Village Fete

July 27th, 2010

1/12th scale certificates and rosettes for a 1/12th scale dolls house dog

June, July and August in the UK sees the tradition of holding the village fete or sometimes referred to as a fair. Village fetes have been held for centuries and traditionally give villages the chance to meet, socialise, show off their handicrafts and skills and play games. Modern village fetes will employ the services of a bouncy castle or other types of entertainers, but for the traditional fete the locals provided the entertainment. The vast number of games offered at the village fete precludes a comprehensive list here but some of the more common are: apple bobbing, coconut shies, lucky dip and roll a penny.

But it is not solely the playing of games that provides for entertainment. The prowess of the gardener and farmer are also tested in competitions. Gardeners exhibit their prize blooms or vegetables while livestock shows or sheep dog trials are the favoured competitions of the farmers. Riding skills, particularly the youngsters are often on display in the gymkhana section. Children also get the chance to enter the pet competitions where dogs, cats guinea pigs and the like are groomed for display and their owners hope that their animal doesn’t let the side down with some bad behaviour! Children may also provide entertainment with country dancing displays.

1/12th scale border collie for a dolls house

The ladies of the village are also hard at work in the competitions baking food, flower arranging, wine making or displaying handicrafts such as corn dollies. Produce including beers may be sold often from stalls with the proceeds going to a local charity or some other worthy cause. Larger fetes may have a show of historic vehicles, steam engines or a merry-go-round. Finally, if the organisers of the fete have been very lucky they may have secured the services of a celebrity to open the fete and sign autographs etc.

One thing though is for sure, a lot of hard work goes into organising and running a village fete which is what makes a full entertaining day for all those who attend. If you don’t have the room for a full miniature fete why not have some memorabilia from the fete in your dolls house or create a room box with a scene from a village fete.

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Grotto Day

July 23rd, 2010

Miniature sea shell

Grotto Day is celebrated on the feast day of St James of Compostela, 25th July. James, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus was martyred in AD44 and his remains are thought to be held at Santiago de Compostela. He is known as the patron saint of pilgrims amongst other things including rheumatism sufferers, horsemen and pharmacists. Possibly, as he was said to have been a fisherman, his emblem was a scallop shell and pilgrims wore a scallop shell symbol on their hat or clothes during pilgrimages.

It became a tradition in various parts of Britain to make grottoes and decorate them with shells. The height of their popularity was in the 18th and 19th centuries, with larger shell grottoes being a permanent garden feature. In Margate a grotto of 4.6 million shells still exists in an underground tunnel and a room of 15 by 20 feet (5 x 6 metres). Another shell grotto exists in Torfaen in Wales.

In Whitstable the Oyster festival week in July includes the blessing of the sea on the nearest Thursday to the 25th.

Although decorating a whole dolls house with shells might be a bit much, you could always make a small grotto for a dolls house garden or just place shells around the dolls house on shelves or window ledges to remind the miniature inhabitants of past seaside holidays.

Miniature sea shell

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Yarn types and miniature knitting

July 14th, 2010

Selection of yarns for use in miniature knitting Example of miniature knitting using two colours of pure new wool

When deciding on a miniature knitting project, the type of yarn to be used often plays an important part in the decision. However there are several points to bear in mind before you start on your project.

1. Substituting yarn from that listed in the pattern
Although it is best to always use the yarn recommended in the pattern, there maybe instances where this is not possible and substitutions may have to be made, for example you are not able to source the required yarn or have an allergy to wool.
However you need to bear in mind that when a different type of yarn is used the finished article may not look the same as the photo in the pattern or may turn out considerably larger or smaller than the original.
This is often found if acrylic or cotton is substituted for pure wool as wool has a natural springiness, which pulls the stitches together and the finished item may come up far larger if knitted using acrylic or cotton yarn because of this. This is especially noticeable in Aran designs, which usually look better knitted in wool.
When using acrylic yarns the finished knitting will often be much larger than if the same article was knitted in wool. This does not usually matter much in dolls houses as dolls vary a lot in size (rather like humans) and if your knitted item is too large for one doll it may fit another. Generally, a pattern using wool will come up ¼-inch (0.6 cm) larger overall if knitted with acrylic wool or cotton, the simplest solution here then is to use knitting needles a size or two smaller.
If yarns are substituted in a lace pattern, the lace effect may become more open or more closed depending on the thickness of the yarn substituted and may alter the look of the design completely.

