Draping coverlets and quilts: I had the same problem with my quilts as they were quite thick. I found that the easiest solution for me was to sew it on taking huge stitches from

side to side under the bed. The stitches only go through the underneath layer of the quilt, about half an inch from the edges of the sides, and it would only work if the quilt falls below the base of the bed or the stitches would show. The stitches can come out in a jiffy and there is no risk to the fabric.

Lynne (Mini-Mum)

French Knot Carpets: I have done a couple of pieces in French knots. You will need some plain white cotton fabric, embroidery cotton, good sharp needle and a design. Your knot size can be controlled by how many strands of floss you use. The smaller the knots, the more intricate your design can be. I like about 2 strands. First, you make a pattern on paper and figure out colors and balance of the piece. To transfer your design to the fabric, put fabric into an embroidery hoop and get it as taut as possible. Then flip the hoop over and lay the flat side on your paper. If you can't see the design through the fabric this way you might tape the pattern to the window and trace from there, or use a lighted table if you have one (flashlight under a glass end table would probably work mostly as well). I like to work with the hoop "the wrong way up" because I find that the fabric doesn't get pulled loose as easily. To ease the needle through the fabric, you can use beeswax to prime it. Also, I have found when I make a rug in this manner, sometimes the needle stubbornly gets stuck. I like to pull it through with pliers, which takes away the danger of your hand slipping and you forcing the needle through a finger.

Kim From Canada

Weighting Fabric: I weight everything I make from fabric. Taking the sand filled pillows one step further, I put a line of sand into a pocket on the trailing edge of everything. Bedspreads, curtains, furniture skirts, etc. If your fabric is limp and thin (which I'm sure you strive to achieve), then a thin line of sand will allow it to drape nicely. Even pounded fishing weights (split shot) is good. Anything heavy that will not show. Split shot clamped to some hidden threads behind the drapes is excellent. They rattle a bit against the wall when moved, but hopefully that's not a problem. I also attach a small fan to some of my 'open window' things to make the curtains billow and plants to wave. Sure adds life to an otherwise static room.

Judie in Daytona Beach, FL

Quilters - Mini and Otherwise: This will be of interest to quilters - both mini and full-size. A while ago I got a book called Easy to Make Dollhouse Quilts by Janet Wickell - cost $3.95. All of the quilts in the book are "foundation pieced" and I wasn't sure how I would transfer the patterns to a foundation fabric.

I bought a package of "Fun-dation - Transparent Quilt block Piecing Material". Now it said on the package "convenient 8 1/2" x 11 size runs through your computer printers". It ran through my Epson printer like a sheet of paper. The pattern is printed so clearly and the lines are really fine and clear for stitching. It is absolutely the most amazing stuff. I don't often get that excited about products but this one is really super.

Paula in NJ

Making bedding stay down: When I make my mini bedspreads and quilts I put a small piece of ordinary tin foil in between the top and the lining. I cut the foil about ½ inch smaller all the way around than the lining. No need to glue or sew it into place.

Just sew the top and lining together (wrong sides facing each other), turn the bedspread right sides out, press and slip the foil in like putting a letter into an envelope. Then slip stitch the opening closed. It makes the coverlet lay nice and flat and you can bend it down at the sides. You can turn down at the top corner to reveal any pretty sheets underneath and pleat it.

Leslie

French Knot Rug: I have made one, but only one. I decided to use just one strand of floss to work my knots and I'll tell you, it takes a LOT of knots to do this if you use only a single thread. I just drew a "folksy" cat lying in the center of concentric ovals and set into a border of a solid color with tiny flowers in each corner. I started in the center filling the cat with tiny French knots. It took a billion knots to finish this rug - well a lot anyway, but it came out just lovely. It only measures 1" by 1 1/2" because I wanted it for my 1/2" house. I made the border in white. Then I dampened it in order to block it. The black ink that I had used to draw the design ran ( I thought it was a permanent ink, WRONG!). So now I have a gray border and have learned about what not to do if I ever make another rug. ( When pigs fly!) If you use two or three strands of embroidery thread, your result will be lovely. This technique exactly reproduces the look of a hooked rug. You can draw or copy your pattern (using permanent ink) onto light muslin and leave enough fabric around the design so that you can put the whole thing into an embroidery hoop. Work out from the center to the edge filling in the smallest design elements first. When completed, leave your rug in your hoop and "paint" the muslin around the edges of the rug with diluted glue or fray check. Let it dry. Cut around the rug leaving a narrow border of muslin, then turn that muslin border to the back of the rug and glue down. You can make chair pads using this same technique. Oh, by the way, after I'd made my rug, I read that hooked rugs weren't used before the 19th Century in America, and wouldn't you know it, my house is "set" in the 18th Century. So I decided to think that my "homeowner" was a woman ahead of her time, and I used the rug anyway. And I never want to see a French knot again as long as I live.

