Stitching.....

 

Updates and Details...

Some of you, Dear Readers, might Recall the little Christmas Tree Skirt I stitched a few years ago. Yes, it has already been two years since I "completed" this lovely little project, a kit from Janet Granger. The instructions tell you to apply a layer of glue to the back side of the outer edge and then simply cut the mesh close to the stitching. This is because a turned under hem would be bulky and difficult to do neatly in a circular shape. As you know, I did not follow the instructions anyway.... and had become carried away by adding tiny Reindeer, snowmen (and snowdeer) and Elves and Santa and Mrs. Claus and their dog "Soot" to the village around this skirt. But I did, initially use the suggested method of finishing the border. But I was not happy with how it looked, and had always wanted to add trim to the edge.... lace.... or something! Well, I recently decided to tackle some of these lingering incomplete projects and pulled out the Tree Skirt. How hard could it be to add a stitched "binding" to the outer edge? Well, it wasn't difficult, precisely, but it took along time! You see the beginning above.

It was slow going! 

I still had thread left from the kit and pulled it out. 

I used two strands instead of one to cover the trimmed mesh.

 I stitched over at least one thread, sometimes two

 deep in order to anchor it well enough.

 Where the mesh is cut diagonally across the grid

 the threads don't hold as securely.

And the thread tends to grab on those cut ends....

I did a lot of stitching while talking with my son who was visiting.

And here you can see the binding completed!

But I had always wanted to add the "snowball" trim

 that I had also used on the little cushions I made.

This was even more time consuming!

You have to align the thread carefully around

 each little "snowball" or it doesn't keep it's shape.

So while we had a big old snowstorm outside in RL,

 I was carefully adding the snowball trim to the Tree Skirt.

It was very heavy wet spring snow.

But we were happily indoors drinking tea and coffee

 and eating bagels and chocolate and talking.... 

and stitching too!

That was already a couple of weeks ago!

Here the trim is almost all added....

 

And Ta-Da!!!

Now the Tree Skirt looks the way I hoped it would!

And while I was finishing old projects,

 Dear Readers, I thought I would just keep going...

 

Do you even remember this project?

It is another of Janet Granger's lovely Tea Cosies.

When I was stitching it I had inadvertently made

 the rear window too close to the side, leaving too much space in the middle.

In order to fix it I needed to add more flowers next to the door...

so I added spires of lavender delphinium between the blue ones.

I do think it turned out well!

But I needed to finally stitch  the cosy together!

 

I forgot to take pictures until it was mostly done.

 

I thought it needed a "handle" at the top... 

so I added a couple of beads that resemble a chimney!

Gosh it's cute!

And that isn't all I've done.....

I wanted some lace "cafe curtains" 

for the window seat of the Dollmaker's Studio.

 

Here I am playing with possible pieces

 to stitch together into a lace curtain.

I have had these cute little hand made lace figures ....

 birds, I think, for so long I can't remember where or when I got them.

There aren't enough for anything a large as a table cloth or bedspread... 

but perhaps enough for a small curtain?

 

Maybe something like this?

It took quite a bit of very careful stitching to join all those pieces.

 

I didn't want to cover very much of the window.... 

just enough to suggest a little privacy.

 

Of course, you know me....

 I needed to have curtain rings and a curtain rod....

 

And here I am trying to see how it looks from the outside...

there is too much reflection...!

 

Maybe if I turn the lights on...?

(The ceiling is still not in place...)

 

And from the inside....

I think we can get a sense of how it will look.

I think it is perfect!

(But everything is still not attached!)

So there you have it, Dear Readers,

Some long overdue updates 

and a whole lot of stitching details!
 

Curtains, Window Seat Lights, Gilded Trim Etc....

 

 

Details And Distractions...

