How to Craft Footstools for Barbie and much smaller dolls...

        I have designed three types of footstools shown here with either recycled buttons or bottle caps.      
       Buttons and bottle caps come in such a wide variety of size that crafting with these materials may be easily applied to the following scales: 1:6, 1/12, 1/16, and 1/24.
       The sample stools below are for miniature 6-inch dolls. But these would also suit some 8 to 10 inch dolls easily as the buttons are a bit large.

Footstool (1.) is a cap filled with a cushion.
Footstool (2.) just right, is a large embroidery covered button.
Footstool (3.) is a tiny cushion sewn to a button.
On the far right, bottom is a quarter coin for size comparison.

       Footstools are sometimes confused with other types of stools on the web but there is a big difference in size, function and proportion when these furniture items are compared to other stools in the real market place. An ottoman is not a footstool only. These are generally speaking twice the size of footstools and also have built in storage. Ottomans are frequently upholstered in coordinating or duplicate fabrics to those of the chair or sofa they are designed to accompany. 
       Footstools are almost always purchased separately from furniture and are designed to comfort and support the feet, improving circulation for the elderly or injured. 
       In the past, footstools have been upholstered with fancy embroidery or durable leather. Doll footstools, like the ones in real life may be crafted out of just about anything. 

       I made the footstool above using a recycled upholstered button, three wooden beads, glue and paper. It is covered with an unusual embroidered design depicting a dove. I do not know what it was once attached to: a garment or perhaps even a pillow. In any case, it was inside of large tin of buttons that have been in my family for several generations. 

       The second footstool is of a small stuffed pillow attached to the top of a large button for support. The stool's feet are three beads glued to the bottom, again. I attached the tiny cushion by threading it through a bead and then down through the center of the button's holes, knotting it securely in place.

The chair shown here is a lounge chair we use in a 1/12 scale dollhouse. The pillow filled cap
matches it well as it uses the identical fabric as the seat cushions made for the chair. Right,
a porcelain cat sits upon the cozy stool.

       The third footstool is made with three beads for feet and a recycled cap. A small stuffed pillow is glued inside the cap this time and a braid is glued around the edge of the cap to give it a 'finished look.'