Practice Quilting With Cheater Quilts

Breezy and cheerful, a Summer light weight
cheater quilt for a Barbie bed.

        Little hands can learn to quilt easier with cheater quilts! Cheater quilts are printed designs, often in a geometric pattern with areas of print that look as though they are pieced together. Piecing may become frustrating for beginners because they must cut and measure, trace and assemble; in other words, a novice sewer must accomplish many more basic steps in order to finish a quilt before experiencing the satisfaction of his or her end product. But with a cheater quilt, those steps are narrowed down to learning the straight stitch and binding the edges only.

       There are many cheater quilts sold in second-hand markets for young sewers to acquire online these days. Make sure to purchase one that has miniature geometric patterns so that the quilt will be to scale for your doll's house bedroom. This is not impossible to find, folks who sell fabric for cheater quilts are familiar with the request; little girls have been making dollhouse quilts for their own dolls forever! The quickest way to see if a printed cheater quilt has the right proportions is to view it with a coin or ring in the picture online. The smaller the printed piecework, the better scale for a doll.

       You may wish to layer the quilt top along with a thin piece of felt instead of cotton batting sheeting. Dolls don't need real warmth at night after all, just pretend warmth. Felt is far less expensive for young people to purchase and if thin, it is easier for a needle to pass through when layered together with one or two other fabrics. 

       When teaching a younger child, I have them practice with only two layers of fabric for their first doll quilt. It is quicker for them to stitch through and attaching the third layer to the bottom while binding all of the layers together with a ribbon will conceal any flaws that may be obviously seen on the underside of the quilt. It is more important for young sewers to feel proud after a first attempt, than to worry over inconsistency. With practice, their work will improve. In the mean time, their doll will have a new blanket to snuggle beneath that is made by a very young enthusiastic parent. 

• Quick baby quilt using a cheater print by Amy Smart
• How to make a cheats patchwork quilt by Laurens Top tips

Our Unicorn Themed Doll Bedroom

The unicorn themed bedroom in our family dollhouse for 18 inch dolls. In this room there
are six pieces of furniture: the side table, canopy bed, a large dresser, a rocking chair,
a storage cabinet with sliding doors and a comfy cushion and a hanging curio cupboard.
There is also a hanging banner above the storage cabinet that I could not squeeze 
into the photo easily. I photo of it is below.

       To begin with, I completely upcycled a four-poster bed for this unicorn themed doll bedroom. Originally, it was painted white (from Our Generation called "My Sweet Canopy") but I chose to decoupage it with a lovely greyish-brown, faux-wood paper.

First I decoupaged the canopy bed once white with pink curtains. Then I painted the 'carved'
floral areas to match the woodgrain papers. After this I cut the mattress from a cushy piece
of foam, covered this with polka-dot sheet flannel and then cut and stuffed a bed pillow
in the same flannel fabric.

The flower motifs on the bed have been painted to match the decoupaged wood papers.
 The comforter is a blue print with unicorns. 

Left, see storage bench, for toys or games, with seat cushion. The sock unicorn and narwhal
 on top of cushion. The unicorn banners with three dimensional parts. Right is the large
 braided rug, for more pictures go here. The floors of this bedroom are made using
 woodgrain contact papers.

Left, bedside table. Right, large wooden dresser.

       The tops of both the side table and large doll dresser feature the following on display: a large handmade lamp, a collection of 'My little Ponies' real miniature glass perfume bottles, a doll cell phone, handcrafted books and a decorative unicorn sculpture purchased at a dollar store.

Interior decoupaged with chevron and floral paper.

       The lavender painted cupboard may be either hung on the wall or displayed on top of the large white dresser. It displays all kinds of 18 inch doll accessories like: a mermaid figurine, nail polish, lipstick, sun glasses and a cup for soft drinks with a handle, a fancy hair comb, perfume, and a cell phone all displayed on the outside, side shelves. Behind the glass front cabinet door are shelves containing a selection of books, head phone for listening to music and a small frame of a doll's friend and puppy.

