Eyelets:you can use acrylic paint to simulate the grommet: dab on a tiny drop of paint, smash slightly while wet, and use a needle to open a hole in the fabric. Repeat for the opposite side. It will also reinforce your fabric as a real eyelet would do. Acrylic paints come in metallic colors.

Laurie Sisson

Petit Point: I do petit point on #40 gauze, so I can let you know what works for me. I bind the edges with 1/2" masking tape. Once the edges are bound, I trace the outline onto a piece of cardboard Then, I cut out the hole about 1/4" smaller on all four sides. Then I lay the gauze on top of the cardboard, centering it over the hole. Then I tape the gauze to the cardboard, covering up the binding, but not the canvass. This holds the canvass very tightly and none have slipped yet... Doesn't Bobbie have some gorgeous things on her website?

Jonathan in Israel

Framing Stitchery: I found masking tape left a sticky residue on my silk gauze or fabric. I prefer a white plastic tape available at the hardware store, about 1/2 inch wide. I also staple the edges. You'll find with a good frame to work with, not only does your fabric stay clean, but very little, if any, blocking is needed.

Ruth

Needlepoint mats: Whenever I use silk gauze, if it is in a cardboard mat, I remove it. I lay it flat in the middle of a piece of cotton fabric that is big enough to fit in a hoop. I zigzag stitch around the silk gauze so that it is attached to cotton fabric. Then, carefully lift the gauze to separate it from the cotton and cut out the cotton fabric behind the gauze. Then insert this fabric in the hoop. I think the hoop holds the gauze tighter and I prefer this method when using a small piece of gauze. When I do a large item, I do the same thing and use the rectangular "hoop" on a stand to hold the piece while I am stitching.

Fay in St. Louis

Woven Items: Beautiful work, Lili.  To those of you who haven't woven, let me tell you, Lili does lovely, even work and her prices are quite reasonable.  I love your canopy beds! Lili, do you sell the bed too? or is there a specific brand that the canopiesfit on? Please visit:  http://www.geocities.com/weaverlili

Gyelle

Miniature Clothing: When I read about the upcoming miniature show in Charlotte which Mom and I attended for the first time last year, it jogged my memory about this wonderful lady named Rachael Spiegel who makes miniature clothes. Rachael's   website address is: http://home.mindspring.com/~byrachelle

Betty and Laruiel

Stitching: I am pretty seasoned at cross stitch and other needle arts, but do mostly full-size stitching (although I'm partial to 1 over 1 on 22ct hardanger). I've done several projects in that size, and find that two strands of cotton thread is too much, so I'd use only one strand on anything smaller. The stuff I've done that small has been almost exclusively cross stitch, so you might want to consider that technique. I did one tiny project on a 50+ count even-weave, and on that one, the crossed-stitches were too much; but it might be something to consider for the 40-50 count. By all means, use a smaller size needle if you can find it, but I've rarely (if ever) seen sizes 30 and above in a tapestry needle. You might want to go to a quilting sharp. (ball point if you can find it). What brand of thread are you using? I don't think you can go with a much smaller than size 28 tapestry needle using 1 strand of cotton embroidery floss; but other fibers might give you more flexibility. Check out some rayon. That might be what you're looking for. I have to admit I'm not as experienced with silk as I'd like to be. Something like DMC's Flower thread might give you more coverage. One ply of a very small woolen might also work better than cotton. But use relatively short lengths (probably not more than 6 or 8 inches), as they would otherwise tend to fall apart due to the friction of pulling through the gauze.

Joanne in MD

Stitching: A couple of useful places with tips on sewing on silk gauze are Theresa Rae Venette's site, which has loads of info, articles, kits, charts, links, etc that you may find interesting, especially a page on working on silk gauze: http://www.shakespearespeddler.com/silkgauze.html. Another nice site belongs to 'CameoRoze', or Margaret Davaz. She has a complete page on the subject: http://www.cameoroze.com/welcome/tips/silk.htm. We can tell you that sewing on 32 count silk gauze is really easy with a single strand of Anchor stranded cotton, using a size 26 needle - that's the combination Janet chose for her new bellpull kits. You may also like to know (in answer to a recent question on SS) that we now stock pieces of 32 count silk gauze in handy sizes, so it's easy to get that type, at least!

Janet and Chris Granger

Blind Stitch: This is a technique that is done to make a seam "invisible", i.e. the thread joining the pieces can not be seen. What is basically done is to have the thread travel mostly behind the fold of the fabric, bringing the needle up every so often and burying it again on the other side straight across from where you brought the needle out, catching as little fabric as possible on each pass. It is difficult to describe clearly (though if you imagine a Greek key design, that is a good image), but the end result is an invisible seam line like one would get if they had sewn the piece right sides together and then turned it out. We were taught it was called a "blind stitch", but of course it may have other names as well.

Kim From Canada

Miniature Socks: http://www.socknitters.com/PATTERNS/minisock.htm The above link is for knitting miniature socks, you gotta see these little things if you are into mini knitting. I have a feeling that with our small needles and the flower thread or something close to that, you might get a decent looking adult-sized mini sock. I for one am going to try it!

