The Start of My Dollhouse

I’ve already started putting together some dollhouse furniture—here’s a little sneak peek. It’s so tiny and cute at the same time.
For decoration, I’ve moved my little beaded dolls in for now.
To keep the whole thing from gathering dust, I’ve placed it in an acrylic box with a lid until I continue with the rest.

Wow, that’s beautiful! And so tiny! What material is the furniture made of?

That’s such a cute little project—I really like it :-)

Really cute. I like the shape of the furniture—it looks modern. But finding dolls to go with it definitely isn’t easy. I’m curious, dear Andrea, to see what else will be added over time. What are the dimensions of the square tabletop, for example?

Wow, so beautiful! I really, really like this!

Thank you for your feedback.
Some of the furniture is made of very light wood. The square tabletop measures 4.5 x 2.5 cm, and the round one has a diameter of 3.5 cm. I’m not sure about the scale—it’s all in Japanese—but there’s a good illustrated explanation included.
Some of the furniture is also made of paper, so you just cut it out and glue it together (cut-out sheets are included). It’s just that kind of fiddly little project—perfect for relaxing after work or on the weekend.
The side panels are all made of sturdy wood.
I’ll keep you posted.

Best regards,
Andrea

Wow, Andrea, that’s so cute! I really love these miniatures—I used to have a dollhouse kitchen that I adored.

Are you planning to give this away, or are you making it for yourself—which I could totally understand.

Hey Monika,
I asked my husband for this for my birthday. I’m making this all by myself, just for me. I’m not giving it away.
I used to have a little dollhouse, too (my dad built it himself). Unfortunately, it somehow went missing—no idea how. And now I’m making that dream come true again.
Let’s be honest—there’s always a part of us that wants to be a “kid.” It’s lovely, isn’t it?

Yes, Andrea, it’s great that you’re doing this for yourself. I totally get where you’re coming from.
That child is still alive inside me, too—I feel it every day.

About 20 years ago, the child in me got to live out something for a few years that didn’t exist when I was a kid. Back then, I enthusiastically bid on “Surprise Eggs”—the contents, that is—on eBay, specifically the unassembled ones. I then put them together with dedication and enthusiasm. I was literally in “Surprise Egg” fever. I could never walk past the “Surprise Eggs.”

At some point, though, I’d had my fill. And I still have all those pieces. I’d bought a large display case back then, which I still have filled to this day, and I enjoy looking at it every day. I’m especially fond of the miniatures—little cars, for example, and other things. Oh, I’m still just as enthusiastic about them. But these days, I just prefer to knit.

I’m already curious to see how things will go with your doll furniture.

I also have a small dollhouse where I made the furniture myself (cut out with a fretsaw, glued, and varnished). I made it many years ago for my children. It’s now in my living room and is always decorated to match the season. And when my grandchildren are here, they’re always happy when they can play with it.

Oh, Ruth, when I look at your dollhouse kitchen, I just want to play with it right away. It’s absolutely gorgeous. And it has such lovely details...

Monika, I agree with you. I’d want to play with it right away, too. It does look a lot like my other dollhouse furniture. Except yours are handmade, and even have real hinges—if I’m not mistaken. It looks so cozy.
Ruth, what kind of dolls are those, and what size are they?

We could start a discussion thread here for dollhouse lovers :-)

How cute is that! Grandma and Grandpa, crocheted and sitting in such beautifully crafted mini furniture. Absolutely adorable! And that crocheted blanket. Oh my, I’m totally blown away!

I just remembered something… I was already very inventive as a child.

Since my parents were short on money back then, I came up with a way to build my own little pieces of furniture. I did that using matchboxes and cigarette boxes that I covered. Tiny babies slept in the matchboxes with tiny bedding. I cut that out of fabric scraps. And I was totally in love with those little improvised “pieces of furniture” back then.

I could do that with my granddaughter sometime… I’ll have to go look for a few boxes right away.

That reminds me… for example, at TeDi they have little unfinished wooden boxes. Those would be great for turning into furniture… you could paint or varnish them.

Yes, those are real hinges, and the display case even has real glass windows! I think that would be too fiddly for me to tackle today.
The dolls in my dollhouse are Erna Meyer bendable dolls on a 1:12 scale. The adults are about 14–15 cm tall, and the children about 10–11 cm. They’re a bit too small for my furniture, but I think they fit the style very well.
My grandchildren, however, prefer to play with the plastic Haba dolls. Those are more modern. I think they can relate to those better.

When I decorate the house for Christmas, I’ll take a picture. It’ll be here before we know it! There’s a crocheted Advent wreath and a crocheted Christmas tree.
I just put away some little pumpkins the other day.
Yes, that’s how I decorate for the season, and I still really enjoy it!