 

Left, mirror. Center, unicorn felt banner with 3d crown, mane and horn.
 Right, paint your own unicorn picture for the walls...

Fancy laser-cut frames.

     To make the framed unicorn colored picture (photo below), cut from scrap cardboard, the backing and then glue your own colored version of the following coloring sheets (unicorn with rainbow and/or unicorn with princess).

       To make the mirror, we simply cut a cardboard backing and then glued mirrored paper to this before attaching it to a fancy laser cut frame with masking tape.

       Craft the 3D unicorn framed in an oval laser cut frame by backing it with a sturdy piece of cardboard cut to size and mounted inside the frame. Then sculpt the facial features: mussel, horn, and eyes with oven-bake clay. Glue these features as you see them below inside of the frame. 

       Unravel a cotton ball and layer this with white glue to shape a mane around the horn and eyes. Let everything dry and then paint these features to make a unique piece of wall art. 

Paint the wooden unicorn flat using a selection of your favorite colors. Paste on the lace
to further decorate the unicorn.

  

Left, see the shaped clay pieces pasted onto the white cardboard. These were sculpted
with oven-bake clay and then pasted onto the cardboard. Right, see how to paint the
 unicorn one way simply. But, you may paint your own version with the colors you prefer.

More Doll Sized Unicorn Bedrooms:

• American Girl Doll Unicorn Bedroom by Be Chic Forever - The room includes white furnishings with gold gilt trim, tiny unicorn dolls, a blue metal bed, pink star themed linens, contemporary tulle bed curtains, a bookcase, wardrobe storage and a variety of gold accessories like: a telephone, apple, clock, terrarium, signage etc....
• American Girl Doll Unicorn Bedroom by agoverseasfan - Watch agoverseasfan decorate her doll's unicorn bedroom with unicorn toys, a pink and white unicorn theme, cute card quotes and white fuzzy furnishings and rug.

Left is a unicorn pillow with a lace mane and shiny fabric horn. Right, is a coloring page
 printed colored and pasted to cardboard that fit the inside of the fancy frame.

Craft a no-sew royal unicorn banner for your doll's bedroom

The finished unicorn banner.

       We have a unicorn themed bedroom in our large, 18'', American Girl Dollhouse. This is one of several crafts that have been made to decorate the room.

 Supply List:

• one square each of purple and white felt
• scrap yellow felt for crown
• purple velvet ribbon to trim the edges
• a wooden dowel or something similar
• purple ribbon and/or yarn for the hanger
• rainbow colored ribbons for the unicorn's mane
• a black permanent ink marker for the unicorn eye lashes and nose holes
• tiny gems or perhaps glitter glue (optional decorations)
• fabric tack (glue) and/or hot glue for the horn

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the purple felt into a 9 x 5 inch piece.
2. Make a narrow casing for chenille stems to be inserted through. Fold over one of the narrower ends of the felt 1/2 inch and glue it down to the back side of your unicorn textile banner. 
3. While the glue dries, print, cut out and trace around the unicorn pattern below, on top of the white or ivory felt to shape the royal unicorn head and to also shape the bottom of the banner into a "V." like the sample shown here.
4. Trace around the ear pattern on top of more white felt. Cut two ears and glue these in place.
5. Using a black permanent marker, draw on the unicorn's eye lashes and breathing holes.
6. Now cut the rainbow colors of ribbon in two inch pieces, folding these in half and glue one-at-a time down the ''neck'' of the unicorn on it's backside. As you continue to glue on this mane working downward, make the ribbon shorter. The edges of the ribbon will be hidden behind the unicorn cut-out when it is glued to the banner.
7. Glue the entire unicorn head onto the purple banner. Let dry
8. Cut the horn and crown from felt while the banner is drying.
9. Glue along the side seam of the horn, folding it in half lengthwise to shape a horn. Once this has dried, you can then invert the felt to hide the seam inside. Stuff it with a small bit of cotton.
10. Glue the yellow, felt crown around the base of the horn before gluing it in place between the ears.
11. Glue on the velvet purple ribbon to trim-out the edges.
12. Insert the dowel and cut it to the correct length. Tie the ribbon onto it to hang the banner. 

