Sewing Silk: Gutterman thread makes a silk finish thread that is better suited to silk fabric. When sewing by hand there is a silicone product (like the wax product only much better with no build up) for treatment of the thread that allows it to not tangle so much. It can be found in most quilting stores and a small container will last almost forever. Just run the thread across the silicone to apply - it was originally used to treat the thread in fine beadwork. For machine sewing on silk - it is mandatory to keep a sharp needle in your machine. When the needle becomes dull it will pull the treads in your silk and once these are pulled the fabric is damaged. Wash you silk to remove the sizing before sewing.

Jean

Gauze/Ultrasuede: I am pleased to let all of you know that a Supplies page has been added to my web site http://www.micro-stitchery.com. I am now offering 5 counts of silk gauze, 2 sizes of needles and pieces of Ultrasuede in 12 colors. Why Ultrasuede you ask? Because it is a wonderfully soft, man-made "fabric" that has the look and feel of genuine suede. Because it does not ravel, it makes a rich backing for pillows, Christmas stockings, bell pulls and tapestries. It is also terrific for making purses, shoes, clothing and probably 1000 other things that all you clever people will think of. I use it in my kits but in some areas it is difficult to find, especially in small pieces, so I decided to sell it. Also new to the site are 2 Christmas Stocking kits with more coming soon!

Bobbie

Machine Sewing: This is another easy easy way to machine sew small pieces: Draw the pattern pieces onto the wrong side of a piece of fabric (preferably using an "invisible" quilting pen). Then -- for those pieces that require two pattern pieces, fold the fabric over right sides touching, or lay a second piece of fabric with right sides touching, on back of the drawn piece. Now sew on top of your pencil lines wherever sewing is required. THEN cut out the pieces just outside your sewing or pencil line. That makes it possible to have a VERY tiny seam because you can cut as close to your sewing as is safe to prevent fraying. You can also (after cutting out the pieces) give the seam edges a light coat of tacky glue to prevent fraying. Or possibly paint the glue over your pencil line... dry thoroughly, and then sew and cut out. The only danger with this method is that you might forget, and sew over the COMPLETE pencil line, when only parts of the pattern are supposed to be sewn.

Viola

Gluing Fabric: Gluing fabrics, like so many other things, is a very broad subject. A lot depends on the fabric you are using. I work with a lot of kinds of fabrics that are different from the usual 'silk and cotton' which one is likely to hear recommended for miniature work. Of course, I do work with those too, and for them I use mostly Tacky glue, NOT thinned, as it would be more likely to soak through and show with a higher water content. I also use many fabrics with metallic threads in them, and highly recommend Fabritac glue for them! It is also wonderful on satin ribbon and poly/blend fabrics. Often, I end up using more than one kind of glue on one project. I mostly make a little puddle of glue on and old, used milk bottle top, and apply it using a toothpick. One 'trick' is...keep your toothpick clean...or take a new one when it gets yucky! When it comes to using glue for any project, less is always better than more!

Lycra, yes, bathing suit fabrics, are one of my favorite fabrics to work with. The two way stretch makes it wonderful to work with. And it glues like a dream with the Fabritac! Also barely ever unravels!

Alice Zinn

Gluing Fabric: You asked how I use it. I use it undiluted... just dot it on with a toothpick... then spread out the dots so there is very little glue used. If it remains in globs, I can rub across it with my finger so there is a light spreading of glue. The only exception to that was when I made the videos... the lights were so hot that the glue dried almost immediately and I had to "overdose" on glue. However, even then the glue did not stiffen the fabric. If you have trouble getting the glue to stick... iron the two glued pieces together. The glue will hold almost immediately.

Some materials really don't handle glue well as the glue will bleed through. In that case you have to sew. However, if you use a tacky glue such as Aileen's, Velverette (or I understand, Gripp) it will not stiffen the fabric. I even saw someone use a fairly thick line of glue on her hem.. and the fabric still was not stiff. But I still recommend a thin line of glue.

As I cautioned in my earlier email... do be careful if you get glue on your fingers, to not touch the garment until your fingers are clean. I believe it was Sue Atkinson (a well known British doll maker) who keeps a wet paper towel on her lap while she works, so she can clean her hands periodically when gluing.

viola

Homes Tea Cozy: I believe the website you are looking for is mine -
http://www.weedarlings.com

The Homes tea cozy kit was also featured in the Dollhouse Miniatures, July 2001 issue, Kits Blitz article. Just click on the cross stitch kits buttons to view the kits page.