Joy in Pointe Claire

Miniature Socks: http://www.teleport.com/~noelvn/socks/2-needle_style.html These are my favourite cause I can't knit with 4 needles to save my life. But there is one pattern there for mini socks, only on two needles...and using our small needles ... well, you know the rest.

Joy in Pointe Claire

Cross Stitch: Paula Vaughan, does have her own web site http://paulav.com. It shows some beautiful work and also has a listing of all available cross stitch designs. The one that was mentioned is called Through a Mothers eyes, I have the kit and it would make a great mini scene. There is also a matching one called Through a Fathers eyes. One of the newest designs is called Granny's Attic, there is a picture on the web site - two girls playing dress up with granny looking on smiling in the mirror. If I can ever work out how to do the mirror bit I would love to do one of these scenes in a room box. There is also another cross stitch site called http://debbiepatrickdesigns.com These are all real old American Victorian and Queen Anne houses that have been replicated into cross stitch. I have just bought five of the designs with the intention of eventually having a separate room for my houses with the cross stitch pictures on the walls. A warning though when you see some of the houses - I now want a dollhouse like some of the real ones LOL Actual prints are also available from both sites so if this type of house is your thing and you don't like to do cross-stitch you can still have some beautiful pictures. I have no connection to either of these people (I wish!!) but the services are wonderful, postage minimal (as an overseas buyer) and have had many happy and lustful hours looking at them.

Yvonne

Silk Gauze Needlepoint: a couple of things regarding wee mini needlepoint. First, notice that a single ply of floss is not the same thickness as a single ply of silk. Well. At least not if we're talking about either DMC or Anchor floss and Au Ver a Soie stranded silk-those are the products I'm familiar with. The single ply of silk is somewhat fatter than the floss. I have done quite a bit with 40 and 44 mesh; beyond that my eyes will not cooperate, even with a Dazur lamp! One ply silk seems just right to me on the 40 and 44 mesh; perhaps as you go from there to 50 and more, you'll find the single of floss is just right. You do have to experiment and do what works. Secondly, remember to stitch in such an order that your needle always (or almost always) comes up in an EMPTY hole; that's one of several reasons why basket weave is preferred over Continental stitch. I suspect that would solve your problem with the nubbies. Your choice of a #28 tapestry needle sounds about right-#26 would be okay too.

MCSTITCHIN

Table Runner: Iron your fabric onto lightweight iron-on interfacing before you cut it out, and it won't fray as badly. This will have the added benefit of keeping it flat. You may also want to glue Bunka or embroidery floss to the edges to finish it and provide a bit of trim.

Maura Bass

Fraying Fabric: Tracy asked about how to keep cut fabric from fraying. I always advise my students to coat the back of the fabric with a thin layer of tacky glue and let it dry before cutting. That should do the trick! Test a spot first to make sure that it doesn't soak through. After it is coated, you can even cut it with a straight edge and new, sharp single edge razor blade!

Alice Zinn

Fraying Fabric: We of the kite making hobby use a hot knife to cut kite material that is woven; such as rip-stop-nylon. These "knives" come as attachments to soldering pencils (irons). It cuts and seals as it is moved along the material. I do not know if it would work on natural fibers but its great on synthetics.

DrBob

Pillows: What are your opinions on sewing? You could get some smallish print leopard/tiger/zebra print fabric, and cut two squares out of it that are ¼ inch larger all the way around than you want the pillow to be. Then fold over the edges to 1/4 inch, iron to make a crease. Pin the two pieces wrong sides together, and blind stitch the edges. I like to start in the middle of one edge, so I won't have to fiddle with an imperfect corner. Go all the way around the edge back and leave a hole for stuffing the pillow. Stuff with polyfil (quilt batting, even seeds or rice). If using the batting, use a pair of tweezers to stuff, getting into the corners. This method is handy when making a needlepoint pillow as well.

Kim From Canada

Crochet: do you have the Dover book Miniature Crochet and Knitting for Dollhouses? If you don't have a local bookstore, they have a web site now, www.doverpublications.com; I found it under Crafts in the needlework section. Dover has lots of very reasonable books for miniers. I don't have the patience for crochet myself, but got the book and asked my mother to make a bedspread, which is magnificent.

Loretta Sniarowski

Crochet: Do you know the book by Venus Dodge called Dolls' House Needlecrafts? It is very nice. There are knitting, patchwork and other needle crafts in it but also some very nice crochet patterns for cushions, blankets, doilies, afghans and some house wares too. The book is very nice with lovely photo's of miniature scenes. It was published by David and Charles. I think you will be able to see the book on the http://www.Dollshouseworld.com site. It will be in the bookshop. There are also some nice pattern books on the site http://www.hankypanky.com

Marianne

Crochet: Try Barbie patterns -- you can adapt patterns by using a size 10 hook (that is in American, it is 1.25 Canadian, and 5 1/2 British) and size 60 crochet cotton to reduce a pattern down to a 1" scale doll. Also, Dollhouse Miniatures has done a couple of patterns -- wedding gown in June 1998, and a layette set in the January 2001 issue.

Kim