Molds: I love making molds and have been fortunate to have learned some of the craft from several very good mold makers. One of the best sources for both information and supplies that I've found is http://www.polytek.com/. They are a great source for various flexible mold making materials and "plastic" casting resins and polymers--the best thing is the description of each product and it's uses. They have an online version of their newsletter--you'll need a magnifying glass to read it. Another good site for an easy casting product is http://www.alumilite.com/product_line.html. Alumilite is a 1:1 two-part casting compound that cures in just minutes. This site also has an interesting section on mold making--it concentrates on silicone, but the two-piece mold demo uses the same steps you would use to make a two-piece plaster mold. There is a good "link" page to many different sculpting and sculpting supply sites at http://www.dolldesigns.com/sculpt.html

Diane Foster

Molds: An excellent mold making instruction page with diagrams and product list can be found at http://www.lagunaclay.com/. The directions are for a simple two-piece plaster mold to be used with ceramic or porcelain slip. If mold making is of interest to you, be sure to visit this site.

Diane

Yarn for Mini Knitting: I have been surfing the net to find materials for my knitting and crochet and I found this very interesting site http://www.minknit.freeserve.co.uk There are lots of patterns to buy , sweet little dolls and lots of yarns to chose from.

Marianne

Crochet: Triple Double: Here is a site that someone gave to me when I needed crochet help. It explains all stitches. This should help you with your triple double. It certainly helped me out of a jam http://crochet.about.com/hobbies/crochet/library/weekly/aa052398.htm

Jane

Flower Thread: Ginny Thompson Flower Thread is an excellent product. I've used it for years to stitch miniature oriental rugs. It produces a finished product that has very soft feel. Colors soft and muted. About same weight but far superior product to DMC, which has been discontinued. Source: The Counting House, Pawleys Island SC. http://www.crossstitchsamplings.com or crossstitchsampl@mindspring.com. They carry full selection of colors.

Betty M.

Flower Thread: I have stitched with Ginnie Thompson flower thread and like it a lot. Her web site is http://www.flowerthread.com Look under Conversion and Wholesale for info about the thread, and list of colors. If you want wool of a similar thickness, try Appleton's crewel wool (English company) or DMC Medici. I have used both for mini knitting. I like them better than cottons as wool has more "give" and I find it easier to work with. Between the two, there are lots of colors.

Kay in Ottawa

Crochet Threads: Someone asked earlier for a source for DMC thread for crocheting or embroidering - Herrschners has a large selection of all kinds of threads, in all colors. Their website: www.herrschners.com Address: 2800 Hoover Rd., Stevens Point, WI 54492-0001 They also carry tiny glass beads in lots of colors, and cheap prices.

Paulette in IN

Micro Stitchery: I was waiting patiently for Bobbie Schoonmaker's "Micro Stitchery" site to launch and the moment it did, I immediately went to the site to find something wonderful to order. It was not easy to choose! Both the kits and the finished products left me saying, "Oh my, oh wow...oh gee, which one?" I've yet to work on silk gauze so this was my prime opportunity to order a kit. I opted for a small project, a pillow kit, and decided on the Green Tartan with Crown motif. And, Bobbie takes PayPal, so right there she's become my best friend! The kit arrived in yesterday's mail and I am so impressed with the packaging.

First, the chart is practically the entire page of a 8 1/2 X 11 color printed sheet....big help right there for my little eyes. The instruction page, again in color, is well written with an image indicating how the stitches are worked on the silk gauze. Good preparation instructions are also included along with the process and the finishing instructions too. For this particular pillow, it's on 40 count gauze (teeny-tiny stitches!), so apart from the chart and instruction sheet, there is the silk gauze, 2 lovely needles, the DMC floss and red ultra suede for the pillow backing.

I've yet to see ultra suede before, it's so nice and so perfect to use for mini projects. Oh, also on the chart, the DMC floss numbers are marked which is good in case you run out of floss, you shouldn't I imagine if you're doing it correctly, but just in case, it's good to know exactly which DMC floss number you need. And of course must not forget the batting to stuff my little pillow with! Bobbie states on her site that her work is "museum quality petit point," well she also packages it in museum quality packaging.

A good-sized, clear plastic bag with a sealing label, again in color with some of her finished pieces on it and all the printed information about Micro Stitchery in case you need to get in touch with her by phone, e-mail or through her web site. I appreciate a vendor that makes themselves available to their clientele...just in case I run into a "petit" problem. If you've not yet seen Bobbie's site, nor her kits, get yourself over to: http://www.micro-stitchery.com and be prepared for a lovely visit. And if you've wondered about working with silk gauze, go for it, doesn't matter if you've not done it before. When you see the kit, ...well just the kit itself encourages you to want to do it.

Joy in Pointe Claire

Tassels: A good book on the subject is "Tassel Making for beginners" by Enid Taylor, a Guild of Master Craftsman Publication. The ISBN # is 1-86108-062-X. This book was first published in 1998 In the U.K. You should be able to borrow a copy from the Toronto Public Library. I bought mine at Chapters in Ottawa last year for about $25 Cdn.