Left, the purple banner cut from wool; this may be used alternatively if you haven't any
felt. Right, the ivory felt unicorn head with ears.

Left, the front of the unicorn's head with eyes and nose drawn on.
Right, see how the ribbons are attached with glue prior to glue the
entire head piece down on top of the banner. In this way the ribbons
ends will be hidden and neatly tucked under the felt.

Left, the unicorn horn is stuffed with cotton and the crown is wrapped around it.
Right, I found it necessary to hot glue the horn in place.

Above, my patterns for the unicorn banner to be hung in our 
doll's unicorn themed bedroom.

DIY Barbie's Bohemian Bed

        This bed for eleven to twelve inch doll bodies looks much more difficult to make than it actually is. The decorative ''carved'' looking boarders are made with doilies layered together with glue. The upholstery is paper mache, not real fabric, so that it is easier for young crafters to work with. The results can be stunning if you are selective when purchasing the tissue and scrapbook papers to coordinate!

       I chose to use a tissue paper printed with a red and silver arabesque design. The doilies were discovered at a resale shop. These were probably intended to dress up a table for St. Valentines Day. The resulting bed definitely has a Bohemian-like flavor; just the sort of thing that Barbie or many of her friends would prefer in an eccentric looking townhouse.

       Read all of the instructions before beginning one of these on your own. I've included many photographs below for reference. Once you look at these carefully, I think you will understand how simple the design is.

 

Left, the blanket for our Barbie-sized Bohemian bed is
made from a recycled crochet sweater backed with
red satin. Right, you can see a doll lounging in bed.

Supply List:

• a package of multiple paper doilies
• scrap cardboard
• wood 1'' x 9'' x 13''
  
• masking tape
• white school glue
• decorative scrapbook papers
• one small can of spray paint to coordinate with paper
• Mod Podge
• decorative tissue paper
• plain white tissue paper
• twine
• fancy laces/trims
• fabric scraps for blanket and pillows

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut wood scrap into two sides 9'' long and two more sides 13'' long. 
2. Cut cardboard to fit inside of this rectangular shaped bed. Glue it all together to reinforce the platform.
3. Cut, glue and reinforce the platform with additional cardboard as needed.
4. For the headboard, cut and stack the doilies with thin layers of glue between. Removing the interior papers to create a edge piece only. You will also be cutting a portion of the doilies away at the bottom to create a straight bottom edge. See the photos below.
5. Do the same for the footboard only make it smaller.
6. Take the stacked and glued doilies and trace around these on top of cardboard to give both the head and footboards backing. Extend the lower cardboard cuts approximately five inches longer than the doily cuts. 
7. The mattress frame is glued between the headboard and footboard, just beneath the doily cut-outs. What is left below the mattress frame becomes the footing for the bed.
8. Take the bed outside, set it on newsprint or inside of a box and spray paint the doily elements. Let it dry.
   
9. Use layers of masking tape and decoupage papers to finish off the exposed cardboard around the painted doily elements. I originally did this in the reverse because I did not yet know how I wanted the bed to look. However, it is best to spray paint first so that you will have less work to do in the end.
10. Now it is time to craft the ''tufted'' parts of the headboard and footboard. Crush the plain white tissue paper into ''pillow'' like shell shape. Glue these in place with white glue and finish the outside surfaces with masking tape. You can observe below that I also glued a twine between each section of the shell to hold them in place while I worked, and also did all of my tufting on additional cardboard scraps that fit inside of the cut-outs beneath the doily pieces. 
11. Decoupage the tufted paper inserts made to look like upholstery using fancier tissue paper. 
12. Glue these pieces in the holes cut-out beneath the doilies. 
13. Brush on Mod Podge to finish all paper surfaces. 
14. Cut lengths of lace trim to glue along the sides of the bed. These will mimic dusters for the bed.
15. The decorative paper on top of the platform mimics sheeting for the bed.
16. Cut and sew a fancy blanket and pillows for the bed. I cut an old sweater for this Barbie-sized bed and backed it with red satin scraps. 
17. I chose to use the same method to make tiny decorative pillows in red and white. Sew lace trims on top of red felt or wool squares.

