What kind of fabrics work best - my area is dressing dolls, so here's my 2 cents' worth: I like silk the best because the weave is very fine and the closest you can get to scale. There are all kinds of silk fabrics from the sheerest scarf silk to taffeta and velvets and broadcloth. Some polyesters look very much like real silk and will work, but they don't glue as well (if you're using glue on a project) And very fine cottons also work well. You've found a great source in Etcetera, Etc. - they have gorgeous stuff to work with.

Paulette in IN

Preventing edges from raveling when sewing miniature doll clothing - I only have trouble with certain fabrics - actually, real fine silk is woven very tightly, requiring very sharp tiny needles to stitch through it -so it doesn't ravel badly. Still, you can run a thin line of glue along the edge with a needle. If you have a really limp fabric, you can iron on a light weight backing that will keep it from raveling. When I stitch hems that might ravel, I stitch a narrow piece of lace over the inside hem at the same time, with the top edge of lace sticking up above the raw hem edge. That way it's covered and not likely to ravel.

Paulette Stinson

Sewing tip: Now here's a tip you may find helps relieve eye strain. When sewing a light coloured fabric, put a piece of dark fabric on your lap as background.& when sewing dark fabric have light fabric on your lap. It is less tiring on the eyes.

May in KENT

Fabric: I've been making soft furnishings out of quilting fabrics. These come in all kinds of tiny prints, and you can buy "fat eighths" - 1 yard cut into eight equal pieces, so about 12" x 9" - for a couple of bucks. This stuff has lots of sizing to make it easy for patchwork, but mostly comes out quite soft if you put it through the washer a couple of times. Mostly 100% cotton, and usually preshrunk.

Was in my local needlework store yesterday and found a newish ribbon for stitching with. It's called Neon, and comes on a card in many brilliant colours. It's 2 mm wide, 100% polyester, and costs about $4 a card - forget how much on a card, but lots for mini stuff. (Bear in mind these are all Canadian prices, so US will be cheaper.) Great for mini bows. I'm also going to try a woven quilt with this.

I've also been knitting using crewel wool, and silk embroidery thread. The silk is hard to work with, but the end results are beautiful, soft and "drapey", and comes in lovely colours.

Kay in Ottawa, Canada

Rugs: I've found punch needle rugs to be the best. You can make them in any design you want, they look very much like hand-hooked rugs, and they're easy to do. (The last factor being most important to a klutz like me!) There are at least 3 different brands of punch needle. Having tried all three, I prefer the one that has a plastic handle with a mechanism that allows you to lengthen or shorten the loops as you desire.

Rosemary in Cleveland

punch needles: Have seen a couple of posts regarding punch needles, so here's some info.

It used to be difficult to find them small enough for mini purposes, but several years ago (when I had my needlepoint shoppe) there became available "Clarke's Oh So Easy" punch needles. They are distributed by a specialty thread supplier and thus you will most likely find them in needlepoint, etc stores. We used them on needlepoint canvas but I expect an small gauge evenweave fabric would do. They come in several sizes, color coded as to size. The ones of interest are Gold, for use on #18 mesh canvas, and Pink to use with #24 mesh and smaller.

I sandbagged several into my closet when I retired and I just looked at the packages. Some of them come with good instructions from the manufacturer, some of them with sketchy info from the distributor. Because of that, I also have an instruction sheet the I wrote up myself for my customers and will certainly send a copy if anyone needs it.

You can use these to make nice little rugs, either from a chart or a painted design (but a simple design, complex is pretty difficult with punch needle); it can have a looped surface or you can cut and sculpt the loops for a velvety finish.

