Lawn Chair Webbing: Some suggestions: (1) look for narrow ribbons at the craft and fabric store, weave and glue in place, and cover with ModPodge or other medium to make them look more "plasticky." (2) I've also seen wider mesh ribbon lately (although only in metallic colors) that might work. (3) Use sections of plastic mesh produce bags. (4) Don't know where you'd find this stuff, but I remember ages ago in Scouts we made laced-together coin purses and "lanyards" (woven/macramé decorative zipper pulls) using thin plastic strips that would be exactly in scale for webbing. Possibly Tandy Leather Co. would still carry this material; don't know if they have a web site or not.

Loretta Sniarowski

Lawn Chair Webbing: In 1/12th scale a 1/8" wide ribbon is equal to 1 1/2". That would make a fairly good webbing. I find lots of 1/8" ribbon at my local ribbon shop and even at Craft World. If you want something smaller use unraveled Bunka, I use it for horse reins and by ironing it flat it makes good trim ribbons for my carriages.

Bill Hudson

Lawn Chair Webbing: A follow-up to Bill Hudson's suggestion re using 1/8 in. ribbon: a coating of acrylic paint and medium would make this look more like plastic, and still be easier to handle than the real thing. Another possibility: paper strips, which acrylics would strengthen considerably.

Mary in Oregon

Hutches: Often it is the knobs that make these little inexpensive hutches look heavy and cheap. They come off pretty easily. Sometimes snapping them off leaves a hole in the hutch. Here is a use for the Dremel - just grind, or sand, them off. I have replaced them with a bead that has a hole. I cut off a "common pin" to the correct length, put it through the hole, and nailed the bead on with that. Or make little colored knobs from Fimo and crazy glue them on. Replacing the knobs makes a big difference. The ones I used had a piece across the top that was big enough to put a decal on. If you plan on decals, they look best if put on a white or very light colored hutch. Water slip decal paper is now available to put through a computer printer.

There are no shelves in the hutches I have but putting in shelves is pretty easy. If you are lighting it to see the treasures inside, put in clear plastic shelves or your light will not show all the way to the bottom shelves. Especially for someone just starting out in the mini world, they can be made to look pretty cute for not very much investment. For me, there was a lot less stress experimenting on them than on a piece that cost a whole lot more.

Terry from the land of Disney

PAINT/Stain: I needed to stain a half inch scale chair. Is it worth setting off the Asthma? I had just finished a miniature stained glass project for the Beach House and picked up the bottle to read the directions. Water soluble and can be used on wood! No smell, and the tiny wood grain shows through. If there is a build up while applying, run a damp brush over it to even it out. Looks just great! Now I've got to find more wood to stain - the mocha was perfect but the green could be dynamite!

Laurie Sisson

Pianos: I agree with the gentleman who recommended Ralph Partelow's pianos - they are gorgeous and correspondingly expensive. I was lucky enough to participate in 2 of his workshops and came out with a harpsichord, square grand, and a Victorian grand which are the pride of my houses. I was going to take another workshop but, alas, not enough people signed up and the class was canceled and I don't think he is giving them anymore...a big loss - he's a great person as well as teacher.

There is another possibility though for anyone who is on a tighter budget and wants a nice upright or grand and is willing to do the work. Mini-Mindus puts out kits for both which are constructed well and will turn out a nice looking instrument if the finishing work is done. I've done both and they worked out great.

There was a music room kit out some time ago with a grand that worked out OK and both the old Nutshell News (I think), and Scale Cabinetmaker (not in business anymore) had plans for anyone who is more ambitious. Jean Beritella in NY (she's listed in the classifieds in several of the miniature magazines) has back copies of some of these for sale.

Ana Gerard

Fernwood kits: Fern is not on the web and doesn't even have email - I wish she did.

However, her kits are the BEST furniture kits in 1" scale out there, and she offers several southwestern styles. For a LSASE she will send you her catalog - write to Fernwood Miniatures, 12730 Finlay Rd. NE, Silverton, OR 97381

Beth, In A Miniature Manor

Stain is stain. The green glass stain on wood is yummy. It too shows the wood grain, even when tiny. I used it on a maple cutout of a frog as an ornament for my other in-law, and the maple wood grain shows through.

