DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES BOOKS:
Updated!
2017-19 How-To & Fiction Books:
2017-19 How-To & Fiction Books:
* See the latest books for 2020-21 on top tab or here.
Aunt Ellie's Definitive Guide to Making 1:24 Scale Furniture , Elinor C. Cruze - Twenty-one detailed patterns and illustrations. (82 pages.) (Also get it on Etsy.)
New! Beaded Miniatures: A Queen Anne House, Sheila Root - This is fascinating and different. Make a whole house by beading. Uses different beads (the description says 102,000 beads! Wow!) I'd love to see if someone tackled this. 1/48 scale
New! Beaded Miniatures: A Victorian Family and Furniture, Sheila Root - Make a family and furnishings in 1/48 scale for the beaded Queen Anne House. These are also beaded. (Quite creative!)
New! Build a Garden Shed in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren - Build the shed, furniture and accessories in her fifth book of the series.
Decorate This Mini Room, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Easy, inexpensive decorating ideas inspired by the author's projects and blog. (102 pages)
How to Make Ye Olde Christmas Pub Corner, Deborah Rowles - The latest in a series of room projects. Step by step instructions to make the British pub scene. (83 pages)
New! Making Dollhouse Miniatures in Polymer Clay, Jewelry and Trinket Boxes in Any Scale - Make an assortment of tiny boxes. (56 pages.)
Style This Mini Room, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Book 3 includes simple decorating styles. (81 pages)
The Book of Mini: Inside the Big World of Tiny Things, Kate Esme Unver - (Releases April 16) Instagrammer showcases pieces featured in her Instagram account (@dailymini) and from her own collection. Includes collectible mini book. (256 pages)
New! The Dollhouse Flower Shop: Flowers and Plants from Stencilled Polymer Clay, Angie Scarr - Make flowers and petals with a new method using stencils with polymer and liquid clays.
Making It Small: The Rags to Riches Story of Miniaturist and Self-Builder in Yorkshire and Andalucia, Angie Scarr - Autobiography of the creator's life. (300 pages.)
A Shabby Chic Dollhouse - Caroline Dupuis, Cinderella Moments - Tips and materials on creating a customized, whimsical cottage in her noted shabby style. *Download 57-page PDF on Etsy. (She also has a 60-page PDF for her French Mansard-style house.)
Flip This Mini House: Turning a Flea Market House into a Mid-Century Marvel, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Inspired by the fiction writer and miniaturist's blog. Includes small projects and ideas on repurposing items. (193 pages)
How to Build Your Own Doll's House Using Paper & Cardboard, E. V. Lucas - Instructions for making a house and furnishings in paper and cardboard. (59 pages)
How To Make Ye Olde Chocolate Corner, Deborah Rawles - Part of basic instruction "corner" series to make a selection of sweets. Others include "corners" and accessories on other themes. (94 pages)
How to Sew Little Felt Animals, Sue Quinn - Sew a series of woodlands animals, bear, squirrel, rabbit and others. Not sure of size. (128 pages.)
L. Delaney's House of Shadows, How to Create Miniatures for an Eerie Setting, Lauren Delaney George - Make eerie miniatures and a spooky mansion of papier mache'. (Out of print. Being reprinted? See her website. )
LEGO Micro Cities: Build Your Own Mini Metropolis, Jeff Friesen - While not dollhouses, this is pretty cool! Create a custom city with instructions for over 50 builds from 8 micro-cities. (200 pages.) (There is a whole section of books on LEGO building if you're intrigued!)
Little Gnome Home: A Miniature Crochet Fairy House Pattern, (13 pages)
Making Dolls House Furniture in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren- Fourth book in series with 30 assorted furniture projects. (142 pages.)
Making Miniature Food &: Market Stalls, Angie Scarr - Updated cover on the classic book for making 100 polymer clay food projects and a market stall, fruit boxes and vegetable baskets, plus a color mixing chart. One of the best books for learning mini food making with polymer clay and caning.
Miniature Cottage Style Bedding, Deborah Booth - 42 page booklet with pattern and instructions for dressing a miniature bed. Includes style photos.
Miniature Doilies to Crochet, by Annie's - Make 26 petite doilies using size 10 crochet thread. (Not sure of size but some might work for small tables and for rugs. 32 pages.)
Miniature: Human Figure Lifestyles, (Photo Book 52), Color Smart - Different miniature setting photos. I've seen these online - real life items like food with tiny scale figures such as worker figures with a real peach. Pretty neat. (210 pages.)