Ginger in PA

Rugs: there are so many places to find info and kits, and sometimes free projects!! It all depends on what kind of rug you want to make. Here are just a few sites.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/odile.jean/anglais/projects.htm
http://www.miniaturesbyclaire.com/Catalogue.htm
http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Business/7514/index.html
http://www.dollshouseireland.com/ see Store, then Tapestry Kits http://www.btinternet.com/~vicarage/miniMum/html/mini_box_how-to.html

Nursemini

Rugs: The Fall 98 issue of Dolls & Miniatures magazine has the most beautiful rug you can imagine with instructions on how to make it... and the Winter 98 issue tells you how to make matching pillows. It's done in petite point. The finished rug size is 7" x 12". I guess it could be made smaller by omitting some of the designs. It's truly a gorgeous rug, and she I think does also sell patterns for other designs.

Viola

Rugs: Dover Publications puts out a book of charted designs for needlepoint rugs (or the samplers we made learning different bargello stitches might be fun for rugs), I have used leftover tapestry yarn that crocheted into a mighty handsome braided rag-rug for the Granddaughter's first dollhouse, I found an exquisite woven carpet in scale through Dollshouse Emporium, quite inexpensive. I am working on the nerve to "scratch-build" a Craftsman house in 1/12th scale and have been thinking of painted floorcloths. I did finish the floor of the little girl's room in my current opus in decoupage for a painted floor effect that worked out very well. #20 crochet cotton in ecru would work well for a macrame rug.

"olegator"

Rugs: Tthere are lots of ways to make rugs. My favorite is to needlepoint them. Tthere are hundreds of patterns around and several books specifically for miniatures. If you want the rag rug look you can get the variegated dmc floss and crochet it into the shape and size you want. You can also go to upholstery shops and ask for remnants and sometimes you get great patterns. There are also printable rugs on several web site which you can print on fabric.

Susan in OR

Rugs: This is for the lady who wants to make her own rugs. There are several ways. You can use suede paper and print rugs from many printie sites. I also use pieces cut from upholstery fabric. Edges can be finished by simple fringing of the fabric itself. I often add a fabric fringe to impart greater realism. One source for a fabric trim is the coarse cream colored cloth from inside an old necktie. As it is coarsely woven, it's easy to cut right along a line in the weaving. Glue a strip of this fabric onto the edge of either a cloth or paper rug. When the glue is DRY, use a pin to pick away cross threads one at a time to make a fringe.

Linda in Leroy, OH

Rugs: I also think it is difficult to find quality miniature rugs. Although I am a brand new miniaturist, I do have some knowledge of how to produce good miniature rugs because my vocation is owner of a wholesale needlepoint company.

I suggest that you locate a nearby needlework boutique shop (not a Michaels) and consult them on silk gauze canvas. It comes in 30,40 and 54 ct. The canvas needs to be attached to a frame or stretcher bars. Use #12 sharp needles and one ply of embroidery floss or one ply of silk floss. If you do not have a local needlework boutique, I can refer you to shops across the country who can supply you with materials. There are some good chart books on miniature needlework, but sometimes the colors are terrible! Don't be afraid to substitute color.

Because of the limited supply of miniature needlework books, ask your needlework store for books on "diaper patterns". Diaper patterns are repeat designs. These designs can be adapted to rugs or chair seats. Another resource are "bargello" books.

If you do not know how to needlepoint, there are books as well. I recommend Jo Christensen's Needlepoint book. Needlepointers consider this book the bible. The stitch you need to use is continental or basketweave. You will also need a good magnifier! If you are going to do this, it is painstaking but beautiful. If you have trouble with resources, I will be most happy to help you.

Claire March

Rugs: After I've completed the needlepoint rug (or printed ones for that matter) fold the edges under & neaten as usual. I then make a fringe for 2 opposite ends out of dressmakers tape. This is a white, woven cotton tape available in several different widths & used by dressmakers to make loops on the top of a eg skirt seam so that they can be hung on a coathanger. For an off white colour - dye the tape in tea / coffee.

Glue the edge of the tape under the rug with a very small overlap. After the glue is dry, cut off the edge (very little) and then fray the tape up to the glued edge on the rug.