I Hope you won't mind, Dear Readers, that I have a Lot of details to show you this week! And even though I am now Retired and (in theory) have all the time in the World for minis, it hasn't exactly worked out that way! My younger son came East for two weeks and has been back and forth between my house and his Dad's (an hour away) so there has been more than a usual amount of distraction! It was absolutely Wonderful to have such a long visit with him, the first here since covid shut travel down in 2020! We talked and talked and ate and ate and consumed pots of tea (me) and coffee (him) and he helped me get some necessary projects accomplished too. Tonight he is headed back to Alaska. So here I am trying to put a sense of organization into the many little things I did during the past two weeks. For starters, I decided to grapple with the "difficulties" I was having with the Gilded trim for the ceiling of The Doll Maker's Studio. You can see a lovely picture of one section partly painted in the above picture.

Here you can see it really really close up, 

and if you look carefully you will see all the "white" spots

 where the gold paint has not quite covered over the primer.

And even where it has covered, it still needs several more coats of paint.

I did lots and lots of painting!

This section is the long side that you don't ever see

 unless you are looking in the windows.

And if you look carefully on the left end you will see a little cherub...

One of the troubles I had with this trim, from the very beginning,

 was that I wanted cherubs in the trim and couldn't find any that would work!

So I decided (at least two years ago)

 that I would have to try to make my own from sculpey.

This little guy was among the first of my attempts,

 but I thought he was too small.

So I made some others, and I didn't exactly like them either!

But if you know me, you will understand that I couldn't just throw them away!

(These guys take on a life of their own!)

I dithered and debated forever.... 

and eventually decided I had to try to make them work.

 

But here I must show you that I did get the second curtain made

 and here I am testing it with the first one.

And if you look closely at the gilded trim right above it

 you will see some very "blobby" parts amongst the swags.

I'm sorry I don't have better pictures....

 but there is a cherub sort of wrapped in the ribbon swag...

 he has a rather homely face 

and his wings had to not bump into the ceiling... 

(which is removed here).

And on the other side of this trim is the other fellow...

 but he is facing toward the wall so his fanny is what you see...

 along with his wings and the back of his head.

I decided that people would probably be too busy

 looking at the window seat to notice them up above.

They also needed lots of touch up with the painting.

I will try to get better shots of them...

 they are kind of cute in their own way... 

But first I have to show you the corner piece of trim

 that needed to be adjusted....

Here you can see I am trying to make the final piece of  "corner trim"

 fit into the corner properly and meet up at all the other sections correctly.

And you might recall me mentioning that 

the curtain rod needs to lift out of one of the hook eyes

 so the curtains can be removed.

But this corner trim was preventing the rod from lifting out!

Darn!

Here the corner piece has been pulled out 

(none of the trim pieces are glued in place so far!)

and I have taken my pliers to the pieces at the bottom and pulled them apart!

There is the evidence of my destruction!

With a great deal of taking it out and putting it back again,

 I was able to figure out where exactly the trim needed to stop.

 

And meanwhile, Dear Readers, between visits with my son,

 I had also decided to add the electrical outlet to the back corner of this room....

Here I have run the outlet through the wall

 and need to get it hooked up to test the wires before I glue it down.

I have been endlessly debating the lighting for this room.

The chief light source is the chandelier in the middle of the room.

 There is also the battery operated lamp that came with

 the original kit and will sit on the work table.

I have always thought the front window would look lovely

 with a string of Christmas lights 

rather than anything as bright as sconces.

I needed to test my theory!

Outlet works! Check!

But in order to hang the lights there would need to be hooks....

Made out of wire and poked into the wood frame.

And testing the lights in the window....

And with the curtains.... I think it will look just lovely!

And meanwhile, I have repaired the corner trim....

And repainted it....

I don't know why I sweated so much over this corner...

 it is absolutely Not visible!

But, yes, I will know it is there!

And more layers of paint.... 

you have to look from every angle....

 and I'm sure there will still be "missed spots" 

when it is too late to fix it.

Okay, so maybe here is a better view of the cherub...

can you see him there sort of swathed in the ribbon? 

He is supposed to be trying to hang the garland on the ceiling....

And the other one... carrying the other end of the garland... 

can you see his wings and fanny?

Well, never mind.... 

 I will know they are there 

and I am glad I included them after all!

There was still more painting to do...

And here's the first little cherub...

I'm glad there was room for him too!

Here's the last view of all the trim sections together....

And the last view of the walls without the trim.....!