Project Book: DIY Americana Miniatures, Deborah Booth - 42 page project booklet with an Americana theme.
Stair: Housemaking Architectural Model Photo Book, teco takahiko abe - Japanese language book of photos on model stair building. Interesting idea if you can follow along without English instructions.
Techniques by Rik Pierce, Martha Puff and Rik Pierce - Pierce's time-tested techniques for using Paper Clay to make roofs, tiles, floors, and more.
Weathering for Railway Modellers: Volume 2, Buildings Scenery and the Lineside, George Dent - Theories and practices by modeler and editor at Model Rail Magazine. Advice that can be useful for making buildings look realistic. He also has several other titles available (176 pages).
2019:
New! Beaded Miniatures: A Queen Anne House, Sheila Root - This is fascinating and different. Make a whole house by beading. Uses different beads (the description says 102,000 beads! Wow!) I'd love to see if someone tackled this. 1/48 scale
New! Beaded Miniatures: A Victorian Family and Furniture, Sheila Root - Make a family and furnishings in 1/48 scale for the beaded Queen Anne House. These are also beaded. (Quite creative!)
New! Build a Garden Shed in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren - Build the shed, furniture and accessories in her fifth book of the series.
Buitenplaats de Pauwenhoff, Jacomine Mink - (Dutch) How-to and photos to make a seven-room country house. (184 pages.) (She also has nice kits for items from the bookshop book, cottages and others, plus some room boxes.)
Decorate This Mini Room, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Easy, inexpensive decorating ideas inspired by the author's projects and blog. (102 pages)
New! Making Dollhouse Miniatures in Polymer Clay, Jewelry and Trinket Boxes in Any Scale - Make an assortment of tiny boxes. (56 pages.)
Style This Mini Room, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Book 3 includes simple decorating styles. (81 pages)
The Book of Mini: Inside the Big World of Tiny Things, Kate Esme Unver - (Releases April 16) Instagrammer showcases pieces featured in her Instagram account (@dailymini) and from her own collection. Includes collectible mini book. (256 pages)
New! The Dollhouse Flower Shop: Flowers and Plants from Stencilled Polymer Clay, Angie Scarr - Make flowers and petals with a new method using stencils with polymer and liquid clays.
Non-Fiction:
In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate the World, Simon Garfield - (Releases March 12) This looks really interesting. A non-fiction treatise on the human fascination with all things small. Art, psychology, obsession and more, from flea circuses to the Queen Mary's dollhouse. Sounds really neat. (336 pages)
Making It Small: The Rags to Riches Story of Miniaturist and Self-Builder in Yorkshire and Andalucia, Angie Scarr - Autobiography of the creator's life. (300 pages.)
2018:
3D Pen: Colour & Construct Fairy Houses and Fantasy Gardens #1, Angie Scarr , Frank Fisher - Scarr and husband explore using a 3D pen to create 4 fairy houses, flowers and more.
100 Decorating Ideas , Decorative Miniature Dollhouse Scale, Simple & Inexpensive Ideas for Decorating a Dollhouse, Debbie Booth - 50 pages of ideas.
Animal Anigurumi: Mini Snow Owl Pattern, Vina migurumi - Animal crochet pattern. (There is a whole series of pattern books by the author. (19 pages) Including this as these are just-too-cute!)
Flip This Mini House: Turning a Flea Market House into a Mid-Century Marvel, Holly Tierney-Bedord - Inspired by the fiction writer and miniaturist's blog. Includes small projects and ideas on repurposing items. (193 pages)
How to Build Your Own Doll's House Using Paper & Cardboard, E. V. Lucas - Instructions for making a house and furnishings in paper and cardboard. (59 pages)
How To Make Ye Olde Chocolate Corner, Deborah Rawles - Part of basic instruction "corner" series to make a selection of sweets. Others include "corners" and accessories on other themes. (94 pages)
How to Sew Little Felt Animals, Sue Quinn - Sew a series of woodlands animals, bear, squirrel, rabbit and others. Not sure of size. (128 pages.)
L. Delaney's House of Shadows, How to Create Miniatures for an Eerie Setting, Lauren Delaney George - Make eerie miniatures and a spooky mansion of papier mache'. (Out of print. Being reprinted? See her website. )
LEGO Micro Cities: Build Your Own Mini Metropolis, Jeff Friesen - While not dollhouses, this is pretty cool! Create a custom city with instructions for over 50 builds from 8 micro-cities. (200 pages.) (There is a whole section of books on LEGO building if you're intrigued!)