Left, the platform for the bed, headboard and footboard prior to gluing all three components 
together. Right, detailed photo of stacked and glued doilies. 

The 10 - 12 inch doll bed from multiple angles.

See the decorative scrapbook paper used to represent the sheets on the bed.

Detailed photos of the spray paint applications.

Above, you can see how I shaped the inside tufted tissue paper to look like a
seashell design.

The bed's dusters are permanently attached along the sides with hot glue. I used red satin
 and decorative lace panels to make these.

Detailed photos of lace pillows and coverlet for the bed linens.

The bed completed without linens.

More Lovely Linens for Barbie:

• Barbie's purple and blue striped comforter set with knitted afghan
• Floral kerchief, checkered sheets and blue plaid duster for Barbie's Carved Bumble Bee Headboard

DIY Old-Fashioned Miniature Spool Beds

Our finished spool beds ready for the bookcase dollhouse.
Personally, I think they are charming...

       Spool dollhouse furniture is very vintage indeed. It was most popular when threads were commonly wrapped, packaged and sold to ordinary folk who made their own clothes, quilted etc... 

       So little people have been recycling unwanted trash to outfit their dollhouses forever, it seems. But now, you have to purchase wooden spools to return to the craft; it is not expensive if you are patient enough to acquire these wooden parts through second-hand vendors. 

• The Doll Bed by Minerva Hunter
• Going to bed . . . by unknown author
• Dolly Asleep by Keeler

Supply List: 

• a variety of wooden spools small, medium and large
• a wooden platform length cut to fit your sleeping doll
• paint (spray acrylic or acrylic in a tube)
• wood glue
• clear varnish or Mod Podge
• scrap fabrics and notions for the bedding

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. You will need to collect quite a few spools, smaller ones, for this craft. 
2. Cut a thin wooden platform for the mattress of the bed to lay on. Make sure to measure the platform to fit the height of your doll. You can see that I planned the larger of the two doll beds to fit a standard size six inch dollhouse doll below. The shorter spool bed was designed for a child doll.
3. You may glue the spools to stand upright or plan to attach them by stringing a long wire through the spool holes and bending it around the spool bedposts. In the end I decided to leave the bedrails off.
4. Attach the spools using wood glue and let the glue dry overnight. 
5. Use acrylic paints or enamel paint alternatively to finish the spool beds.
6. Because doll beds like these were popular before the world wars and during, I chose to sew very old-fashioned bedding from lace trims and doilies.

Left, I'm thinking about the arrangement of spools for me dollhouse beds. Center, wooden spools
 may be found at resale or purchased online or maybe you could find them in your grandmother's
sewing kit. Right, the platform for your doll's mattress needs to be long enough to accommodate
it's height and wide enough so that he or she won't fall out of bed at night!

Left, I made two beds in different sizes from wooden spools. These stack neatly together for
storage purposes. Center, see the felt bedding with attached bed pillows. Right, the lace dusters 
are sewn directly onto the mattresses so that these won't be lost during play or storage.

Left, old lace trims were collected at estate sales and used to craft vintage looking bedding.
Center, use darker colored silks beneath the lace trim to emphasize the decorative designs.
Right, the old-fashioned dollhouse beds are finished for our bookcase dollhouse.

How to make a matchbox bed for a mouse...

