1:12th scale Apricot Leaf Curtains

1:12th Scale Apricot Leaf Curtains for Dolls House

What is Being Made

This is a miniature curtain set designed for 1:12th scale dolls house windows, created by designer Frances Powell. The complete set includes a pair of lace curtains with a coordinating pelmet, sized to fit a 4-inch (10 cm) square window. The curtains feature an apricot leaf pattern and have a drop length of 4½ inches (11.5 cm), while the pelmet measures 1¼ inches (3 cm) in depth. The set can be enhanced with small rings for curtain tie backs and optional rings for threading over a curtain pole.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This advanced miniature knitting project employs lace knitting techniques to create the delicate apricot leaf pattern. The pattern uses fundamental knitting stitches including knit and purl stitches, along with increases to shape the leaf motifs within the lace design. The lace construction requires precise stitch work and is explicitly noted as unsuitable for beginners or those inexperienced with miniature knitting on tiny needles. The designer provides abbreviations for standard knitting notation: st (stitch), k (knit), p (purl), and inc (increase).

Materials and Tools Required

Creating this dolls house curtain set requires specialized miniature knitting supplies. The project calls for Size 22 needles, which are extremely fine and suitable only for experienced miniature knitters. The yarn specified is DMC 100 thread in an apricot colorway; one ball of this thread contains sufficient yardage to complete the entire curtain set. Additional materials include 4 small rings for curtain tie backs and optional small rings for the curtain tops, allowing the curtains to thread over a curtain pole for authentic dolls house display.

Skill Level and Suitability

This pattern is designated for experienced knitters only and is explicitly not recommended as a first miniature knitting project. The designer emphasizes that the lace curtains are particularly challenging and advises knitters who have not previously worked with tiny needles to begin with alternative projects from the same pattern collection before attempting this design. The advanced difficulty reflects both the extremely fine gauge required and the precision demanded by the lace pattern construction.

Pattern Notes and Customization

While the pattern is designed for a standard 4-inch window, notes are included to allow crafters to resize the curtains for different dolls house window dimensions. However, the designer cautions that any enlargement of the design will require additional yarn beyond the single ball of DMC 100 thread specified for the standard size. Gauge is noted as not critical for this project, as dolls house window sizes vary considerably, allowing some flexibility in the finished dimensions.