Thanks, Debra

Tea Cozies: They can be made out of just about anything, just as long as it retains the heat:). I made a real sized one via crochet last year for my teapot, and it can keep the tea in it hot for 3 hours at least even on the coldest of days. I have also knitted mini cozies. There are also cozies that hide various things like toasters and such, usually those ones are fabric but not always and can be very plain but can also mimic animals or whatever.

Kim from Canada

Quilts: The problem with "totally sewn quilts" is that they are very stiff in miniature, making them very difficult to drape naturally onto a bed. Lolly's Lilliputians sells a Yellow Booklet with lots of how-to projects and in it are instructions for making a pillow (make it bigger and it's a quilt) that drapes beautifully... new sewing at all. Her web page is http://www.lollyinc.bigstep.com and she shows the pillow that one of her customers made from the instructions.
This is the way I've done it: I cut a strip of cardstock about 1/2" wide and about 7 or 8" long (the length the quilt should be). Then I wet a strip of fabric and place the cardstock strip inside it. (The fabric should be wide enough to wrap around the width of the cardstock and overlap in the middle with the raw edge turned under). After I've wrapped the fabric around the cardstock, I iron it until it's dry. It now resembles bias tape except that it's not cut on the bias. Then I slide the card stock out of the material, and use the cardstock strip to make another fabric strip. That way I can chose the colors and patterns of material that I want for my quilt.
After I have enough fabric strips, I follow the pillow-making instructions in order to assemble it to become a quilt. I've always been very pleased with the results and it's so easy to do.

Viola

Easy Quilt: thought I'd share my easy quilt with you. I cut up lot's of tiny triangles of material and ironed them onto Vilene/iron-on lining in rows. i them used a small piece of quilt padding and a backing material cut to the size of the bed. stitched them all together over the raw edges of the triangles with a small close zigzag satin stitch and then used a matching ribbon to bind the edges, i hope that made sense.

Julia

Gauge: I find that the best way to test how big your work will be is to make swatches. All a swatch is is an example of the work done with x thread and y hook, just made into a simple square. Remember to always keep a note on the swatch to what went where! Then with the swatch you can figure out the stitches per inch and the rows per inch that any given thread and needle combination that are unique to your tension, and then be able to figure out how tall the animal will be approximately (remember there is a stretching too, so your actual finished size may vary a bit after stuffing.).
It is somewhat tedious to make these swatches, but once done and labeled you don't have to make any more and you will have a library of information when you decide what will work best (and you can use it for other projects too). They are also nice because you can see the texture of the material as well.
The math isn't really that scary, as when you have the swatches all you need to do is count and compare it to rows in your pattern, no worse than any other math we do inadvertently in minis;). You do get a feel for what will work best, too, and after a few different threads it becomes apparent what will work and what won't. You can also get away with thicker threads when you knit, as the stitches tend to fall smaller and the fabric is thinner at completion.

Kim From Canada

Mini Iron: Check out http://www.patchworks.com/notions.htm?clkd=iwm if you can't find them near you.

Beth

Curtains: D. Anne Ruff did a how to article about swag valences in the April 1989 issue of Nutshell News. Also, in the book "The Decorated Dollhouse" by Jessica Ridley, she has a pattern for swags and jabots on page 59. Gail Vaughn might talk about them in her Mindstorm video, "Working with Fabric." (See http://www.mindstorm-inc.com/mm20.shtml for more info on that video.)

Alix in San Francisco

Curtains: if your library has Helen Ruthberg's books, she has a pattern and directions for swag & jabot curtains. There may also be one in Venus Dodge's Dollshouse Needlework book. Ruthberg is out of print but often available on eBay and through amazon, bn.com etc. if you decide it's worth owning.

Loretta Sniarowski

CURTAINS I have done all my curtains on graph paper, pinning the pleats with straight pins and then spraying with heavy duty spray starch. First I draw the window to size on the graph paper. then I tape the paper to an old macrame board (a ceiling tile would work) cover the paper with wax paper. ( I make my curtains just like big curtains with a heading and below that a place to thread the curtains on. I use a bent piece of hanger to make a curtain rod I----------------------I sort of like this I thread the curtains on and poke the pointed ends of the curtain rod in the drawing of the window just like I was putting it into the holes I'd drilled either side of the window pane in the doll house window. Then I pleat the curtain using the little squares in the graft paper as a guide. I hold each pleat in place with a straight pin. When all is to my satisfaction. I spray with heavy duty spray starch. I use several coats ,letting it dry between coats. Then I remove the pins and hang in the house . Since I live in a dry climate (New Mexico) this works very well and I have curtains that have been in place several years and have kept their shape. I hope I have made this understandable. Please feel free to write me at my AOL address with any questions, but do put doll house curtains on the subject line, as I do not open mail when I don't know what it is.