Laurie Sisson

Mission or Arts & Crafts Furniture Kits: My friend, the talented Barb Plevan who is famous for her flowers and plants among many other things, has an equally talented sister. Susan makes incredible Arts and Crafts style furniture. To enquire contact Barb at plevan@interlog.com. Susan's furniture has been shown in Miniature Collector but unfortunately her name was not mentioned in the article. Contact them for details please.

Cheryl Kerfoot

Roll Top Desk: In the real sized ones, the tambour (slat) top is glued to canvas. I would glue the mini ones to muslin.

Shelby

Roll Top Desk Repair: I suggest using a piece of muslin to remake the desktop. Glue the slats onto it, then trim to size. I assume taking the top off gave you access to the slots for sliding the roll top back in. A little soap or wax on the ends of the slats should make it slide a little easier, but do it gently.

Beth

Furniture Kits: I have put together kitchen cabinets by Shenandoah and several kits made by House of Miniatures X-acto Series. Both are wood, already cut out and I found them easy to put together and finish. I painted the cabinets, and finished the other kits - some in mahogany and some in oak. I was very pleased with the results. I'm 70 and have Parkinson's with a shaky left hand, so if can do it I'm sure most anyone can. I've also used lots and lots of Chrysnbon kits; some painted, some finished with wood stain. I do not use the stain that comes with the kits. House of Miniatures used to have a club where you got a different kit to put together each month. I was intimidated by them at first and accumulated a great many kits before I got up enough courage to tackle them. It was silly of me, for while not exactly apple pie, they are not difficult and they are fun. If you don't have a mini store near you that sells kits, I would suggest you contact Dee's Delights    http://www.deesdelights.com   While they are wholesale only, I would imagine that they could give you the address of a dealer that sells through their catalog. Then call that dealer and tell them what you want.

Patricia

Norman Jones is from England and makes fabulous Tudor furniture. He does not sell directly to the public but his work is featured at Tom Bishops' International show in March/April. My friend has many of his pieces and could tell you more about him. Susie can be reached at scampco.com

Sue Thwaite

Painting Upholstery: If you like ready made furniture but don't like the fabric it's upholstered in, all you have to do is paint the fabric with undiluted acrylic paint to the colour of your choice. Saves a lot of dismembering of furniture.

Helen

Shaker furniture: For the person looking for shaker furniture- I found this book in the library- Shaker Miniature Furniture, by Cynthia and Jerome Rubin.

Laura Bentley

Pin hinge doors: The secret to pin hinge doors is to set the pin exactly halfway between the front and back, and exactly the same distance from the hinge end of the door. So if you have a door that is 3/32" thick, your pin would be set 3/64" from each side and 3/64" from the hinge side (that's the narrow edge). Also, you may need to round off the square edge of the hinge side of the door to allow the door to open. A little experimentation will get you going. Predrill for the pin with your pin drill, nip off a straight pin and put it in the hole, and put the other end(s) through the hole in the top and bottom of the space the door sits in. It makes it much easier if you can arrange to set one of the pins in place, put the door in place, then put the other pin in through the bottom border of the door space and into the bottom of the door.

Jeanne

Porcupine quill chairs: It helps to copy a simple chair shape, such as a kitchen chair. Cut the quills to the length of back legs, front legs, seat rails, top rail etc. Use pins to anchor them to each other, and glue. Make a solid seat of card and foam and cover with velvet. You're aiming for an opulent look. Glue in place. Finally place small beads, held with pins, pushed into the top of the back leg (ie stile) quills. When completed, the chair will be simple in construction, yet curiously opulent and very pretty, reminiscent of Anglo-Indian furniture in the time of the Raj.

Helen

Overstuffed Furniture: The Small Scale Cabinetmaker series has a booklet on overstuffed furniture. It is absolutely awesome. There were several references to this series a while back for a person looking for cabinet patterns. I don't have the link right offhand, but I am sure that someone will provide the web address for you. Helen Ruthberg has several books that also have patterns in them for upholstered furniture.

Debby

Overstuffed furniture: There is information about overstuffed dolls house chairs and sofas in Venus Dodge's 'Dolls' House Needlecrafts and Sue Heaser has written a book on Making Dolls' House Dolls from Fimo - that may be the title but I'm not sure of that one. Both are in print.

Chris

1/4-inch Nursery Furniture: Sherri of Domestic Dragons in Florida has a crib, chest and other nursery furniture. Her e-mail addy is: sherridragon@earthlink.net. I love her kits, which are easy and exceptionally nice.

Jeanette Zanio