Comparison of lace knitting

2. Displaying the finished article
You need to decide where you will display the article: is it to be draped over a chair? Placed on a bed? Hung on a hanger or even worn by a doll? All these factors may influence the type of yarn you choose to knit with.
a) Drape of finished article
If you wish to drape the article, for example a tablecloth or bedspread or even a dress laid out on a bed, it may be better to use a cotton or silk yarn rather than pure wool, which can be very stiff when knitted.
The size of the needles or the thickness of the yarn will also affect the drape. Smaller needles produce a tighter finished object, which will not drape as well as an article knitted on larger needles or using finer yarn.
b) Insect damage
If you are displaying an article in a dolls house or roombox you may wish to take into account possible insect damage, such as moth larvae eating through untreated wool or silk. In some cases small amounts of lavender tucked inside items of furniture, cushions or pillows may deter moths.
If using pure wool it is best to use wool that has been mothproofed by the manufacturer, as it can be heartbreaking to spend several days (or weeks) knitting a miniature item only to find that moth larvae have eaten right through the work. If the work is being displayed in a closed environment, such as under glass, this may not be such an important consideration.

3. Look of the yarn when knitted
Some people do not like the hairiness of pure wool when it is knitted up and prefer to use a yarn, which has a smoother finished surface. This is purely down to personal preference, but do check point 1 above when substituting yarns. Again an intricate lace pattern may be lost if knitted in wool and may show up much better if worked in silk or cotton yarn.

4. Yarn suggested in the pattern is too expensive
In miniature knitting it does not pay to use cheap yarn (or buy a large ball of non-mothproofed wool just because it’s cheaper than mothproofed). The finished item knitted using a cheap substitute, may not look the same as you were expecting from the pattern photos, it may be susceptible to moth damage or it may come out far larger than you expected and not fit the doll you intended the garment for.
Some pure wool yarns (apart from not being mothproofed) may also not be strong enough for miniature knitting, especially if travelling stitches (as in Aran patterns) are used and huge stresses are put on the fine yarn, which could break. Some very fine wool sold for lace knitting in full size, may not strong enough to cope with the stresses of miniature knitting, as the lace wool is generally used on much larger knitting needles to give a very open effect. It can be heartbreaking to find the yarn suddenly parts in the middle of a complex pattern.

So remember if the pattern designer recommends a certain type of yarn there is usually a reason behind it. Although if you are unable to obtain the correct yarn, then do try a small test patch to see the difference before you work the whole of the pattern.

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Moths

July 9th, 2010

1-ply mothproofed pure new wool

Moths and butterflies. It is not easy to classify between butterflies and moths. Of the two it seems moths get a bad press. Why would this be so? There are probably a few reasons and below are a few we have thought of.

Butterflies generally are considered to be quite colourful whereas moths are perceived as drab. It would be unfair to say that is always the case. However, some sources attribute the word moth to an Old English word meaning maggot. So it appears this perception of moths is not new. Butterflies remind of sunny warm days as they sit on a leaf or branch opening their wings to the bright rays. Not the first image that springs to mind when thinking about moths.

Maybe it is the general nocturnal nature of the moth that makes them less favoured? Those warm sultry evenings when the annoying rattle of a moth around a light bulb or against a window trying to get in do not sit well in the memory! It is not fully understood what attracts moths to light but it is thought to do with nighttime navigation.

One thing that definitely sets us against moths is the damage they can cause to woollen and other natural fabrics. It is not the moth, as most people know, that causes the damage. It is the caterpillar larvae. Some may recall that peculiar smell of mothballs in a wardrobe or drawer. The traditional mothballs was made from highly flammable naphthalene and has been superseded by less flammable organic compounds. But your miniature clothes do not have to fall prey to moths, as mothproofed wool is available from our web shop.

So is it right that moths get a bad press? Maybe or maybe not as the ecological world would be a much poorer place without them.

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1/12th scale Boater Hat

July 5th, 2010

1/12th scale crocheted boater hat for a dolls house doll

Although boater hats have been around since mid Victorian times, the images of a boater hat we think of today, were those traditionally worn with a blazer (plain or striped) and pale fawn or white trousers in the summer from Late Victorian times to the 1940’s. After this time boater hats are not as common, apart from use as school hats. Originally worn only by the gentry when poling punts or rowing up the river, these hats eventually became adopted as summer headwear by men of all classes. Midshipmen serving in the Royal Navy during Victorian times, to protect them from the sun when sailing in tropical regions, also wore boater hats.

Boater hats were traditionally made from straw and plaited, they would not normally have been made using crochet, although examples of men’s summer hats can be found which were made from crochet.