Making Dolls House Furniture in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren- Fourth book in series with 30 assorted furniture projects. (142 pages.)
Making Miniature Food &: Market Stalls, Angie Scarr - Updated cover on the classic book for making 100 polymer clay food projects and a market stall, fruit boxes and vegetable baskets, plus a color mixing chart. One of the best books for learning mini food making with polymer clay and caning.
Miniature Cottage Style Bedding, Deborah Booth - 42 page booklet with pattern and instructions for dressing a miniature bed. Includes style photos.
Miniature Doilies to Crochet, by Annie's - Make 26 petite doilies using size 10 crochet thread. (Not sure of size but some might work for small tables and for rugs. 32 pages.)
Miniature: Human Figure Lifestyles, (Photo Book 52), Color Smart - Different miniature setting photos. I've seen these online - real life items like food with tiny scale figures such as worker figures with a real peach. Pretty neat. (210 pages.)
Miss Violet's Doll's House: Magical Makes for your Miniature World, Sam McKechnie - Twenty-five simpler projects and shoebox roombox, plus decorating scraps. (192 pages.)
Project Book: DIY Americana Miniatures, Deborah Booth - 42 page project booklet with an Americana theme.
Stair: Housemaking Architectural Model Photo Book, teco takahiko abe - Japanese language book of photos on model stair building. Interesting idea if you can follow along without English instructions.
Techniques by Rik Pierce, Martha Puff and Rik Pierce - Pierce's time-tested techniques for using Paper Clay to make roofs, tiles, floors, and more.
Weathering for Railway Modellers: Volume 2, Buildings Scenery and the Lineside, George Dent - Theories and practices by modeler and editor at Model Rail Magazine. Advice that can be useful for making buildings look realistic. He also has several other titles available (176 pages).
Fiction:
A Note of Explanation: An Undiscovered Story From Queen Mary's Dollhouse, Vita Sackville-West - Interesting! Previously undiscovered work written in 1922 by the English writer and garden designer, and discovered in the famous dollhouse at Windsor Castle The story recounts the antics of a time-traveling sprite who inhabits the dollhouse. This illustrated ebook edition presents the story for the first time since 1924. (Also in print. 48 pages.)
Mayhem in Miniature, Book 2 of the Miniatures Mysteries, Camille Minichino - In Book 2, retired English teacher Geraldine Porter and her granddaughter, Maddie, are busy making room boxes for the Mary Todd Lincoln ball, but are drawn into a murder investigation when one of Geraldine's senior craft students is accused of the crime. (See Book 1 below.)
Murder in Miniature, Book 1 of the Miniatures Mysteries, Camille Minichino (Margaret Grace) - The Miniatures Mystery series is being reprinted with great new covers!
Recently retired California English teacher Geraldine Porter now has more time for her lifelong hobby — building dollhouses and miniature scenes. But her miniatures world is not so trouble-free when she and Maddie, her 10-year-old granddaughter find Geraldine's friend and a miniature desk missing, and face robbery fraud, and even murder. (The series is being updated and has a new cover as shown. Other books will be added as updated.)
Majesty in Miniature, Camille Minichino - (Miniatures Mysteries Short Story - In this related 2016 short story, Grace and Maddie find themselves sleuthing again as they tour Windsor Castle and the famous Queen Mary's Dollhouse. (8 pages)
The Dollhouse Murders, 35th Anniversary Edition, Betty Ren Wright - Dolls can't move by themselves... or can they? New edition with glow-in-the-dark cover and foreword by R.L. Stine.
The Doll's House, Anne Couch - The story of a young girl who inherits a doll's house complete with furnishings and figures with special powers. For ages 7-12. (176 pages, illustrated.)
Aunt Ellie's System for Making Miniature Furniture, Elinor C. Cruze - Eleven various furniture projects, including making own hinges, make intricate acrylic trim, mount hinges, make your own hardware, upholster furniture and more. (100 pages.) Also, see Aunt Ellie's Distinctive Miniature Accessories (20 projects, 46 pages.) Both paperback.
Collectively Speaking: My Passionate Pursuit of Miniatures, Kaye Savage Browning - The international collector shares her stories of collecting over four decades. (It's not clear how many photos are in the book. 122 pages) (* See more of her collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center.)
D.I.Y. Dollhouse: Build and Decorate a Toy House Using Everyday Materials, Alexia Henrion - Make houses from crates, fabric and more, plus simple accessories. Aimed at kid builders. Cardboard items, but the patterns might be useful. (176 pages.)
