Edwardian Dolls House: the Start of it All

A sewing box in 1:12 scale

It's funny, isn't it, how inspiration strikes in unexpected ways. And how little projects grow into big projects. The inspiration for my 13-room Edwardian dolls house came about because of a kit swap with fellow miniaturists.

   The theme for the swap was 'ladies accessories'. I sent off kit sets for everything a well-dressed lady needed in the kitchen - a fancy apron, fetching rubber gloves, designer dish mop and brush and shovel.  

  In return, I received lots of beads to make perfume bottles, a hat, a lingerie set and the kit to make this sewing box. 

  I started with the sewing box. It was very fiddly to make. The cardboard shapes had to be cut out then covered in material. All these pieces had to be sewn together with tiny little stitches, making sure they all fitted evenly. It was quite a task. The fun part was finding or making all the little bits and bobs to go inside. 

   While I was doing all this glueing and sewing and making, I idly wondered who would have a sewing box like this in real life.  The answer came to me in a flash. An Edwardian governess!

  I've been fascinated with the Edwardian era for several years now, and, at the time I was making the sewing box, I was about ready to start another dolls house. The idea took hold! The inspiration that this tiny little kit set gave me grew into a mammoth project. My Edwardian dolls house has kept me busy learning and creating and crafting, for quite some considerable time! I love it!