Hi everyone,

Your dollhouse furniture is really absolutely beautiful—it brings back childhood memories for me, too :-)
@Ruth, hats off to your handmade creations—they’re gorgeous, and certainly in Christmas decorations too. Is there a Christmas tree as well? :-)

@ Andrea, keep having lots of fun and joy crafting your dollhouse; the pieces are
so cute to look at, it’s a joy
Best regards
Jana

Hello Jana,
I’d like to give you a warm welcome here. We’re always happy to have new members. It’s nice to have you here. Maybe you’d also like to join our needlework group. Take a look here:
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/114362/november-projekte-spass-in-der-crazypatterns-foren-handarbeitsgruppe

Best regards
Monika

ruthk: Those dolls are actually quite big. I wouldn’t have thought that. No, they’re too big for my furniture. But thanks for the info.
You could also crochet covers for your dolls using thin crochet thread. I’m just picturing it right now.

@Andrea
These Erna Meyer dolls are also available in 1:24 scale—so they’re half the size. You can check them out online. They aren’t exactly cheap, though, since they’re artist-made dolls.
That’s why I’m hesitant to dress them in crocheted outfits—they already have such beautiful, lovingly sewn clothes. And some of those are even glued on. But if my grandchildren keep playing with them so much (and that’s what they’re there for), they might need something new someday.

When you read this thread carefully and look at all the beautiful handmade dollhouse items, it really warms your heart. Everyone is immediately reminded of their own childhood, and a smile is brought to their face. That’s certainly how I felt looking at Ruth’s and Andrea’s dollhouses and their inhabitants—even though I never owned a dollhouse myself.

What a tricky job it is to craft such tiny pieces of furniture yourself. It’s wonderful, dear Ruth, that your dollhouse still exists today. I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures once the dollhouse is decorated for Christmas.

Dear Andrea, I hope you continue to find great joy in designing and furnishing your dollhouse. I’m sure you’ll find just the right dolls who’ll feel right at home there.

Warm regards from Ina

A few years ago, I built a dollhouse out of several cardboard boxes.


I packed it away because of my cats (7 months old)—otherwise, they’d take it apart.

The little dolls are from different eras and come in various sizes.

Oh, Gabi, that’s such a luxurious house—it’s quite big! But it’s beautiful! That must have been a lot of work.

As a child, I loved our dollhouse—I was a huge doll fan well into my school years! (I still am today!!!) I have no idea where the dollhouse is now—maybe it’ll turn up when we finally tackle our mammoth project of “cleaning out the attic.”
When I see all your gorgeous things, it immediately makes me want to set up a dollhouse of my own…

Yes, that’s right. The passion for dollhouses is contagious.
I’m still a doll fan, too, and I love teddy bears as well. Especially these tiny pieces of furniture and little items.

Gabi, your house is beautiful and shows that it can be done even with simple materials. So much love and effort went into it. Really great.

I’m totally thrilled with this homemade dollhouse. All the little details—it even has a little rope ladder. Kudos.
I used to have some of those little dolls, too—no idea where they went.
So, the dollhouse craze never really went away.
It’s so nice when you’re not alone in your hobby.

Wishing everyone here a wonderful weekend

@ Monika
Thank you so much for the kind words. When I have time, I like to check in here on the forum. 
I especially love the dollhouse thread, since I’m also a big fan of these little miniature pieces of furniture—especially when, like Ruth, someone has made them themselves with so much love and patience. 
Unfortunately, I don’t have a dollhouse of my own anymore to show pictures of, but I’m looking forward to seeing your photos and finding out how Andrea’s dollhouse continues.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and enjoy your crafting :-)  

Oh, it’s so lovely here. Yes, I think it’s great, too, to be able to fully embrace my inner child while being in such nice company.

I’m remembering more and more how imaginative I was as a child. Back then, I used to make beds for my dolls and teddy bears out of cardboard boxes and small boxes. Later, I had a dollhouse—it even had a bathroom and toilet, lamps, wallpaper, and lighting. My dad built me a wooden dollhouse with three rooms on one floor. My mom did the wallpapering herself, and she also sewed little rugs, curtains, and doilies for me. I played with it a lot.

I had those tiny mini-dolls, too. Until recently, I actually still had some of the furniture. I have no idea where it is now. Maybe they’ll turn up again someday.

It’s truly a joy to admire your beautiful dollhouses. I feel exactly the same way as you do, Miki74.

By the way, this thread here has given me the idea again to grab a few small cardboard boxes and transform them for my granddaughters. I’m sure I’ll come up with something pretty.

Best regards
Monika

Yes, Monika, you can also use little tin cans for that. A little “pocket-sized dollhouse to go,” so to speak. I’ve already seen that online. A little crocheted doll you can dress and undress, complete with bedding (pillow and blanket) for on the go.
Or repurpose those little children’s suitcases into a living room or something similar—there are so many possibilities.

My oven and sink are ready for the dollhouse—I’ll post a photo soon.