How to Make Your Own Miniature Gypsy Wagon, Julie Rodgers - These always fascinated me. This looks interesting though it's only in ebook. A print copy would be useful, though, for patterns.
L. Delaney's All Dolled Up: Creating a Paper Fashion Wardrobe for Paper Dolls, Lauren Delaney George - Patterns and instructions to make miniature scale paper dresses. (96 pages.)
Making Mini Food: 30 Polymer Clay Miniatures, Lynn Allingham - I hadn't seen this one. Always great to find new books on making mini food! (209 pages)
Making Dolls' House Miniatures in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren - Instructions and photos for over 50 dollhouse projects. (* Also see 2018 entry and Creating Dolls' House Kitchens in 1/12th Scale; Step by Step Dolls' House Furniture Projects I 1/2th Scale)
My Miniature Library: 30 Tiny Books to Make, Read and Treasure,
The Gardening in Miniature Prop Shop: Handmade Accessories for Your Tiny Living World, Janit Calvo - Accessories to make and using real plants in planters.
The Miniature Gardens Book, Angie Scarr - Use polymer clay and materials to make various vegetable, herb and garden plants. (122 pages.)
The Old Town Bookshop, Jacomine Mink - (Dutch) I'm including this as it's a great project to make a bookshop and furnishings. It looks like the book has good photos. (112 pages) (*A dditional books include Varietie in Vintage, a design plan for 8 different shop styles and see the 2019 section.)
The Doll House, Edward R. Lee - Creepy dollhouse tale fashioned after the style of 19th century horror writer M. R. James. (102 pages)
A Dog for All Seasons and other How-To Booklets, Alice Zinn - An assortment of how-to booklets for simple projects from fun dog costumes to how-to make shoes, etc. See main Picturetrail page for categories and contact info. (16-28 pages.)
Petronella Oortman 17th Century Dolls' House Cabinet at the Riksmuseum, Netherlands. (See fiction below. See museum website.)
The White House in Miniature, Gail Buckland, John Zweifel - Photos of the amazing replication of the White House. (I was lucky enough to finally see it in Chicago a few years back and the detail is amazing.) The house is updated with new administrations.
(* See details at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. - See video below. )
(* More info and details. It's housed at the President's Hall of Fame in Clermont, FL. I don't see that it's touring anywhere now.)
My kid's book, Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, Christine Verstraete, is also still available. Friends Sam and Lita, with the "help" of a mischievous dachshund named Petey, search for a missing miniature painting, a replica of Van Gogh's Starry Night. (And no, the dog is not the main focus of the book. But he's fun, gets involved in things like most dogs, and hey, he's cute!)
Also see, Dollhouse Décor & More, Mad About Miniatures Volume 1, Joanna Campbell Slan and Christine Verstraete - Includes 62 miniature projects in 1/12th and some 1/24th, half scale. (75 pages.)
* Video of the Miniature White House at the Ronald Reagan Library in California.
Mayhem in Miniature, Book 2 of the Miniatures Mysteries, Camille Minichino - In Book 2, retired English teacher Geraldine Porter and her granddaughter, Maddie, are busy making room boxes for the Mary Todd Lincoln ball, but are drawn into a murder investigation when one of Geraldine's senior craft students is accused of the crime. (See Book 1 below.)
Murder in Miniature, Book 1 of the Miniatures Mysteries, Camille Minichino (Margaret Grace) - The Miniatures Mystery series is being reprinted with great new covers!
Recently retired California English teacher Geraldine Porter now has more time for her lifelong hobby — building dollhouses and miniature scenes. But her miniatures world is not so trouble-free when she and Maddie, her 10-year-old granddaughter find Geraldine's friend and a miniature desk missing, and face robbery fraud, and even murder. (The series is being updated and has a new cover as shown. Other books will be added as updated.)
Majesty in Miniature, Camille Minichino - (Miniatures Mysteries Short Story - In this related 2016 short story, Grace and Maddie find themselves sleuthing again as they tour Windsor Castle and the famous Queen Mary's Dollhouse. (8 pages)
The Dollhouse Murders, 35th Anniversary Edition, Betty Ren Wright - Dolls can't move by themselves... or can they? New edition with glow-in-the-dark cover and foreword by R.L. Stine.
The Doll's House, Anne Couch - The story of a young girl who inherits a doll's house complete with furnishings and figures with special powers. For ages 7-12. (176 pages, illustrated.)
