Spring Dollhouse
Create an enchanting dollhouse with this charming design from Russian designer Natalia Luneva. Simple stitches combine with easy-to-follow finishing instructions and fun embellishments to make a project that will be a centerpiece in your stitching finishe
Skill Level: Advanced Materials
• 9" x 28" piece 32- count lilac Lugano Murano from Zwiegart®*
• One skein each DMC® or Sullivans® USA six-strand embroidery floss*
• Size 26 tapestry needle
*See Where to Find It on page 63.
Stitch Count: 45H x 351W Design Size: 27/8" x 22"
Instructions: Cross stitch over two threads using two strands of floss. Work 1/2 cross stitch over two threads using two strands of floss. Work 1/4 cross stitch where small symbols appear using two strands of floss.
Backstitch over two threads using one strand of floss.
Work French knot using two strands of floss and wrapping floss around needle twice.
Finishing Materials & Instructions
• One 12" x 6" piece (back of house) decorative Murano linen fabric
• Two 10" x 6" pieces (roofs) and two 4" x 3" pieces (pockets) coordinating cotton fabric
• One 8" x 11" sheet binder’s board
• Fusible nonwoven interfacing
• 5/8"-wide lace
• 3/8"-wide double-faced satin ribbon
• Decorative buttons: 2 butterfly, 1 deer
• Decorative tag
• Felt
• Marking pen/chalk
• Coordinating sewing thread
• Straight pins
• Craft glue
• Pinking shears (optional)
• Sewing machine (optional)
Press stitched piece from reverse side, straightening as much as possible. Trim stitched piece to 1/2" from stitching on each end and 1" from stitching on top and bottom.
Using patterns provided, make templates by tracing shapes onto binder’s board. Cut on solid lines to make two house/roof templates, A and B, and two room templates, C and D. Transfer pattern markings to templates. Set aside.
Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse interfacing to the back of 10" x 6" pieces of cotton fabric. Center pieces over rooms on each end of stitched piece, right sides together, aligning top edges. Sew together along top edge using 1/2" seam allowance. Flip up cotton fabric above stitched piece for roofs. Set aside.
Use the two 4" x 3" cotton fabric pieces to make pockets. Mark 1/4" seam allowance around all sides of pockets, fold under, and press. Topstitch across top 4" edge of each pocket. Place pockets right side up on 12" x 6" piece of decorative linen, 3/4" from bottom edge and 3/4" from linen ends. Pin into place.
Topstitch remaining three sides of each pocket to secure to decorative linen.
Place decorative linen onto left end of stitched piece, right sides together and aligning top and side edges. Sew side edges together using 1/4" seam allowance. Place other side of decorative linen onto right end of stitched piece, right sides together, aligning top and side edges. Sew side edges together using 1/4" seam allowance.
Decorative linen and stitched piece should now form a continuous band. Turn band wrong side out with decorative linen centered on top and one room on each side of decorative linen. Roof pieces should now be folded in half.
Place template A over the right end of the band, aligning left edge of template A with seam stitching. Align dashed line on template A with top seam stitching. Peak of roof should extend onto cotton piece. Mark roof edges following template A, starting and stopping at seam stitching.
Place template B over left end of stitched piece, aligning right side of template B with seam stitching. Repeat process as given for template A.
Remove templates and sew along roof lines, starting on right side of roof A at seam stitching. Continue sewing along top edge of decorative linen and around left side of roof B, stopping at seam stitching. Roofs and top edges of stitched piece and decorative linen should now be sewn together. Cut excess cotton fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance.
Turn entire band right side out and press house, roofs and seams. Place templates A and B inside rooms with roofs and glue both sides of templates. Place templates C and D into two remaining rooms, gluing both sides of templates. Pin front and back of band together where folds will be between rooms, adjusting as needed to make folding easier.
Fold in excess linen at bottom of house and blind-stitch together using coordinating sewing thread to create a tight vertical form around templates. Stitch two seams in each fold. Each seam should be flush with the template next to it, creating a tight form around each template.
Roofs were embellished with lace, satin ribbon bows and butterfly buttons. Pockets were embellished with a tag, deer button and felt pieces, which were cut with pinking shears.