Playing with a dollhouse is great fun for many children.
Commercially available miniature dollhouse cribs and cradles can be very expensive, so it makes sense to make your own crib to fit your dolls. Making the cushions and bedding also is part of the fun, and your child will have fun adding small toys to make the crib look more real.
Instructions
1. Measure the size of the doll for which you are making the crib. The length of the crib should be twice as long as the baby. The width of the crib should be the length of the baby. The overall height of the crib should be shoulder height of the adult dolls in the same set. The height of the inside of the crib should be the height of the baby.
2. Cut four post pieces out of the 1/4-inch square wood. Use balsa or basswood and cut with a micro saw or sharp artist knife. Cut the wood to the overall height of the crib (from the floor). Sand the ends flat and smooth with sandpaper or small files.
3. Measure from one end of a post using the inside height of the crib measurement and make a mark. Line up all four posts with ends even. Draw the line across all four pieces. Saw half of the way through the posts at this line. The saw should create a cut that is 1/16-inch thick or more.
4. Measure, mark and cut a piece of 1/16-inch-thick board the length and width of the crib. This is like a miniature plywood board. Place the cut board so that the length is horizontal to you on the work table. Measure 1/4 inch from the top edge at the top left corner. Draw a short horizontal line from the side to the right 1/8 inch. Draw a vertical line along the 1/8-inch mark. This will create a small notch. Draw the same notch in each corner. Cut the notches using a sharp artist knife.
5. Measure the distance between two notches along the length of the wood. Divide this evenly with a measurement 1/4 inch or slightly bigger. Draw a line 1/8 inch from the top edge, from notch to notch. Mark your even measurements along this line. Draw a second line 1/8 inch from the bottom edge and mark the measurements along this line too. Repeat for each side.
6. Press the point of the artist knife onto a mark and twist back and forth to make a small hole. Repeat for all marks. These are the bottom slat holes for the sides of the crib. Cut two pieces of 1/4 x 1/8-inch wood the length of your crib. Cut two pieces the width of the crib. Miter the corners to a 45-degree angle.
7. Position a long board point sides inward aligned with the length of the crib. Each outside point will extend past a notch 1/8 inch for correct alignment. Draw a line down the center of the 1/4 by 1/8 inch board lengthwise. Mark the hole locations on the line. Use an artist knife to make small notches. Do not go all the way through the wood. Repeat for the bottom wood and each side.
8. Place two crib legs slot side up the width of the crib apart. Apply a quick-grab glue to each leg notch. Press the notched ends of one side of the width of the crib into the leg slots. Make sure the marks and holes for the slats face the upward part of the crib. The legs should come even with the wood on both sides. Repeat for the second set of legs. Keep the crib straight and allow the glue four hours to dry.
9. Stand the crib up. Test fit your top railing over the posts. Measure from the bottom of the railing to the top of the marked flat board. This will be the measurement of your slats, plus a small tapered amount to fit into the slat holes you made.
10. Blunt the point on one end of a toothpick. Cut round toothpicks the height of slat measurement. Taper your cut end to fit your holes. Cut all of your toothpicks to look as similar as possible, one for each hole. Apply a drop of glue into each bottom hole along one side first. Insert the toothpicks, one in each hole. Apply a drop of glue to each top-rail notch and to the miters on the end of each rail. Line up the toothpick tops with each hole and press the railing over the toothpicks and post tops. Repeat for each side. Wipe off all excess glue and allow to dry for four hours. Finish sand and paint.
Tags: width crib, artist knife, crib should, Draw line, each hole