        Here are the craft instructions for the matchbox mouse bed displayed in Rosebud Cottage. It is very easy to make and every little mouse doll needs a cozy place to sleep. The matchbox is a larger size than most; it ordinarily holds 5000 wooden matches. Although our mouse came with a slipcase bed of her own, it was a little too large for her new home, so we made her a new bed to fit just right into her art studio...

Beatrix mouse posed in her matchbox bed
made especially for her very own mouse
house!

Supply List:

• one large matchbox empty
• one acorn for a pillow
• scrap fabric for the bedding
• paper covered wire, green like a vine
• button for trim
• small amount of batting
• decorative scrapbook paper
• white school glue
• hot glue gun and glue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. For this little mouse bed, you will only need to use the 'drawer' part of the large matchbox. So remove this and cover all of it's parts with a decorative paper, layering Mod Podge on top to give the bed a durable surface. 
2. Next, cover the wire with white glue and green paper if it is not already in this state prior to working with it.
3. Now bend the wire into a headboard for the bed. You can make any design you like or copy the one shown in the photos below. Use more wire to secure connections between the bent areas. These are obvious in the pictures because they are wrapped with brown wire.
4. Paint the wire head board as you go if it pleases you. This one has been left green to look like a vine.
5. Bend approximately 1/2 inch of the wire frame to attach just beneath the edge of the bed and hot glue the headboard onto the back and bottom of the matchbox to hold everything in place.
6. Sew and stuff a little pillow for your doll mouse to rest her head on. 
7. Cut a fabric scrap blanket to keep her warm at night and collect a small acorn to display as a 'natural' sort of pillow.
   

Left, side view of Beatrix's matchbox bed. She has an acorn for a decorative pillow. Right, the 
view of her 'vine-like' headboard from behind.

More Mouse Fun:

• Learn how to turn your acorns into dolls too!
  

How to Craft a Doll Lap Desk

       This lab desk sure comes in handy when your doll is too sleepy to sit at a desk and do her school homework. However, she may just doze-off faster if she studies in bed! 
       The comfortable cushion  is made with a kitchen sponge and it's cheerful, sturdy desktop may be covered in your favorite scrapbook paper designs.

Left the top of our 18" doll's lap desk. I used a multi-striped paper for our version.
Right, the bottom of the lap desk, a sponge covered in orange felt.

 Supply List:

• scrap cardboard
• decorative scrapbook paper
• white school glue
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• new kitchen sponge
• one square of felt
• dental floss

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  Purchase a new, clean kitchen sponge from a Dollar store before drafting a pattern for this craft. Trace around the sponge on paper so that you know exactly how large to make the lap desk top.
2. The desk top should extend approximately 1/4 inch over the sponge after this has been covered with felt. Give this desk top rounded corners and a handle. 
3. Cut out your pattern and trace it onto a stiff piece of cardboard. 
4. Cut out the cardboard and decoupage over both sides using white school glue and decorative paper.
5. Cover the sponge entirely with the felt, tacking it down on the backside with hot glue. This is the side of the sponge that will never be seen because the desk will be glued to it, so it's o.k. if it is not perfectly neat.
6. Hot glue the desk top to the glued side of the sponge to cover the glue work.

Left, this lap desk is made with one new sponge and a cardboard desk top with a cut handle.
Center and right, fronts and backs of different versions of our doll's lap desks. They use these
to study with in bed. Your doll can also work with a laptop computer on top of these comfy desks.

Dressing-Table or "Vanity" Table Ideas for A Dollhouse

Left, for a little girl's (doll) room: wreath and ribbon design.
 Right, designed for a small room. The roses are stenciled.

       Every "doll in dollville" is fond of dainty and artistic equipments, not only for her personal and home adornment, but in the little every-day appointments of her dressing-table, as well; and that this should be is but the evidence of a refined and cultivated nature, which seeks to surround itself, even in the privacy of dollhouse-life, with all that is dainty and choice, as far as the means will allow. Should the pocket-book be to a degree unlimited, the beautiful objects illustrated above give a limited idea of the many elegant, rich and artistic articles to be found in the stores devoted to such productions. What could be prettier in a daintily-decorated chamber than the richly-draped toilet-table, with its glitter and sparkle of silver and crystal appointments - its air of refinement and luxury so dear to the heart of every true feminine dolly?