Sharon (S. Africa)

Rugs: For those of us who absolutely are unable to do embroidery, petit point or whatever, there is an alternative. CHEAT! Use tapestry type fabric, which often has suitable patterns for "rugs". Either sew or glue very small fringing around the edge. Also some stores sell small round or oval table mats which are similar with braiding around the edge, and they make very effective rugs. I have a few different ones in my dollshouses, and they look quite good I think.

Annie the Aussie, Fragrant Farm, Mudgee

Rugs: When I was making my Ms.Claus house I decorated several rooms with Christmas wall paper, and wanted rugs for the bathroom to blend in. A friend showed me how to use "Bunka". We cut tissue paper the size and shape we wanted then drew a design on it. We then glued the Bunka on the design, filling in with the background color following the shape of the rug. They look very nice in the bathroom. I also made a couple with needlepoint on small canvas, and Christmas designs. They were really fun.

Jan in Norwalk, IA

Rugs: punch needles, I agree with Rosemary, a needle with a dial for changing the loop size is the easiest. As it happens, that's the kind (Purrfect Punch) you can get from my website. There are some kits there, too, but I'm hoping to soon add a Gallery section to show what some of the clever folks who got needles and yarn from me have done on their own. Our own Leslie Hampton has done some wonderful original designs, really inspiring!

Bonni in NH

Rugs: For those who are looking for fine needlepoint, silk gauze is a very good bet. Something else that you can try use is 20 or 22 count double canvas (sometimes called penelope canvas). It has double thread that can be easily separated, so you end up with a 40 or 44 count canvas. It is a lot more stiff compare to silk gauze, and some people find it easier to use. It was originally intended to be used in petitepoint for certain areas that needs more detail, such as a person's face.

These needlepoint rugs are extremely time consuming. The one that I finished making took an entire summer worth of commuting time (2 hours a day). There's about 15000 stitches. With miniature stitching, I found that I can't do it for too long, otherwise my eyes starts to hurt.

For those who are looking for rug punches, I have some for sale on my website, along with some rug patterns, pre-printed backings and other materials . It probably isn't what the original posting was referring to, but it comes in three sizes (only two of smaller ones are suitable for miniature), and the loop size is adjustable. The small one is marked as 0.057 in/1.45mm, and the medium 0.065in/1.65mm . Some people are having problem with the shopping cart, so please email me if there is any problem. http://pobox.com/~nim

Vina

Braided Rug: If you have lots of patience, you can also make braided rug by braiding together DMC floss. To make it in scale, you need to braid it quite tightly, that way each of the color spot from the braid is more of a square rather than a long skinny braid. When you are braiding tightly, you need to check the braid fairly often to make sure that it is not twisted. The braids can be sew together like the real size ones with a very thin thread in the back. If the braid isn't tight enough to be sewn together, you can also glue it onto a fabric backing, or use one of those iron on backings.

Vina

Braided Rug: I made several braided rugs more or less the way Vina suggested. But when I got to the point of sewing the braid together, I made a "loop" of wide masking tape, stuck one side of the loop to a surface, which gave me a sticky side of masking tape up. I coiled my braid around the masking tape in the right shape and then sewed it together. It was slow but it worked. I'm not sure if you could use an iron on backing with the masking tape, though, because the heat of the iron might cause it to do nasty things to the braids.

Dona Vaughn

Difference between needlepoint and cross-stitch: Needlepoint is typically done on a woven canvas and all the stitches go from the lower left corner to the upper right corner. Just the one direction. Cross stitch is down on woven fabric, such as linen or aida cloth and there is a cross stitch on each square of the cloth. Stitches go from lower left corner to upper right corner then lower right corner to upper left corner. You can iron a transfer on a piece of cloth and depending on the design, either cross stitch it or embroider it with DMC embroidery thread. Usually you should do the design first so you can pull the fabric taunt while stitching using a hoop. After you are done, cut it to the shape you want.

Linda