Darlene from Long Island

Iron-on transfer paper: In one of the digests there was a thread about using iron-on transfer paper - with the complaint about it being shiny and stiff. The best way to solve both those problems is to "hot peel" the transfer, rather than waiting for it to cool. Also, after removing the transfer, you can wait a minute or two and then use a piece of plain white copy paper as a "pressing cloth" and go over the transfer again. It will eliminate a bit more of the residue and helps to keep the fabric soft. Just be sure to peel it right away also.

Candy_B

Cornices & drapes: d.Anne Ruff makes wonderful drapes & cornices. You can also buy her kits, fabric etc. She has "Pretty Pleaters", which you use to pleat the drapes. Her web site is: http://www.danneruff.com/. Great pictures for ideas.

I've also seen instructions & patterns in various miniatures books using foam core for the cornices. You could check out your local library for miniatures books.

Kathie

Rugs: I have done cross-stitch patterns on fine mesh - very nice. Embroidery thread braided (white and two colors, or variegated) then either coiled and sewn on the backside or ironed onto that sticky fabric works great but I think the rug turns out a little thick. And of course, Petite-punch for hooked rugs. The designs can be very intricate doing it this way. Tried doing an actual latch hook rug with a tiny latch hook once. The hook is made for pulling snags to the back on clothing. Like I said, I tried it once.

Sandy in WA

French Knot Rug: I did a rug in French knots and it turned out really nice. It was for my neighbor who had a six foot pea pod rug from Pottery Barn. I made a 6 inch replica for her dollhouse. It was very easy and turned out to look almost exact. I actually did it on muslin then I used a piece of thread lock fabric in the same shape on the back (for finishing) tucking in the ends. Recently when doing a braided rug I used "Ailene's o.k. to wash it glue" to adhere the braid to the fabric backing and that allowed me to trim very close to the edge and I think I'll use that for the next French knot rug. I used silk ribbon that I use for embroidery. It is so forgiving, I worked the outline then worked the inside. It turned out better then I thought.

Natasha

Miniature Fringe: For fringe on any rug (or furniture), buy 1/4" grosgrain ribbon in white or ecru at any fabric store. Cut it down the middle. Holding the braided edge, I use a needle to pick off all the lengthwise threads up to the braided edge. Voila . . . fringe. Using a tacky glue, attach it to the end of the rug wider than you need. I do this flat on wax paper as it doesn't stick. When dry, trim each side as necessary. Cut the width you want before pulling threads as its difficult to cut a straight line through all the little threads.

Ruth, Grass Valley, CA

Rugs - Lots of people know that begging old full-size wallpaper catalogs is a great way to get stuff for minis (e.g., stripes make good ceiling borders). The larger fabric stores that have an upholstery department have similar old upholstery books which you can also scrounge. Some patterns are too large, of course, but the smaller ones are fine, and most are already zigzag hemmed.

RUGS

(1) French knots on a fabric background make a hooked rug; copy a "real" rug pattern from a needlework book or catalog. Felt works well because you don't have to worry about the edges ravelling.

(2) Also on felt, chain stitch around in a circle or oval with embroidery floss, working out from the center to the edge, changing colors every few rows, and you'll create a "braided rag" rug.

(3) Just fringe fancy ribbon on the ends for a small area rug. Tapestry/rug texture rather than satiny ribbons work best for this.

(3) Make an oriental rug using a 2 or 3" wide ribbon motif for the central medallion and a smaller pattern ribbon in the same tones as the borders. Mitre r the corners by turning under at an angle. Use fabric fuser (heat & bond, Wonderunder) to iron the ribbons onto a solid woven fabric background. Turn the long edges under and fuse to hem. Ravel the short sides of the backing and trim to about 1/4" to make fringe.

(4) Found Objects make the best rugs! Some suggestions:

* Household stores (eg, Home Goods) carry table mats in oriental rug designs with a carved-pile effect in the placemats section. The round mats work well in average-size rooms/boxes. They have an out of scale, glittery lace edging. Pick the stitching apart and remove it; there's an unobtrusive zigzag hem underneath. (Sometimes the lace is bunka and can be recycled into other mini projects!)

* These stores also have woven placemats and tapestry-type placemats that can be cut into smaller sections for upholstery or rugs. Fringe or fuse hems as above.