Left, for a Colonial room: with chintz draperies.
Right, white scrim draperies with stenciled borders.

A good use for an antique doll mirror
and old dollhouse table.

 

       Now, while this sketch illustrates so pleasingly the luxurious and expensive side of this interesting question, there is still another view which may interest many whose desire for the beautiful, while it is restrained in a great measure by a limited purse, is just as strong and eager to seek the means to satisfy it. That daintiness and refinement may be expressed in the simple every-day appointments of a modest home is unquestionably true. A little time and judgment spent in selecting the necessary fittings of the toilet-table of the plainer sort will reward the buyer to the fullest extent, as in these grades there is great variety and wide range of price.
       To be sure, the glass is not cut crystal, neither is the finish of solid silver, but pressed glass comes in great variety of pretty and useful forms, and aluminum has the brilliancy of silver, and needs but little care to be kept bright and attractive. As a basis for the toilet-table, on which to display these dainty appointments.

• DIY Dollhouse Vanity Accessories by Little Gretchen's Workshop 
• Dollhouse Tutorial for a Vanity by Akamerukawaii - made with popsicle sticks and wood glue
• Froggy makes a PUR x Barbie Vanity and An "Antique Version" using Dollar Tree supplies here.
• See my craft version of a small stuffed chair for a vanity table here.
  

       White muslin, plain or dotted, a few scraps of the cheaper quality of lace, and the introduction of a few loops and ribbons of the favorite color, with a fair proportion of the requisite taste, which is seldom missing in a refined nature, will do the rest at very small expense. We will not attempt here a detailed description as to what to do, or how it should be done, as conditions and circumstances differ widely with the individual, but will simply offer a few suggestions as a basis on which to work.
       Glue securely to the back of the table a small craft stick; at the center of this glue a second craft stick vertically so that the muslin in pleats may be attached at the top, perfectly flat and spreading out wider at the bottom, to each extreme end of the table-back, extending down in fan shape. This will give a background to add over-drapery and flounces at discretion. In the centre of this, at a convenient height, hang a small mirror, the frame of which may be covered with plush of a dainty color. Of course, the body of the table should be covered with flounced lace to the floor, and the table-top itself covered with a plush mat of the same dainty color as the frame.
       This should exactly cover the top, and be edged with a neat colored cord-binding, with tassels to match at the corners, or a full lace flounce finished at the corners with bright ribbons. Ribbons of the same color should hold in place the over-drapery of the upper part, as the taste of the fair owner shall dictate. These simple suggestions, and a fair amount of good taste, and skill in arranging, should offer opportunity for very pleasing results, and, when all is completed, the dainty appointments of the toilet artistically and neatly arranged in their places, "my lady doll" has something that has cost her but a comparatively small amount of money, and her reward for the time' and ingenuity expended will be derived from the satisfaction of possession.

Left, for a guest-room in cretonne and stenciling.
Right, quaint and pretty for a country-dollhouse room.

• Mini Dressing table with matchbox from Craftube for Barbie and another version here too for a smaller doll!
• Miniature Dressing Table from NKCreationNoorjahan
• Matchbox dressing table design from Mukta Art & Craft
• Fold a vanity table with Craft with Sahar

How to make boxy bunk beds for your dolls?

Left, the 3 bunk beds made using a discarded shoebox fit little dolls like Skipper, Stacie and 
Chelsea dolls. Barbie would fit in these beds too but I designed them to be included in a child
bedroom for our dolls. Right, the bunk beds are outfitted with mattress, sheets, pillows.

       The most wonderful thing about this doll bedroom craft is that it may look so very unique based upon who is crafting it. The possibilities are endless and all you really need is a box! In this version of a bunk bed craft I chose to use a shoebox. 

