How to Make a Sofa for Dolls

An ordinary sofa is made from simple rectangles.

Making miniatures can be a rewarding hobby, and if you enjoy dollhouses or know a child who plays with dolls, you may enjoy making doll-sized furniture. Some types of furniture can be quite complicated, but a basic sofa is essentially formed from rectangles and can be made without much trouble. You can use the same basic steps to make a quick and simple sofa or to make a detailed and realistic sofa, depending upon your needs.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard box
• Cardboard
• Craft knife
• Batting
• Scissors
• Glue
• Fabric
• Ribbon, cord, fringe, beads

Instructions

1. Find a box to serve as the seat of your sofa. The size of the box depends upon the size of the doll that the sofa is intended for. For instance, you could use a tissue box for a very large doll, or a jewelry box for a very small doll.

2. Cut three cardboard rectangles. One rectangle must be the same length as the box you are using for the seat. The height of the rectangle must be about twice that of the box. This will be the back of your sofa. The other two rectangles must be the same width as the box that you are using for the seat and slightly less than twice the height of the box. These are arms for the sofa.

3. Glue the back of the sofa to the box, with the base of the rectangle at the base of the box. Cover the seat and back with pieces of batting to make a soft cushion. Glue the batting in place.

4. Cut a piece of fabric that is slightly wider than the box and long enough to cover the entire back and seat. Cover the back and seat with the fabric, tucking it in to form a crease between the sofa back and seat. Glue down the edges of the fabric. The edges of the fabric piece should meet underneath the sofa, though it is not necessary to completely cover the sides of the sofa, where the arms will go.

5. Cover the arms with two small pieces of fabric. Try to make the edges of the fabric meet on the inside, towards the bottom, where they attach to the sofa, so that they will be hidden. Glue the arms to the sides of the sofa once you have finished. You can add batting to the arms, as well, for extra cushioning and realism.

6. Embellish the couch. You can add ribbons or cords along the seams for decoration, which has the added benefit of covering up any mistakes you may have made during the process of covering the sofa. You can also add fringe to the bottom or glue on wooden beads for legs.

References

• Tiny Zippers: Learn to Make This Sofa For Your Doll
• Dollhouse Decorating!: Make Your Own Handmade No-Sew Dollhouse Chair or Sofa!
• Let's Build a Dollhouse: Let's Build a Dollhouse Sofa