensure it met the record criteria. The entire process was done with focus, dedication, and attention to detail.”

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He added: “It was very difficult, especially during the carving process. Since the spoon was extremely small, even a slight extra pressure could break the wood.

“Maintaining balance between shape and size was a big challenge. I had to work with a lot of patience and steady hands to make sure the details were accurate. This was the toughest part of the whole attempt.”

Bijay has kept the spoon and is planning to proudly display it at his workplace so it can “serve as a symbol of creativity, patience, and dedication”.

He has plans to break more records with his artwork and has set himself the challenge of one day making an even smaller spoon.

He told us: “My goal is to keep pushing my limits and achieving new milestones.

“I am passionate about art and creativity, and I hope my work inspires others, especially the youth, to follow their dreams and think beyond limits. I also want to highlight the support of my family, who encouraged me throughout this journey.”