Home Sweet Home: Stitch Tiny Houses
Stitch up these tiny houses that are perfect for displaying or gifting.
There is something appealing and charming about creating little projects from small scraps of fabric and because an image of a house can evoke so many feelings—nostalgia, security, dreams, and wishes—it is a perfect little project to create and share.
Think of houses you are drawn to—whether they are cozy cottages, sleek mid-century-modern homes, rustic farmhouses, or earthy adobes—and then imagine them in an inviting landscape. With a few pieces of fabric, trim, and thread—plus a measure of whimsy and improvisation—your dream house can become a reality in miniature.
MATERIALS
DIRECTIONS
Create the tiny house
1
Assemble a selection fabrics and choose a palette that appeals to you. (figure 1) Apply fusible web, following the manufacturer’s instructions, if the fabric is not prefused.
Be adventurous. Sky does not always have to be blue; foliage does not have to be green.
2
Select elements that will be in the background of the composition, such as clouds, mountains, trees, ocean or desert, etc. Trace or draw these images on the back of the prefused fabrics, remembering that they will be reversed on the front side.
3
Cut and fuse these elements to the background fabric to create the scene. (figure 2)
4
Select prefused fabrics for the house and cut out the shape. Play around with the placement of the house on the background fabric before fusing. Add details to the house by fusing on windows and doors, a chimney, a porch, etc. These pieces may be very small. If they are too small to fuss with, the same effect can be achieved by stitching the shape of a window, for example, and then coloring in the panes with ink or paint. (figure 3)
The house you create can be very simple—cut from squares, rectangles, or triangles—or you can print copyright-free or personal photos of houses (even your own) and print at the appropriate size to cut out and use as inspiration or a template.
5
Machine stitch all the fused elements in place using plain or decorative stitches.
6
Add foreground elements for more details such as shrubbery, walkways, or fences. Creating layers of depth helps make the tiny scene pop. (figure 4)
7
Add handwork or embroidery at this point, before quilting, so you are only stitching through one layer. Details too small to stitch can be added with paint or fine-tip pens.
Finishing
1
Create a quilt sandwich with the house composition and felt. Restitch around the general shapes to quilt it completely.
Because I almost exclusively mount my completed tiny houses on stretched artist canvas, I do not include a backing fabric. If you wish to create a more traditional quilted composition, add a backing fabric to the quilt sandwich before quilting.
2
Seal the edges with a zigzag or satin stitch and steam press both sides for a clean finish.
I wash my house quilts in quilting soap before this pressing step to remove any oils from my hands or surface dirt that may have collected while I worked on it.
3
Add any additional beadwork, delicate trims, or 3-D elements after pressing.
For handwork lovers, try making the entire project the ‘slow stitch’ way using only hand stitching, piecing, embroidery, and quilting. Finish the edges with a whip stitch or blanket stitch.
4
If desired, brush the edges with a metallic paint to add a bit of flair. (figure 5)
5
Before mounting the house on stretched artist canvas, paint the canvas a color that matches or complements the project. Once the paint is dry, add strips of double-sided mounting tape onto the canvas’ outer edges, line up the house on top, and press down firmly with your hands to adhere. Add hanging hardware or the finished piece can be hung from a simple nail or push pin.
With each stitch, you’ll bring these tiny houses to life, making them heartfelt creations that capture the essence of home in a delightful, handmade way.
Note: This article, by Valerie Komkov Hill, originally appeared in the Quilting Arts Magazine Summer 2024 issue.
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