Nightgowns and Dutch foot stoves

Making a nightgown and a cap for a 12th scale doll can be challenging, especially when the only item of clothing you've made so far is a wizard cloak.
However, if it's a birthday present for a good friend, you'll give it a shot anyway :)

But when the doll can't try the nightgown every now and then, because he's living across the pond; when he's handmade and isn't exactly on scale, and when he even doesn't have feet (yet), it becomes nearly impossible ;)
But after starting over and over for a couple of times, I finally figured out a design (based on the picture I'd gotten) :)

My third attempt :)

Still too wide (a)

Finally sewed all seams, for the hemming
I'll use textile glue.

Deciding on the trim.

Looks very big, but Harry isn't very tall xD

Draco only wanted to model the cap. Once!
Because it messed his hair too much :D

Footless or not, I also made some slippers
and a foot stove to rest his ... uh ankles ;)

Final touch; two snap fasteners at the back, to make sure
it'll fit a British wizard.

When I get pictures of the elderly British wizard, I'll definately show them but for now ...

I convinced Harry to model one more time
be putting a nice armchair in the scene ...

...though he complained about the fact that I
gave him a book but then forgot to hand
him his glasses :')

After my friend had received the parcel,  I discovered that a foot stove isn't very common in Brittain, so I had to explain that it isn't a little table :)
A foot stove consists of a wooden box which is open on one side, with holes at the top. In it, a bowl made of pottery or metal with burning charcoal was placed. The feet were positioned on top of the stove to become warm. By putting a blanket or clothing on the legs the heat could be isolated and the lower legs were heated.
I also didn't know that it's a typical Dutch foot warmer. I remember my grandparents having them (not sure my parent did at one time), so it's nice to learn more about it accidentally.
So, I'd like to share that infomation of course.

Dutch foot stoves

Source

 Mid-17th century paintings with women using 

foot warmers of the fire pot in wooden box kind. 

All by Dutch artist van Brekelenkam.

The Dutch used to be known for a certain kind of foot warmer found alongside other household furniture: a pierced box with an earthenware or metal pot holding glowing coals inside. They called it a stoof (stove) and you can see it in countless paintings from the 17th century on, like this one by Cornelis de Man c1670.
These foot stoves were also common in northern Germany. A stone slab was an alternative to the wooden top with holes. Similar foot-warming “boxes” were known in other countries too: see this French chaufferette. In Britain open fires were the most popular way of warming yourself indoors and foot warmers were not much used in the home, but some craftspeople had an earthenware pot of coals for heating their workshop, and this might be placed under a footstool.
Foot warmers are visible in the paintings, but they could be completely hidden under a long skirt or cloak. They were used more by women than men. Did men’s boots keep them warmer?

 Typically Dutch foot warmer (top) without its inner pot. 

Also a foot-warming "stove" from Northern Germany 

with stone top. Photos by Johan and Nyks

Progress on the terracotta shawl

I thought I'd show you my progress on the new crochet shawl I started a week ago. Even though I've been busy working on the cottage doors (and I can't crochet for more than ten minutes at the time) I made progress :)
Still love the colour and the pattern a lot!

Last week

This weekend two dear friends came to visit me. It's a once a year visit and I had a great day. One of them gave me this marvelous little music box. The box is gorgeous, I think, and maybe I can place it somewhere in the cottage as a trunk. 

She'd also found me some spindels and stair-banisters. Very convenient since my cottage stairs still need those :)

And it plays 'Hedwig's theme' <3

Video by Invenio Crafts

Doors for the Hogsmeade Cottage, part 4

I've finally finished the inner doors for the Hogsmeade (Scottish) cottage! :)
Not perfect by all mean, but after all the struggles they gave me, I'm more than happy with the result ^^
Once they were finished I couldn't resist putting all the walls together with lots of masking tape. Not only for fun, but also to give me a better understanding what I need to do next. It also gave me a boost for the next part.
Of course doing some home decorating was purely for my pleasure, though I hope you enjoy the photo's as well ;)

Not everything inside will eventually end up in the cottage but most of it will.

Most miniatures are made by me, some be others. Such as the Kneazle (cat) and the tree-like bookstand, made by Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, and the books on the bed and the bookstand are by Marike's Magical Miniatures.

The furniture won't stay in the cottage, but I haven't made any for the living room :)

The stairs still need some work, so this is a good opportunity to have a good look.
Pixie is by Georgia Marfels, Parcels by Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.

The least idea's yet for the bathroom, other then the colour, lilac/lavender :)

Apple pie cutting board and Kneazle (cat) made by Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.

Crafting together - February

Yesterday was our monthly craft afternoon. And again we wanted to play with Fimo :)
We'd decided to make plates using the Youtube tutorial I'd found after our previous meeting.

It was a very enjoyable afternoon, and even a productive one. Well, at least compared with the last time ;) We started with the plates and then had fun experimenting a bit.

Different sizes, different stamps, but all very nice with the white Fimo.

Jolinda tried different kind of plates and deep plates, Wil made a coffee pot, milk jug and a tray and I mixed some Fimo to made lilac platters for an etagère and used the leftover to make a mould.

  

We'd do the polishing and varnishing at home, and I did that later that evening. This morning I made the etagère, cutting one of the platters because I wasn't happy with the edge :')

I'm very happy how these plates turned out. And at least Little Penny and her mother will be able to have a decent meal now ;)

Productive weeks, more or less.

"Now I'm going to stain the door and then glue the hinges and nails to the door. Keeping my fingers crossed in the mean time," I said a month ago. Well, that didn't help :')

I've tried and tried and tried but every time I got it wrong and I got so frustrated that I almost threw in the towel. But of course I didn't :')
In the end I decided to remove a part of the jamb, made a new one, and made a new (wider) door and a (sturdier) treshold.

No visible hinges anymore, but (needle) pins to open and close the doors :') Not as realistic as I would've liked, but ah well ... ;)
I've already done all four jambs yesterday, stained them too, and started on the other doors.

Besides my struggles with the doors. I was very productive these weeks :)
I sold my last macrame planthanger, made 4 new ones and already sold two of those as well.

I also sold the first shawl I crochetted, so I thought I'd start making a new one. For this one I will be using Venne Nm70/2 Terra Cotta (7-3010) and crochethook 0.60. 

There are also a few things I've made that I can't show you yet, since I made them as a birthday present for a good friend. And of course she's not supposed to see them before the parcel arrives by the end of the week ;)  Hope to show you then.

Last but not least; I've sorted out my craft supplies and tidied my craft room (again :P). I should probably call it my storeroom, since I'm always crafting in my living room ;)

Lot of unfinished, or nearly finished projects besides the cottage.