Help please, how do you make sheets lay naturally?

[glen]

How do you make sheets lay naturally?

I used floppy fabric but where the ends are turned over to stop fraying stick out unnaturally.

I've seen your perfect beds. How do you do it??

Just about ready to throw bed out the window!!!!

Glen

Could sew weights into hem but that seems a bit extreme,

[parisbabe]

that depends Glen.

Do you plan them to be permenant or are they going to be taken off occassionally??

When I did the ones that stayed on I used fabric stiffener.

I dont know what you could do for the temp ones...maybe soak them in fabric softener?? I dont know about that one.

Wen

[Shakyshaky]

I make mine to come off and sometimes I iron them to get them to stay flat. I have a very small craft iron and I iron the sides while it is on the bed at a low temp. You have to be caredul but it works.

You do realize once she sarts playing with it the covers are not always going to lay flat and will probably not even spend alot of time in the bed, right?

[Charlene]

Glen -- Pressing the hem would probably help the drape since that's the part of the piece that's not lying correctly. The little craft irons work nicely if you need have need for one and, of course, you can use a standard iron, too (does anyone besides me still have one?) New fabric is always tricky -- has sizing in it and I sometimes rinse it out and dry it before using it to insure it drapes properly. There's a product I use on the doll clothes by Aileen's called Fabric Stiffener -- spray it on, arrange the fabric the way you want it and let it dry. You can use spray starch pretty much the same way. But that's for display pieces that aren't going to be touched much -- your bed looks quite nice and certainly passes the play test...little girls I know would be thrilled with it and you certainly did a nice job.

[glen]

Thanks

Lucky this is sort of a practice bed before making the double,

I kind of fixed the problem by ironing it in place. (Thanks Melanie)

I also ironed a couple of the creases on an angle.

Yes the bed comes apart.

So rincing out the size might help to??

Cheers

Glen

[Charlene]

Glen -- Rinsing out the sizing will soften the fabric, but you'll probably need to press it when it's dry. You know, I like the look with the spread turned down in your second pic -- it really shows off your handywork with the sheets and gives it a really inviting, 'real' look.

[Shakyshaky]

Glad I could help. The bedding came out great too.

[heidiiiii]

I sew but for the life of me cant remember the name of the stuff. But it is webby and you can iron it onto fabric to stiffen it. It comes in lite and harder stiffnesses. I used it for collars. Maybe lil strips of that would solve the problem.

[Charlene]

Heidi -- Are you thinking of "fusible interlining"? Or sometimes it's called "fusible webbing"?

[heidiiiii]

YES! I had a brain lapse. Couldnt remember what it was called. I wonder if you used the lightest type, and ironed it on just the bottom half of the sheet, if that would help?

[glen]

I've got some iron on hemming tape somewhere. Use it with the boys at work for making sails. Is that like what your talking about?

Working a lahte or mill is much easier!!!!!!!!!!!

Glen

[Missymew]

Glen -

Fabrics are one of the most difficult items to work with in minis. Remember that we're usually using full thickness fabric as a covering for a 1:12 object.

To give my beds the illusion that the fabric is proportionate to the bed, I pull the sides down taut and then "sew" under the bed with basting stitches. Holds them down real nice, and just a couple of snips and I can remove and change the bedding.

Another thing that I do is tack the sides down with wax. This works good on a wooden base, but not so good on wicker or wire.

When my granddaughters come over, if they want to tuck the dolls into the beds, I have a box full of blankets and throws that they use. They're perfectly happy to lay the dolls on the tops of the beds that I have fully made up and then throw their own choice of soft blanket over top.

Another way you can make the bedding lay flat is by draping ... you run the blanket or bedding through a wash of water and tacky glue. Then you cover your bed with saran (plastic wrap) for protection and then drape the wet gluey blanket over the saran wrapped bed. Let is dry, and then remove the saran wrap. The blanket will be permanent molded to the shape of the bed, but it won't be soft for the child to tuck her dolly's into.

Remember that with miniatures we're often dealing with the skillful art of illusion. Unfortunately, small children don't so much like the "perfect illusion" so much as the playability (and things that they can relate to in real life). Soft nice smelling blankets are always a huge hit with little girls. My granddaughters always comment on the soft blankies. I always rewash the dollhouse blankets and fluff them dry with fabric dryer sheets that I keep stored by for my granddaughters. They really enjoy that they feel and smell what they think a blanket should feel and smell like.

No matter what method you decide to use to lay your blanket down, fold a soft (a thin fleece or cotton works well) at the foot of the bed. I guarantee Baby will use it.

-Susanne

[glen]

When my granddaughters come over, if they want to tuck the dolls into the beds, I have a box full of blankets and throws that they use. They're perfectly happy to lay the dolls on the tops of the beds that I have fully made up and then throw their own choice of soft blanket over top.

Soft nice smelling blankets are always a huge hit with little girls. My granddaughters always comment on the soft blankies. I always rewash the dollhouse blankets and fluff them dry with fabric dryer sheets that I keep stored by for my granddaughters. They really enjoy that they feel and smell what they think a blanket should feel and smell like.

fold a soft (a thin fleece or cotton works well) at the foot of the bed.

-Susanne

The simple answers are always the best and always the one I'd never think of in a million years.

Thanks Susanne

I'll leave this bed "functional" but the double bed, when I make it, will use the above ideas so the coverings can be "fancy" (Or as fancy as I can make it given my limited skills.)

Cheers

Glen

[Missymew]

Glen -

It's surprising what I've learnt from watching children. Sometimes we create problems by examining our ideas in the more complicated adult world.

-Susanne

[havanaholly]

you can use a standard iron, too (does anyone besides me still have one?)

Me, and I steam press the creases on bedding so it lays just fine. I glue the bottom sheet under the mattress when I use packing foam for the mattress.