Patsy

Curtains: for the drapes, you will need a surface (like a rigid foam), stainless steel dress pins, graph paper, and a non smelly (odorless) mild hair spray and wax paper. Since you are working in quarter scale, make sure with a flexible glue like Ultimate to seal the edges of the fabric that should be the correct length and 2 1/2 times the width of the window you are covering. Put the graph paper on the foam and the wax paper on top of that. Start by pinning down one side (use the graph paper as a guide to keep it straight). Make your first bump from the top to the bottom of the material. Judge by the height of the bump what would look best for your scale. Then put a pin at the bottom and top of the fabric next to the bump. Continue until you use up the fabric and keep the bumps the same height. When you are done, spray the fabric with hair spray (test on a scrap before you do it on the main piece) You can spray with a mist of water also, but I've found the spray better. Some people have their favorite, so this is not written in stone.

Deanna

Curtains: Years before I got the Pretty Pleater, I did the most of the curtains in my big dollhouse using the graph paper on the ceiling tile method and pleating with straight pins. I sprayed the curtain with cheap hair spray a couple of times. Now, this was about 12-15 years ago and they are still just like they were when I finished them. One set was white batiste in my little girl's room, and they are still white. I sewed the header and hemmed the curtains before I put in the curtain rod and pleated them while they were on the rod. I used the same method as someone mentioned about using the wire angled on the ends and then drilled small holes in the wall of the dollhouse and the wire was pushed into the wall. Worked like a charm. You can see the result in my dollhouse section on my web site: http://fayzerplace.homestead.com. I'm still happy with all the window treatments I did using this method. I did use the Pretty Pleater when I made the vanity skirt in the powder room on the 1st floor and on the lace curtains in the Liv. Rm & Din Rm. Getting the lace (which was a polyester blend) to stay in the Pretty Pleater was tricky because it kept popping out. I think I ended up making an old-fashioned starch mixture and soaking the lace in it and then putting it in the pleater. Turned out very nice.

Fay in St. Louis

Needlepoint: The way you say you like is called half cross stitch; the way you say leans a lot is called Continental stitch. Neither is the preferred method ...for real quality mini rugs, let me suggest Basketweave stitch and also working on a frame. I've done quite a few dh rugs and chair seats that way, as have customers. Try stitching on silk gauze with stranded silk thread and you'll really impress yourself! It's possible to learn Basketweave from a book, but most find it easier to be shown. I offer these suggestions not to be a "know it all" but more as a "seen it all"....thirty years in retail and wholesale needlepoint and teaching too. I've often been "embarrassed" at mini shows to see the thick and crooked rugs displayed with the finest of miniature furniture!

Bobbie Schoonmaker

Silk Ribbon: To readers looking for 2mm and 4mm silk ribbon - it's available from Etcetera, Etc. in 3 yd. pakgs. I think - email: rwk@rt66.com And House of Caron has it on reels if you need more, email: houseofcaron@houseofcaron.com

Paulette Stinson in Indiana

Silk Ribbon: I mainly use it in dressing dolls and decorating miniature doll costumes. But any where you could use ribbon, you can use this: for curtain tie-backs, bows on gifts, bridal decorations and on bouquets. It glues beautifully (polyester and other synthetic ribbons don't glue as well) so you can make tiny silk roses and flowers. Tie a bow around a tiny teddy bear's neck. I've seen it used to wrap around a lampshade, making a lovely vertical design. Or use it to wrap around a parasol's handle. You can cover all kinds of flaws with it. It's definitely handy to have around.

Paulette in Indiana

ARTS & CRAFTS NEEDLEWORK: If you are looking for Arts & Crafts (oh, how I love that style!) needlework kits or patterns have a look at the HiJinx site http://www.hijinx.co.nz . We have many styles of carpet and cushion kits. I think you might like "Phoebe" and the matching cushions.

Elli