Yes, I started to glue it in place!

One side at a time, but adding the next section 

before the glue was dry so it could be adjusted if necessary...

And with the ceiling in place (temporarily)

the morning sun is reflecting off the floor 

(protected by a sheet of paper)...

And with the paper out of the way....

I just have one small adjustment to make

 on the trim for the opening side wall....

 the piece you will hardly ever see...

so it has not yet been glued down.

And the ceiling is still removable....

 but not for long!

So, In spite of a lot of Distraction, Dear Readers,

 I have managed to complete a lot of little details

 and made a whole lot of Progress!

The Doll Maker's Studio....

 

Just A Quick Little Project....

I Hope you will understand, Dear Readers, if I return to The Doll Maker's Studio after all my dithering. It sits right in the way of everything else on the corner of my work table, and truly, there is nowhere else to place it while it is being constructed! My house is small and already has mini houses in almost every room on almost every table and chair and it is a juggling act to have visitors and to access materials. And the Doll Maker's Studio was originally just a cute very small "vignette" kit from Sandra Morris of Tower House Dolls in England. As soon as I opened the kit it "needed" to expand into a small building of three stories and infinitely more details! It quickly became anything but a "quick little project"! But in spite of all my other distractions, I am making progress!

Most of my attention for the past year or so

 has been on the second floor studio room. 

Originally this was made from the "Sugarplum" kit made by Greenleaf, 

and like all their kits it is made of very thin plywood

 with tab and slot construction.

There has been a great deal of "adjusting" 

required at every single step of the project!

Very little of the kit is as it was originally intended.... 

with the exception of the ceiling construction in this room.

This is because the tab and slot method is actually

 structurally necessary in keeping the house pieces together properly!

So even though it is elaborately painted with clouds and cherubs

 and is being "supported" by billowing gilded floral swags....

Those "tabs" still need to go into the slots 

when the ceiling is finally glued in place.

And at the moment, none of it is glued in place!

(I apologize for the glaring flash pictures... 

this room is too dark to see details without it.)

And as always it is a challenge to figure out

 which steps are necessary to complete

 before the ceiling is glued in! 

 

 The gilded trim needs more coats of paint,

 in particular on the opening wall side

 which you can't even see except when looking in windows.

 

 

And before the ceiling is attached,

 I want to get the curtains for the window seat done,

 so I can be sure they fit around the cornice trim.

And the window seat alcove can't be attached

 until the ceiling is in place because that wall 

needs to remain "flexible" so the ceiling tab can be slotted in place.

Yes, it's complicated!

And I thought I had the curtains all figured out, Dear Readers,

 until I was searching through my boxes of material

 and came across a different scrap of velvet....

 

Which would be a Much better match for the wallpaper in this room!

I won't even show you the maroon velveteen I thought I was going to use... 

it looks terrible in comparison!

Here I am testing the gold fringe trim which

 I have used on so many of my velvet curtains.... 

and I just don't think it is right here.

 

Especially when I found this

 much more opulent trim in my supplies!

No Contest!

These drapes need the bold gold to balance the cornice trim!

Then it was just a matter of making the curtains.... 

and I like my curtains to be able to

 "open and close" as real ones would.

This means sewing hems and attaching

 curtain rings to go on the curtain rod.

I stitch florist wire into the hems

 so I can "shape" the curtains somewhat into pleats.

I didn't hem the lower end until the rings were attached

 and I could measure the actual length of the curtain.

Here I have pinned the gold braid on

 and am testing it in place on the curtain rod.

I use coat hanger wire for the rod

 and run it through two small eye hooks, 

one of which has been bent part way open

 so the rod can lift out to slide the rings on and off.

(In this case the partly open hook is the right hand one.)

Here the first curtain is done 

and I am beginning the second one.

Here the finished curtain is being tested in place.

I think it will do!

And when the other one is done, 

they will probably be positioned so they are mostly open... 

because one will want to see into the window seat alcove!

This will compress the trim into tighter folds.... 

We will see how it works!

Yes, Dear Readers, 

The Doll Maker's Studio

Was meant to be 

just a Quick Little Project!