A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

Isn't lockdown a great thing for the miniaturist?

Firstly, thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous post and thoughts regarding the glass bell fitted next to the cruisie.    The next time I am in touch with my contact at the Dennis Sever house I shall make a point of asking her it's actual purpose!

I've finally got over my procrastination of creating a coat and tricorn hat.   I've found umpteen excuses not to start this - not the right fabric for the coat, not the right fabric for the hat, no pattern, no starch, no time so I'm now pleased to say "I've done it"!

I've never created something like this in miniature hence the faffing and avoidance tactics.   First things first, buy a book.

This turned out to be a great find.   I'm not interested in the "dressing dolls" part of it but there are patterns galore for every period and style from swanky coats and tricorn hats for gentlemen to pinnies and mob caps for the servant girls.    Well done to all you miniature doll makers/dressers out there.  I applaud your patience!

Once I sorted out my pattern I had to create a prototype.   This was done using a piece of white cotton and glue.

Once I was happy with that I set about putting together the actual item I needed.    The hat proved a tad awkward given that the felt I used was a bit thick and no glue I had seemed to want to stick.   I managed that around the brim but given the felt was so thick the instruction "wrap around a pencil" didn't work.    In the end I just used a few tiny stitches to keep it all in place.

As this item is not for dressing a doll but part of dressing a room a prop had to be put together to replicate the door this item would be hanging from.    Foam board, foil and pins did the job admirably.   A quick blast of starch and it was left overnight.

It worked!    I was pretty chuffed with that given it's a first.   There is another tricorn hat and a cap required for this room and items pop up in other spaces but at least I don't have to do it again for a while!

Below is the scene I'm replicating.   As this is the "fourth wall" I had to use a picture of the dresser to the right of the coat as the door closes on the central divider of the house.   It also meant I had to cut the cornice and floor short but as it's the fourth wall, I'm not bothered by that.    The pictures show King William (of Orange) and Queen Anne hence the ribbon.

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The next thing on my Dining Room "to do" list was a notice board.   I'd put this task off as well as it meant searching for suitable documents to reduce and print.    However, I got that done at the weekend and, using a really good picture as reference, managed to put that together and fix it in place.

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Phew, that worked!

Next to come was another tricorn to sit on a corner of the painting of Isaac Jervais -

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Followed by a bonnet hanging on the wall to the right of the painting featuring Elizabeth Jervais - the same bonnet as worn in the portrait - 

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Finally, a pair of pattens - 

These are positioned on a foot warmer (a kit purchased from Arjen Spinhoven).

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(I discovered recently that it was considered very bad manners not to remove your pattens on entering someone's home).

** With many thanks again to the Dennis Sever House for permission to use their photographs.