Doris T

Tassel Maker: Williamson -Walton Marble email for the tassel maker is nmarble@sprynet.com. I also carry the tassel maker by Judee.

Jackie

Crochet: To mini crochet you need to get Tatting Thread size 80 and size 14 hook. I buy these at Hobby Lobby or Joann Fabrics. If you want a smaller hook go to http://www.lacis.com/, they sell size 15 & 16 hooks.

Tayna

Cording: A couple of issues ago there was discussion on cording. For many years I have used DMC Pearl Cotton ... not the embroidery floss. It has a twist to it, a nice sheen (like real silk cording), is the perfect scale for 1/12th and comes in lots and lots of colors. It comes in a skein. I use it to finish off benches and stools that are not recessed into the furniture. It is a very nice touch. If you go to my web site ( http://www.micro-stitchery.com ) and click Go Shopping/Kits /Footstools, you can see what a nice finished look you get. You can usually buy it anywhere that sells DMC floss.

Bobbie Schoonmaker

Clothing: Oh... it's so easy! "Dolls and Miniatures" magazine has an issue that tells you how to make the dress, cape and hat. Please see my web page if you are interested: http://www.dollsminiatures.bigstep.com As to assembling the pieces.... easy! easy! easy! I'll try to explain here: I'm assuming that your doll has holes at the shoulders and that the torso is hollow (but porcelain to the waist or hips). Push a good quality pipe cleaner wire through the shoulder holes. Then push the ends of the wires into the hollow arms. The arms from shoulder to fingertip should measure approx. 2" each arm. Keep cutting the wire until you reach that measurement. Then glue the wires inside the arms. Now it's time to do the legs: Bend a pipe cleaner in half. That gives you two protruding wires (one for each leg). The bent portion fits inside the hollow torso. You'll see that the wire is too thin and will fall right out... so.... wrap strips of nylon stocking, cotton (or whatever) around the bent portion of the wire until it fits snugly inside the hollow torso. Then glue it inside. Now bend out the "leg wires" across the doll's hips and glue down. If she does not have porcelain hips, you will need to shape the remainder of her body by bending the wire. In other words, (I assume she is porcelain to the waist) so you will NOT need to shape a waist with the wire... but if she does not have porcelain hips, you will have to bend out both ends of the wire to shape the hips... then bend the remainder of the wire DOWN so those two pieces can be used for the legs. Slip the legs over the wires and measure. The doll should be approx. 5-1/2" tall. Cut the wire until you've reached that measurement; then glue the wire inside the legs. Dry over night. Then wrap strips of quilting filler, nylon stocking (anything that stretches) round and round the bare wires to "fatten them up" a bit. Be careful to not over-wrap unless you want a fat witch. After having done that, your doll is ready to dress.

Viola Williams

Faux Wood Floors on Foam Core: I have directions for making faux wood floors on foam core or mat board on my personal web site http://studio59.homestead.com on the DIY page.

Jennie in San Antonio TX

Wallpaper: Try this site: http://www.jlbminiatures.co.uk/
Sorry they don't have printables but their wallpaper is good quality and some is really cute - nursery print with a Noah's ark theme is my favorite - now I have to build a room to use it in....
By the way they also make great metal furniture - exercise equipment, hospital beds, stoves, deep fat fryers etc. They just came out with a complete set of hair salon furnishings - European style - but really detailed.

Susan from Gan

Greenleaf Furniture Kits: Cherrytree has some of the 30 piece furniture kits,as well as others!!
http://www.cherrytree-online.com

Jo

Ice Fishing Shanty: I am in the process of trying to collect old Nutshell News for reference. I read the post about the Ice Fishing Shanty. When my "real" mail came I got 10 more issues of Nutshell and the first one I opened fell to a do it yourself project for an Ice Fishing Shanty. It is January 1996 if you have access to the books. I love these books. This not only shows you how to do it but tells you why she selected certain items to include which were specific to ice fishing.

KarenChat

Ice Fishing Shanty: In the January 1996 issue of Nutshell News (after going to larger format but before changing the name to Dollhouse Miniatures)our Joanne Swanson gives a very detailed instructions for making just the thing! She mentions using baking soda and diamond dust to simulate snow and ice. Some things to be found in a shack: bunk, table, stove, fishing poles, auger for cutting the hole in ice, ice chest of beer, iron tea kettle, chairs or stumps for sitting around hole, radio, fish(of course!) a bucket for fish, thermos for hot coffee or tea, outside perhaps a tin barrel for a fire, wood pile etc.

Donna

50s Fridge: the information can be found in: May 1998 Dollhouse Miniatures; November 1990 Nutshell News; and August 1983 Nutshell News.

Stacey Torres

Quarter scale 50s printies: If anybody would like some of the 1/4" printies of the wallpaper and drapes I made. I have added a printie link to the page: http://www.wishbooktoys.com/dollhouse/50s/

John Medeiros