UK crochet terms usedAbbreviations:
ch – chain; dc – double crochet; sl – slip; st – stitch; ( ) or { } – repeat instructions between brackets as detailed in text
US readers please note: work all dc in this pattern as sc (single crochet)

Materials required: 0.75 mm and 1.25 mm crochet hook, 25 m approx No 70 tatting thread or No 80 crochet cotton, small length of 2 or 3 mm wide ribbon. For stiffening requirements see section after pattern.

1/12th scale boater hat
1/12th scale crochet boater hat for a dolls house doll
Note: The hat is worked in rounds and the hook size is changed at the start of round 7.

Round 1: Using 0.75 mm hook make 4 ch, 2 dc into 2nd ch from hook (the 1st of these ch sts forms the 1st dc of this round), 1 dc into 3rd ch from hook, 3 dc into last ch, turn and work 1 dc into base of dc worked in 3rd ch, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (8 dc)
Round 2: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into same place, (1 dc into next dc, 2 dc into next dc) three times, 1 dc into next dc, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (12 dc)
Round 3: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into next dc, 2 dc into next dc, (1 dc into next dc) five times, 2 dc into next dc, (1 dc into next dc) three times, join with a sl st to top, of 1st dc. (14 dc)
Round 4: 1 ch [1st dc], 2 dc into next dc, (1 dc into next dc) twice, 2 dc into next dc, (1 dc into next dc) three times, {2 dc into next dc, (1 dc into next dc) twice} twice, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (18 dc)
Round 5: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into each dc around, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc.
Round 6: 1 ch [1st dc], (2 dc into next dc) four times, (1 dc into next dc) five times, (2 dc into next dc) four times, (1 dc into next dc) four times, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (26 dc)
Change to 1.25 mm hook and complete remainder of pattern using the 1.25 mm hook.
Round 7: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into each dc around, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc.
Round 8: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into next dc, (2 dc into next dc) four times, (1 dc into next dc) nine times, (2 dc into next dc) four times, (1 dc into next dc) seven times, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (34 sts)
Rounds 9-15: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into each dc around, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc.
Round 16: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into same place, 2 dc into each dc around, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc. (68 dc)
Rounds 17-18: 1 ch [1st dc], 1 dc into each dc around, join with a sl st to top of 1st dc.
Fasten off and sew in all loose ends.

Note: at this point the hat will not resemble a boater, the shape is acquired when the hat is stretched and stiffened.
Stiffen the hat as shown below and then add a piece of ribbon around the crown, a bow may be tied or sewn in place on one side of the hat. The ribbon may need to be stitched to the base of the crown to keep it in place.

To stiffen and shape hat

A. Traditional sugar solution method
1. Make a solution of two teaspoons boiling water to one level teaspoon sugar.
2. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Place crochet in the solution until the crochet is completely wet through. Wring out excess solution or sugar crystals will form on the finished work!
4. Pin the crochet out on a piece of corrugated cardboard or polystyrene covered in cling film, using rustproof pins (as normal steel pins will rust and leave unsightly marks). Make a flat oval shape of plasticine or blu tak covered in cling film, (to go inside the crown and shape the hat). If necessary pin around the lower edges of the crown to hold in shape. Pull the crochet into shape as you work around, making sure brim of the hat stays flat, a few pins may be required to hold this in place.
5. Leave to dry in a warm place for 24 hours minimum. Do not attach ribbon to the hat until the hat has completely dried.
B. The item can be starched with laundry starch
Work as above starting at 3
C. PVA Glue
A solution can be made from PVA glue and water, however this will dry clear and slightly shiny. Proceed as from point 3 on sugar starching.

© Copyright F H Powell 2010
All rights reserved. This pattern is for private use only and may not be reproduced in any form, or reproduced for commercial gain including selling any item knitted up from these patterns without written permission from Buttercup Miniatures. Reproducing or transmitting this pattern by any means for any purpose other than for personal use constitutes a violation of copyright law.

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Sarah

June 28th, 2010

St Hilary's miniature Church

Regrettably, and with much personal sadness, we have to inform you of the sudden death on Thursday 17th June 2010, after a short illness of our dear friend Sarah Price.
Sarah featured frequently in our customer gallery as a miniaturist and also ran her own web site, St Hilary’s Miniature Church and blog, which many of you may be familiar with. Sarah and her husband Andrew also travelled around fund raising events with St Hilary’s church, giving away 1/12th scale items in return for donations to various charitable appeals.
Sarah very often discussed new ideas for St Hilary’s Miniature Church with Frances, which led to many other inspirations, some of which eventually became pages on Sarah’s web site. Unfortunately Sarah never had the chance to start the romance between the Vicar and Miss Enid, leading to an eventual wedding, as she had planned, although if you look closely it was hinted at in various pages on the St Hilary’s web site.
The main characters in the church though were always the children (and animals), Sarah often encountered problems with inventing her storylines, as the children could never age, but it didn’t stop her writing plausible web pages in the end.
We are sure you will join us in extending our deepest sympathies to her husband Andrew and sister Catherine at this very sad time.

