Hogwarts robe for Penny and crafting together (August)

When Jolinda, Connie and I had our monthly crafting afternoon in August, I started on a Hogwarts school robe for Penny.
When I'd done a Griffinfor robe a few years back I'd saved the pattern and even had cut the part for future robes.

I had somehow forgotten that Penny is smaller than a grown up wizard so she nearly drowned in my first attempt ;)

So, I addapted the pattern and started again.

Penny kept an eye on the whole process and couldn't wait.

The lining confirms the fact that Penny is a little Hufflepuf ;)

It still needs a crest and a fastener but we were both happy with how the robe has turned out.

Long overdue update on the Italian project!

It's been months since I've shown you the progress on the Italian project. Even though I've met with the miniature club twice since February, and I've been working on it at home as well :')
So this is mainly a quick photo update, so I can move on to the next thing ;)

I finished the awning and then I could
finally put the front of the trattoria in place
(which wasn't as easy as it sounds ^^).

Next, the ballustrade got glued to
the mountain wall. Because of all
the tweaking on the front, it
didn't fit as well as when I made it.

So I filled the gap with a piece of card-
board that was left over from cutting the
door opening :)

I've made two table clothes and pinned the planter under the
window, just untill I've made flowers (a)

I've put together some bodyparts for
a waitress and got this wig from an-
other doll.

Started sewing the trousers.

Made an apron from the same fabric I used for
the awning. Then I made the bistro tables, so
now there's four bistro chairs on my to-do-list ;)

And of course a neat collar shirt :)

She's still a w.i.p. and need shoes, arms, a face
paint and a better fitting wig but I'm very happy
with the clothes! 

I've used this photo as a reference for the apron: click
This one for the bistro tables: click
For the shirt this tutorial by AkameruKawaii was very helpful: click

Introducing Penny

I'm pleased to introduce Penny to you, who'll be living in the Hogsmeade cottage with her mother Bianca. 

Penny is an original character from my Dutch story Wentelende Wereld (which roughly translates as 'Turning World'). It is a post Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter) fanfiction, which has already 44 chapters on line, but is nowhere near finished ;)

Penny grew up in a totally Muggle neighbourhood, and wasn't told about the Wizarding world until her own magic started to show. Now, in the summer after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort, she'll turn 11 years and she anxiously waiting for her Hogswarts acceptance letter. Her mother, who has been a teacher in a Muggle school for the last decade, has applied for a job at Hogwarts. To make it easier for Penny to enter the Wizarding World for the first time, Bianca has decided to move to a small cottage in Hogsmeade for the summer. 

Ofcourse there's a lot more to their story, like meeting lots of new people, dark secrets, a hidden identity, a new romance etc, but it would be to much to translate all of that :')

When I was looking online for someone who could resemble Penny, I searched for 'pre teen girl braids' and found these photo's.

As soon as I saw this photo
I knew it was 'my' Penny :)

Me at 11 (or 12) ;) Now I'm
wondering if I based Penny
unconsiously on my image ^^

After a (very) long search on the internet for the right doll, I found Dollhousedoll (in Dutch Poppenhuispop.nl). Esther has made this 12 cm high doll for me, painted the face and braided the hair. I was so happy when she arrived, I could hardly wait to make her some clothes ;)

Seeing as Penny grew up in a totally Muggle neighbourhood, she had alway worn Muggle clothes. 

I decided to just go with the outfit the girl on the photo wears. Quite a challenge with no pattern and hardly any experience in sewing miniature clothes. 

I found fabrics in the right colour for the tops/shirt and the jeans (which all where clothes from my own wardrobe ^^).

I really love how this turned out, would love
that in 1:1 for myself ^^

Because the doll only had half porcelain
arms and legs, I needed to make at least
half long sleeves.

Fitting the shirt, the sleeve turned out to be
just the right lenght to cover the not porcelain
part of her arm.

I think this is the smallest piece of clothing
I've made so far :)

Looks as comfy as it was when I wore the
original shirt :P

The jeans are still inside out while Penny is
very helpful lifting her top while fitting them.

For the jeans I had found this great tutorial
by SugarCharm!

Thanks to the stretchy fabric the jeans fit
like a glove ;)

I still want to give the jeans a worn looking maybe even rip them a little if I dare :')

Also want to change the shoes/boots she's wearing now to something more sporty and fitting of a ten-year old, like sneakers/trainers of walking boots.

After Penny gets her Hogwarts acceptance
letter, there will definitely be newly bought
robes and books on her bed ;)

Credits: the half cat/half Kneazle, called 'Blast', was a gift from my friend Kim of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo for Penny.

Pretty in pink

"... now I've no more excuses left to not start shaping the clematis leaves and flowers," I said last week.
So what did I do? Anything but shaping leaves and flowers (a) Well, I did a few, but then I got distracted ... again.
I filled the planter with potting soil (mostly clay with a mixture of ground coffe from a coffee pad and tea from a tea bag glued onto it). While looking for some left over coffee and tea, I also found the box with the other bamboo items we made together, so I've added the bird house, the round planter with tulips and the broom to the scene.
The black bird, which Kim from Bibbidi Bobbibi Boo had made me, has found its definate place. Sitting on a broken flowerpot, a bit hidden between the garden bench and the lilac planter he's enjoying small bites of apple. The Kneazles are both made by Kim as well!

Did I originally think about putting an old man on the bench, perhaps smoking a pipe, suddenly I got the image of a little girl playing with a pet :)
I happened to have these two little christmas angels, so I gave the little redhead an make over :)

The top is reversible, so did I want to dress her in a top with 

roses and a pink skirt or the other way around?

I choose the little roses for both the top and the skirt, with some pink accents, but didn't attach the skirt to the top, so I'll be able to change her outfit if I make another skirt in the pink fabric.

I'm normally not into the (miniature)babyrooms and pink dresses but I have 

to admit, this little girl in her pretty dress has already stolen my heart ;) 

She's also the first of my dolls, for whom I sewed an outfit and I enjoyed making this 

dress more than I anticipated, so maybe Harry, Draco and Sophie will be next ^^

Well, time to continue with the leaves and flowers, right? Or should I .... ;)

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