Scale fabric

[WyckedWood]

Thanks, I've checked her site before...would b so helpful if she had a ruler next to the fabric picture so you could see how big the print is. 

[Debsrand56]

I love this topic!  They are so many good suggestions here and some new links for me to try.  I am going to throw one more thing into the mix.    Dragonfly International also sells printable sheets, in a variety of fabrics, including silk.  I have tried her silk habotai, and was quite pleased with it.

[Thimble Hall]

Hi, take a look at this link, you won't be able to buy from them, they make garments but it has this great chapter on describing the different types of silk. I do have a better site but am just changing my computer and can't find my shortcut page.

 

https://texeresilk.com/article/silk_facts_tutorial                        then read the next chapter dictionary, it will give you all the names and descriptions of silks

 

Many of the silks described you probably won't come across but many you will. I like plain china silk, very thin and lightweight it can be used for many things, it is often found in Thrift stores, mens shirts eg. Duoponi (has several similar spelled names) is a good one , it has a tiny slub in it but it generally comes in all kinds of designs. I have recently found  a tiny tartan that I want to make a little kilt from.

 

It is my heavy cooking day to day so I won't be around much but anyway take a look and if you have any questions I will be free later tonight.The site should be able to help with what you don't want. eg raw silk is heavy a,lot like heavy linen and yet it is silk..

 

Summing up I tend to go by what my fingers tell me, I sometimes want a soft silk that will move with a whisper of a blow but sometimes I want one that will take a crease and that may be too stiff for your purposes, I like some of the ones that have a sort of peach fuzz sheen, they drape well but look very luxurious,  they make great drapes,but it is very smooth and can look a bit plain so going to a Duoponi  gives that texture, Shot silk catches the light and shimmers as the warp and weft are different colours. Moire silk too. I just let my senses tell what will work for what purpose. I am looking for lightweight, often sheer but not stiff like silk organdy.

 

 

[WyckedWood]

Ok thanks so much for the info it's interesting to read. The Duponi (sp?) I see made into curtains and I think the slub in it is fine for curtains or a coverlet, but to my eye the slub looks a little out of scale in a gown. But maybe not if it was in black. 

I just received an order from an eBay seller I've used several times out of Cupertino Ca their username is just "silkfabric". They offer small amounts of silks perfect for miniaturist size requirements, I've been getting different types to try out. I read in an old nutshell news to use taffeta silk, I bought a few pieces of it and love the way it feels. It haven't tried to make anything with it yet. Do you have an opinion on taffeta? 

I also bought a cotton/silk blend voile batiste which was very sheer, more sheer than I was expecting, but looks like it would make a beautiful night gown or bloomers. 

Thanks for the link, I'll look through it. I like to hear your opinions based on your experience what's best for us or maybe what to avoid. 

Deb thanks I didn't know Dragonfly did the fabric sheets, when I get my order (probably Monday) from the eBay seller I used I'll let you all know how I like it. If you search on eBay for dollhouse miniature computer printed fabric you can see the seller I used "rman1017"

[Debsrand56]

12 minutes ago, WyckedWood said:

Deb thanks I didn't know Dragonfly did the fabric sheets, when I get my order (probably Monday) from the eBay seller I used I'll let you all know how I like it. If you search on eBay for dollhouse miniature computer printed fabric you can see the seller I used "rman1017"

Thanks, Karin.  I would be very interested.  It looks like she does half scale fabric, too.

[shannonc60]

I just remembered there is an article on printing your own fabric in this month's Dollshouse World magazine using Powerpoint. I don't think we have that as we have a Mac (but I haven't looked either so maybe we do) but I have successfully used Paint many times, and there are free (or very cheap) drawing apps so you can do the same thing or make up your own design. 

[Thimble Hall]

just changing to cotton for a moment but it applies to silk also. I see many tiny patterns advertised  being suitable for a dollhouse project. I am a quilter so recognize many of the patterns in fact I have a lot of them but..I still think they are unsuitable as the fabric itself is still normal thickness. If it was dollhouse size the fabric would have shrunk down in size too, not just the pattern. That is why I like the really good white  batistes for underwear, aprons, and sheers, and the colored ones made by Nelona make lovely children's dresses or grown up blouses.. They are very thin, I use them for christening gowns full size and they are beautiful to work with. Silk is much the same as cotton in as much as it comes very thin and also quite heavy so one has to get a swatch of the fabric to see if it is suitable for the job. Shantung silk is not traditionally heavy but not so light as china silk and I have found shantung in different weights although technically it should be all the same. It is good for upholstery, not too thick but  on a sofa it looks like a thicker material which is how upholstering fabric would look. Silk velvet is beautiful but the weight is a downer, I would use it for doll coats and muffs but bigger dolls, however the pile could be used for carpet I think. Silk taffeta is a lovely fabric, crisp  and pleats well but again it may be thicker than I would like depending on it's use. If I am making 6 inch or smaller doll clothes I want the weight of the fabric to  look in scale and often the people look like they have borrowed their older family clothing, rarely do I see something that seems to fit especially  in pre dressed purchased people, The same goes for bedding and curtains, if the fabric is too thick it simply doesn't drape it sorts of sticks out. I frequently see lace being used for curtains but again IMO it is too thick. Tulle can be used and if one can work under a magnifier you can embroider fancy edgings on it using the tiny holes like Aida fabric. Even regular sewing thread is too thick, I prefer to use silk thread or some I have had years that was originally for sewing mink skins, it is extremely excellent if making say, an appliqued quilt as the stitches are so tiny .

[WyckedWood]

Thanks again Jeannine I'm very appreciative of your experienced advice! 

[WyckedWood]

On 8/5/2017, 2:55:45, Debsrand56 said:

Thanks, Karin.  I would be very interested.  It looks like she does half scale fabric, too.

Just updating here to say I love the fabric I bought from this eBay seller I had told you about...

stores.ebay.com/Miniholiday-Dollhouse-Miniatures 

Great quality, nice and thin, looks like it'll be nice to work with. Just wish it came in bigger pieces, maybe someday she'll start printing larger pieces. 

[Mid-life madness]

1 hour ago, WyckedWood said:

Just updating here to say I love the fabric I bought from this eBay seller I had told you about...

stores.ebay.com/Miniholiday-Dollhouse-Miniatures 

Great quality, nice and thin, looks like it'll be nice to work with. Just wish it came in bigger pieces, maybe someday she'll start printing larger pieces. 

Thanks for sharing Karin

I bought my cute owl lamp from her. She sells a lot of lighting that is priced fairly for redecorating too.

[Elsbeth]

I have had luck with quilting charm packs - charm packs are 5x5 squares. You can get a lot of squares for $10 or less. You just need to figure out if the pattern selection will suit your scale needs. I have done mini charm packs for 1/2 and 1/4 scale and if I choose the right pack, the scale is pretty good. I like the variety I get in one pack. There will always be an oversized floral square or two, but those can make pillows sometimes.

https://www.fatquartershop.com/charm-packs/where/p/3

I enjoyed this one:

[Debsrand56]

14 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

I bought my cute owl lamp from her

I love that owl lamp.

[WyckedWood]

34 minutes ago, Mid-life madness said:

Thanks for sharing Karin

I bought my cute owl lamp from her. She sells a lot of lighting that is priced fairly for redecorating too.

I love her Christmas cookies too, I have some of the santa ones. 

Going to the quilt shop today to see what I can find..I really like the kris compass settee kit I bought from miniatures.com but I don't want to put it together until I find just the right fabric.