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A trip to the seaside

June 23rd, 2010

Crochet pattern for a 1/12th scale beach set

For those people who live on the coast, a trip to the seaside is a non-event. For the vast majority of us that live a distance from the coast it is a treat, especially for children who relish time spent by the sea. Many of us may live close to some tourist site or other attraction and rarely if ever visit it, whether it is a theme park, historic building or museum. So maybe part of the attraction to those that live far from the sea is the need to travel to get there, that ‘going on holiday’ feeling.

1/12th scale sticks of rock

The coast has much to offer, apart from the clear air a belief that a stay by the coast could aid recovery from illness. This is demonstrated by a number of Miners convalescence homes: Blackpool on the North West Coast of England was opened in 1927, Skegness on the east coast opened in 1939 and Bournemouth on the south coast to name but a few.

1/12th scale saucy postcards

But the trip to the seaside, whether for just a day or for longer, for a British child was memorable. Making sandcastles with a bucket and spade, donkey rides, a stick of rock and exploring rock pools after the retreating tide were (and still are) exciting events for children. But the shoreline does not belong solely to the children, adults will find time spent beachcombing and sitting in a deck chair equally beneficial.

Miniature sea shells

Of course a trip to the coast can be for a single day or for longer. For those wishing to stay overnight, or possibly for a few days or weeks, accommodation is available. At peak times there may be a shortage of accommodation. The range accommodation for seaside holidaymakers is varied and something to suit every budget can usually be found. Hotel rooms can be found with the cheaper ones further away from the sea. A slightly lower budget is needed for the guesthouse (also known as a B&B). For those wanting the freedom to come and go as they please self-catering is the way to go. Here everything from renting a house or cottage to pitching a tent can be found. You may, like us, have memories of lying awake at night listening to the drumming of rain on the caravan roof!

Knitting pattern for a 1/12th scale ladies beach suit c. 1940's for a dolls house doll.

So whether it’s just a day trip to the seaside or for a little longer why not make your dolls house scene a little more coastal with some accessories from our web shop, such as sticks of rock, sea shells, postcards, glass fishing floats, etc. Or even knit or crochet some miniature swimwear or beachwear.

1/12th scale glass fishing floats

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Ladies Day, Royal Ascot

June 17th, 2010

Pattern for 1/12th scale crochet hats for a dolls house doll

Ladies Day (or Gold Cup Day) is the third day of horse racing at Royal Ascot in Berkshire. Ladies day this year falls on 17th June, and will be a chance for ladies to show off their designer clothes. Ladies are required to ‘dress in a manner appropriate to a smart occasion’, and are required to wear a hat. Most hats are conservative; some may be extremely flamboyant and extreme.

We have several crochet patterns for ladies hats if you wish to recreate your own mini Royal Ascot.

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World Cup 2010

June 11th, 2010

1/12th scale knitted England scarf and trophy cup for a dolls house

Today sees the start of the football World Cup in South Africa. This is the 19th staging of the event and the first time it has been held on the African continent. The month long competition culminates on 11th July when the original 32 nations will be reduced to the two finalists.

These are the finals of the competition that began in August 2007 with 204 hopeful nations starting out. The first part of the finals sees 8 groups or leagues of 4 teams play each other. The top two teams from each group go on to what is known as the knockout stage. Although there is a structure already in place (for example winners of group A play runners up of group B etc), it will not be known until the teams have (or have not) progressed to the knockout phase, who will play who.

It is customary for the host nation to open the competition with the first game and this time it is South Africa versus Mexico that gets things underway. Naturally there are favourites to win the competition before it gets underway and no doubt, as in previous competitions, there will be shocks as fancied teams go out early. But this makes the competition all the more exciting and increases the anticipation. If the country you support is taking part good luck, if not we hope you enjoy it anyway.

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New pattern for 1/12th scale crochet tablecloth

June 7th, 2010

Pattern for a 1/12th scale crochet tablecloth for a dolls house

We have recently added a crochet pattern for a 1/12th scale round tablecloth to our web shop:

Finished size: 5-inches/12.5 cm
This is suitable for intermediate to experienced crochet workers.

Pattern for a 1/12th scale crochet tablecloth

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