Custom Designed 1:12 Scale Drapes and Window Treatments
I have to admit that making miniature curtains and drapes is one of my least favorite things to do even though I love the realistic and warm look they give to a dollhouse. It's probably because my OCD insists that curtains be perfectly even with every fold in place (I have the same fixation with real life curtains), and in miniature, fabric doesn't always want to do what it's been told. However, it's worth all the fuss and occasional frustration to see those pretty curtains in dollhouse windows, both from the inside and the outside.
If there is a trick to mini curtains, it's to make them before the house is assembled. It's much easier to get accurate measurements and ensure a perfect fit when you're not bending in half and stuffing your head inside a dollhouse room while trying to find space for both your hands, the curtains, and a ruler. That's not always possible and most of the curtains I've made have relied on the client sending me precise measurements of each window. I generally make a paper template of the window space first (measure from the exterior edges of the sides of the frame and from the outside top edge to the bottom of the frame or to the floor depending on the style). After I'm sure the template is the perfect size, I trace it onto a piece of foam core and "sculpt" the fabric there. I have pleaters and use them for curtains that need to be "crisp" but mostly I prefer to soak the fabric in super-hold hairspray and then shape it on the foamcore, using silk pins to hold it in place. By free-forming the fabric, I can give it the illusion of blowing in the breeze or create gentle folds and draping. I use cardstock as the foundation of valances and glue the drapes to the back of the valance, then add a thin, fabric-covered piece of foamcore to the very top of the back so it can be glued or waxed to the window frame.
All of the curtains and drapes I've made were custom work so there's an eclectic assortment here. Even though I no longer take custom orders, I still find myself making curtains for my own houses because I simply can't deny that the right curtains can turn a house into a home.
Custom Rosedale Bedroom Drapes
Custom Rosedale Living Room Drapes
Custom Drapes (and more) for a Modern, Masculine Mansion
"The Duchess" Formal Victorian Parlor Drapes
Black Silk and Leopard Print Drapes
The French Chateau
One of my clients had a charming French Chateau and asked if I would dress the furniture and windows in it. From halfway across the country, she sent me pictures and measurements for the bedroom, dining room, nursery, parlor, and dressing room. Click on the thumbnails for detailed pictures of each room, including pictures from my client of the house with everything in it.
French Chateau Bedroom Drapes
French Chateau Dressing Room Drapes and Curtains
French Chateau Dining Room Drapes
French Chateau Living Room Drapes
Poinsettia Bedroom Bishop Sleeve Curtains
Poinsettia Parlor Drapes