       You might say that crafting doll furniture using shoeboxes is one of the great American child pastimes. I rarely meet a little one who hasn't made something using a shoebox. Either he or she has made a diorama in school, a postbox for Valentines or a bed for their dolls using this common material. Shoebox crafts are as common to childhood as Playdough or lemonade.

       My modern version of this set of bunk beds includes ''holds'' for climbing into the beds instead of old-fashioned ladders and what American kid wouldn't prefer these? 

Basic supplies include a cardboard box and fabrics.

Supply List:

• Sculpey for "holds''
• decorative scrapbook papers
• white school glue
• cardboard box 
• cotton batting
• fabric for bed linens (felt, flannels etc...)
• matching threads
• additional scrap cardboard
• acrylic paints (for details)
• lattice flower garden woodcuts (optional, Dollar General Store)
• hot glue
• Mod Podge

Left the holds shaped using Sculpey oven-bake clay. Center and Right, the holds are hot-glued
to the places where ladders would ordinarily be included for the dolls to climb into bed. But,
our dolls are interested in rock climbing so I chose to use these interesting brackets instead.

 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Remove the lid from a shoebox, turn it on it's side and now you have the perfect beginning of a doll's bunk bed. I chose to make my version here for three dolls. This meant that I would need to measure the length of my shoebox minus one inch, divide that number in half and glue an additional piece of cardboard to fit neatly into the center of the interior of my shoebox. This will give our family dolls three levels for beds: one at the top, one in the middle and one at the bottom.
2. The "minus one inch'' is the allowance I made for the lowest bed's platform at the bottom of the shoebox. I raised the lowest bed off of the very bottom of the shoebox so that the doll would not be laying directly on the floor. Cut a strip of cardboard measuring one inch wide and glue this into the box so that an additional cardboard bed may rest on top of this raised platform. 
3. I cut additional narrow strips of cardboard to glue just beneath the second center ''bunk bed" in order to lend it support while it dried and extra strength during play.
4. The top of the shoebox is the final and third bunk bed. For this bed you will need to cut safety rails so that dolly won't roll out of bed in the night and break her arm or something worse... My rails for the third bunk on top were cut from cardboard. I did not need to cut railing to wrap around the entire bed; I only cut enough for the one side facing out from our dollhouse walls. 
5. I built a shallow two inch wall to wrap around one end and the back wall of the top bunk and left one side at the end of the bunk beds open so that a doll could climb up one end into the top bunk. Normally this would be where a real tri-level bunk bed would include it's longest ladder. However this is where I hot glued my Sculpey holds onto the side of the doll bed for dolls to climb instead of a ladder. 
6. Hand sculpt small abstract shapes to mimic "holds" for the dolls. Bake these according to the directions on the side of the box, apply when cool with a hot glue gun on the flat side, paint with acrylics and seal with Mod Podge.
7. Now comes the fun and easy part of the craft, decoupage all of the walls using decorative papers and white school glue or Mod Podge. Do not use large quantities of glue all at once or the box may become warped. The key here is to do this process slowly, allowing the glue to dry on different levels of application before adding more paper. Take your time!
8. I glued in an additional bedrail to the edges of my doll's second bunk (center bunk) last. i had to build a shallow wall on the edge measuring 1/2 inch wide to give support to this flower bed rail cut from balsa wood. I glued the wooden rail to the front of the cardboard support. This added detail echoed the floral wall prints on the interiors of the first and second bunk walls. 
9. After these rails dried, I painted them using acrylics.
10. The second half of this craft involves to sewing for our bunk beds bedding. I made these doll linens by hand but you may choose to use a sewing machine with parental guidance if you are learning to sew on it. This is an excellent project for 5th and 6th graders to make and learn simple sewing techniques. First, measure the lengths and sides of each bed platform to sew mattresses. Add a 1/4 inch seams to all sides before cutting mattress fabric. If learnin to sew, you may wish to make those seams 1/2 inch instead.
11. With right sides together, sew a straight stitch around the two longest lengths plus one end only , leaving one of the shorter ends open for stuffing the mattress with cotton batting, after you have turned the right sides out and created a pocket. Use very little stuffing for the mattresses so that by the time you have made bed pillows and blankets there is still room to slide the doll into bed!
12. The pillows are made in the same way except much smaller. 
13. Cut blankets from no fray fabrics like felt, flannel so that younger students may complete the bed linens quicker.