Back then, a magazine came out that included furniture and lots of parts for a dollhouse. You just had to buy every issue. I bought a few pieces of furniture.

That’s when I started building. The house just kept getting bigger.

Unfortunately, my grandchildren aren’t very interested in playing with it.

Later, I built a smaller one. That was supposed to be a store. It’s not finished yet.

@Bastelfan
Yes, I’m familiar with those pocket-sized dollhouses. But they’re too small and fiddly for me to crochet. I’d rather make something bigger. I’ve picked out a shoebox and am going to come up with something to do with it. It’ll be a long-term project that I’ll work on every now and then. But not until next year.

@Schnatter_design
I’m familiar with those kinds of magazines, too, but not the ones featuring dollhouse furniture yet. I probably would have picked those up.

Hi, everyone. Here, as promised, is a picture of my oven and stove.


I didn’t have any matching silver foil for the sink, so I used this hologram adhesive foil instead—no big deal.


I’ve also placed a casserole dish on top—it stays in place because the pot is made of heavy material (I found it by chance in the store and bought it), and it’s the right size, too.

That looks fantastic!

Here are the individual pieces for the dollhouse again, so you can get an overview.







And this is what it’s supposed to look like

Oh my gosh, Andrea, I don’t think I would have even started—with so many tiny puzzle pieces. But you’re so good at this! The stove looks absolutely enchanting. There’s even a roast in the oven. And it’s also great that you happened to find a matching casserole dish. It makes everything look even more realistic and really sparks the imagination. I can practically see steam rising :-) You did a really great job!

And as you can see from the overall view of the dollhouse, the stove is just one small piece of furniture among many others that are all still waiting for you. We’re looking forward to more pictures.

Best regards—Ina

Thank you so much, Ina and ruthk. That really motivates me. I want to finish this project soon so I can enjoy it—and so can you, of course.

Best regards, Andrea

Wow, Andrea, the house is going to look absolutely beautiful when it’s finished. And your finished pieces, too. You’ll probably find a few more pieces that go with it.

You’ve still got quite a bit ahead of you. Hats off to you!

I really enjoy putting things like this together, too. But right now I have so many projects that it would be too much for me. And unfortunately, I don’t have the space for it either. But I’ll be happy to watch how it progresses. 

The whole family has already gathered in my dollhouse for an Advent tea party:

Dad is reading the newspaper, Mom is knitting (of course!), the little girl is playing with her teddy bear, and the boy is swiping away on his smartphone yet again...

That’s absolutely adorable, Ruth. There are even little kittens and an Advent wreath. The smartphone almost feels like a leap in time, because the setting actually fits right in with the era when we were kids.

Hey Ruthk, that looks so cozy, and what a pretty dollhouse. I really like that style of furniture, too. The Christmas wreath and everything else—it’s all decorated with such love. Beautiful.

Dear Ruth,
When I look at the picture of your dollhouse, I almost feel transported back to my grandmother’s parlor: lace doilies and an old-fashioned, curved couch. I can almost smell the scent of cake (there was always crumb cake) wafting from the kitchen and hear the soft ticking of her clock while we sat together at the table. Your dollhouse tells the story of “the good old days.”

The room is decorated with such care—there are so many delightful details to enjoy. Thank you for showing it to us. I think there’s still a picture or a wall hanging missing on the wall above the couch. That’s how everyone used to have it back then. Maybe you’ll find one somewhere :-)

Warm regards—Ina

Yeah, you’re right, Ina—the walls in my dollhouse are still pretty bare. But I just haven’t found the right decorations yet.
By the way, this is just the living room. There’s also a bedroom (though I bought the furniture for that one) and a children’s room (with furniture that’s partly store-bought and partly homemade). That’s where the “modern” Haba dolls are playing—the ones my grandchildren prefer to play with. The whole thing sits on a shelf from IKEA.
Bedroom

Children’s Room

Entire dollhouse

Ruth, that’s such a good idea—putting the dollhouse on a shelf. Ah, it really brings back childhood dreams. Too bad I don’t have my dollhouse furniture anymore… It really makes me feel nostalgic.

All your rooms are beautiful.

I have a feeling that Linja will get a dollhouse from her other grandparents this year or next. Then I’ll have something we can play with together. :)

Monika, and then she’ll need rugs, bedding, doilies, curtains.... I’m sure you can contribute a lot to the decor :-))

Yeah, I’ve had the idea of using a shelf like that as a dollhouse, too—but I just don’t have the space for it yet. We’ll see.
Ruthk, seeing your living spaces as a whole is really impressive.
It makes you want to dive right into that play world. Wonderful.
I think you’re never too old for dollhouses.
For guys, it’s just model trains.

Oh yes, Ruth, I’m sure I’ll come up with something. A dollhouse is bound to happen sooner or later. I’m already looking forward to it (just as much as Linja, I’m sure).