*Same goes for old tapestry handbags in small patterns at thrift shops and yard sales. These are a good source for old crocheted potholders, too, many of which make effective rugs.

*Flea markets may have old art-deco period table mats that look exactly like hooked rugs in exactly 1:12 scale. They're getting harder to find.

Loretta Sniarowski

Cornices and Drapes: I would suggest that the easiest way to learn about making cornices and drapes would be from "Judee's Bed Book" by Judee Williamson. The book is about making and dressing a variety of beds. But the beds are dressed with fabric done the same way as drapes are made. There are oodles of clear drawings, and a list of the tools and supplies you will need. And at $7.95, it's a pretty good buy! The book is available from any miniature shop and from Dee's Delights.

Nicole Walton Marble

Grosgrain Ribbon Fringe: I have used grosgrain ribbon to make fringe in the same way that has been described in the past few digests, but I have one other thing to add--for a nice even edge to the fringe, after you have followed all the directions previously mentioned, and attached the fringe to the rug, place the rug face up on a cutting surface & lay a continuous piece of scotch tape over the fringe, overlapping a little bit over the edge onto the cutting board. (Is that the longest continuous sentence you have ever read?) O.K., then take your cork-backed ruler or any straight edge & a sharp craft knife or blade & cut the fringe to the desired length, going right through the scotch tape. When you lift one side of the tape the waste from the fringe will come up with it, & when you gently remove the tape from the rug, you will have a perfectly even fringe!

Ann, in California

Oil Cloth: I would recommend using cotton fabric (not synthetic). Measure the table you want to cover and add at least ½ to 3/4 inch allowance on all four sides or to the circle, if round. Lay the fabric right side up and with a pallette knife or stick, spread Aleene's tacky glue all over the entire area. Smooth out any lumps and it does not have to be a thick layer of glue - just all the way to the edges. When dry, draw with pencil the area needed, plus "drop" allowance on the wrong side of the fabric and trim the cloth with scissors. Then glue the entire surface of the table top with the tacky glue, place your fabric right side down and center your table on it. If you just glue the edges, I find that anything you might want to glue to the table top does not "sit" as well. Turn the table upright and finger press the cloth from the center outward. When that dries, lift up the cloth and apply glue with a corsage pin to the edges of the table and press the cloth down so it falls straight down and does not flare out unrealistically. You can also determine the amount you want for the "drop" by placing your chairs under the table.

Jeanette in Wauwatosa, WI

Miniature Fringe: You can purchase mini fringe from:

http://www.geocities.com/etcetera_etc2000/ and http://www.sandyslace.com/

Marsha, Newark, CA

Oilcloth -

1. Tape a sheet of wax paper or heavy foil to your work surface.

2. Tape your chosen paper, cut larger than final item, to the wax paper or foil on all 4 sides with tape about 1/4 on the surface.

3. Pour the Mod Podge into a flat container.

4. Dip a 1 - 1 ½" foam brush in the Podge and spread a thin coat on paper in one direction only. Watch for bubbles.

5. Repeat. 4-6 coats on the sheet, drying thoroughly between applications.

6. For more drape-ability, do not Podge the back. If you are doing a floor cloth, podge 3 coats on the back.

7. Cut the paper into shape and size needed.

Use podge to simulate wooden floors using paper that resembles hard wood floors.

Sandy in Alberta

Fringe - Small Scale - The easiest fringe is to buy grosgrain ribbon double the width you need. Cut in half down the middle and unravel toward the finished edges until fringe is as long as you want. (Trim the fringe shorter if necessary.) Leave a little ribbon intact at the finished edge to sew through and attach to your pillow, rug, lampshade, etc.

Bob in Hollywood, FL

French Knot Rugs: If anyone wants complete directions for a French knot rug, go back to the September 1995 issue of Nutshell News. There is a pattern for a cat rug.

Paula in NJ

Faux-Stitched Rugs: l went and dug out my 18 per inch cross stitch cloth cut it to the size of a sheet of paper and set my printer in envelope thickness and print out the rugs on it ....ohhhh what beautiful lil rugs l have that look like the were stitched.....BUT! as l learned its best to tape the cloth to a sheet of paper....because some of the ink goes through the hole and onto you printer roller....LOL....yep! l had to clean mine ....After the ink on the cloth drys good l sprayed them with a light coat of clear coat...to keep them from bleeding if they happen to get wet....

******Now, spray with two coats of fixative, drying and pressing in-between. ~anne

Cindy from Mi