Above, I sewed simple canvas mattresses to fit into each bunk bed and then covered them with
flannel striped fabric for doll sheets. Each bunk was also given a sleeping pillow with a pillow 
case and decorative pillows too! Every interior wall was covered in floral papers.

The outside of the boxy bunks was decoupaged using faux wooden paper, white-washed in surface
design for a 'country look." The holds were also painted bright colors: teal green, hot pink, yellow
and orange, just as these are in real life.

Each doll is tucked in snug for a good night's sleep. Center, see the railing is made using lattice
flower bed brackets cut from balsa wood. I purchased these from a Dollar General and painted 
them to match the printed, white-wash wood siding. Right, there are simpler plain rails glued to
the highest bunk bed. 

See Kids Climb Around The House:

• Easy DIY Indoor Kid's Climbing Wall
• How to make a climbing wall in a kid's room...
• A painted climbing wall in the house 
• Climbing wall bunk beds - how to assemble these in real life!
• Playroom with rock climbing wall

How to Craft a Sleigh Bed for Barbie

Two dolls, a fashionista and a Ken relax while watching a baby, toddler and their beagle.

       Here is a lovely Queen sized bed for Barbie and Ken to share  once they have decided to settle down, marry and have a family of their own. For their master suite I will design a cozy bedroom that includes all of the comforts Barbie has grown accustomed to in her past dream homes. But this home will include a new husband, baby, and other children with pets.

The bedding for this doll bed is made from cotton prints in purple and blue. The through blanket
 was upcycled from an old purple fuzzy scarf.

View of sleigh bed construction using a box and additional 
scrap cardboard and dowel rods.

       To make this queen sized Barbie bed I cut identical cardboard pieces for the sides to glue onto either side of a box measuring 12" x 9" inches. The sleigh shaped head and foot boards add more length to the bed for the doll. As you can clearly see in the photographs, sturdy dowel rods glued securely between these cardboard pieces are used to hold up the delicately shaped cardboard pieces. 

       The next step is to attach cardboard to the inside head and foot boards. This is done by applying a generous amount of glue along the edges of the cardboard sides pieces. With masking tape, secure a length of light weight cardboard up, over and down to the bottom edges of the bed to close in the sleigh shaped head and foot boards. Remove the masking tape after the glue has hardened completely. Then sand down the edges if this is needed. I then decoupaged the entire sleigh bed using brown paper bag paper and more white school glue. 

       To make the mattress, I decoupaged the box part of the bed's mattress using a decorative ivory paper that reminded me of a mattress. Now all I will need to do to finish the bed is decoupage the faux wooden parts with printed wood papers and then sew the bedding. This is a bit less time consuming because the mattress in this bed design is the box. It won't be necessary for me to cut it out from foam and cover it with fabric in other words.

Above you can see how I braced the interior of the sleigh bed cardboard sides with a wooden
dowell rod. 

Left, the mattress is embossed paper decoupaged on top of the box. Center, a small Sculpey
detail featured on the end of a sleigh bed headboard. Right, underneath the bed you can still
see the box that I started with.

Left, is the view of the finished bed taken from the footboard side. Right, is a sideview of my
doll's sleigh bed with finished faux wood decoupage.

More Doll Bed DIYs:

• Craft an old-fashioned shoe box bed for Barbie with ''carved'' bumble bees in the headboard and a kerchief bed spread
• Craft a Heavenly heart-shaped bed for a smaller doll...