2017:
Aunt Ellie's System for Making Miniature Furniture, Elinor C. Cruze - Eleven various furniture projects, including making own hinges, make intricate acrylic trim, mount hinges, make your own hardware, upholster furniture and more. (100 pages.) Also, see Aunt Ellie's Distinctive Miniature Accessories (20 projects, 46 pages.) Both paperback.
Collectively Speaking: My Passionate Pursuit of Miniatures, Kaye Savage Browning - The international collector shares her stories of collecting over four decades. (It's not clear how many photos are in the book. 122 pages) (* See more of her collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center.)
D.I.Y. Dollhouse: Build and Decorate a Toy House Using Everyday Materials, Alexia Henrion - Make houses from crates, fabric and more, plus simple accessories. Aimed at kid builders. Cardboard items, but the patterns might be useful. (176 pages.)
L. Delaney's All Dolled Up: Creating a Paper Fashion Wardrobe for Paper Dolls, Lauren Delaney George - Patterns and instructions to make miniature scale paper dresses. (96 pages.)
Making Mini Food: 30 Polymer Clay Miniatures, Lynn Allingham - I hadn't seen this one. Always great to find new books on making mini food! (209 pages)
Making Dolls' House Miniatures in 1/12th Scale, Julie Warren - Instructions and photos for over 50 dollhouse projects. (* Also see 2018 entry and Creating Dolls' House Kitchens in 1/12th Scale; Step by Step Dolls' House Furniture Projects I 1/2th Scale)
My Miniature Library: 30 Tiny Books to Make, Read and Treasure,
The Gardening in Miniature Prop Shop: Handmade Accessories for Your Tiny Living World, Janit Calvo - Accessories to make and using real plants in planters.
The Miniature Gardens Book, Angie Scarr - Use polymer clay and materials to make various vegetable, herb and garden plants. (122 pages.)
The Old Town Bookshop, Jacomine Mink - (Dutch) I'm including this as it's a great project to make a bookshop and furnishings. It looks like the book has good photos. (112 pages) (*A dditional books include Varietie in Vintage, a design plan for 8 different shop styles and see the 2019 section.)
Fiction:
Lady of the Dollhouse, June Capossela Kempf - Ten-year-old Julia Greene is fascinated by the Victorian dollhouse in the new shop that opened. The owner invites Julia in with one caveat - stay away from the double doors in the back. Can she keep her promise or will she give in to temptation and uncover the shop's mysteries?
The Doll House, Edward R. Lee - Creepy dollhouse tale fashioned after the style of 19th century horror writer M. R. James. (102 pages)
Previous Years:
(There are a lot more classic books still available. I'll be updating a larger list later.) A Dog for All Seasons and other How-To Booklets, Alice Zinn - An assortment of how-to booklets for simple projects from fun dog costumes to how-to make shoes, etc. See main Picturetrail page for categories and contact info. (16-28 pages.)
Create Exterior Finishes, Bea Broadwood/Petite Properties - How-to create different finishes; 35 projects in four scales. Other books include the 1/24th scale Country furniture series; 1/48th Cottage plan booklets and Making 1/48th Scale Dolls House Furniture.
Dolls House Do-It-Yourself Food Displays, Sue Heaser - Instructions for 40 projects in Tudor, Georgian, Victorian styles and more. Easy instructions to make food with good results!
Make Your Own Miniature Tombstones for Dollhouses, Follow the Moon Art (2013) - Interesting idea I came across. Includes page of collage pictures though it's easy enough to make your own using printies. (27 pages)
Making Miniature Food: 12 Small Scale Projects to Make, Angie Scarr - Over 200 photos, plus tips and techniques for assorted food items from polymer clay.
The Big Book of a Miniature House, Christine-Lea' Frisoni - Instructions to make a French Country house. (192 pages)
Famous Dollhouses:
(* Read more about some of the richest dollhouses - 8 Amazing Dollhouses From Around the World) 
Dollhouses from the V&A Museum of Childhood, Halina Pasierbska - Tour of the museum's collection of dollhouses. (144 pages.) (Visit the museum website.)
Miniature Rooms: The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago- Fannia Weingartner - Full views of the 68 incredible miniature rooms spanning various periods at Chicago's Art Institute. (184 pages) (See website.)
Petronella Oortman 17th Century Dolls' House Cabinet at the Riksmuseum, Netherlands. (See fiction below. See museum website.)
The Queen's Doll's House: A Dollhouse Made for Queen Mary, Lucinda Lambton - Photo tour and details of the amazing 1920s's miniature castle built for Queen Mary at Windsor Castle. (hardcover, 131 pages) (See photos at website.)
The White House in Miniature, Gail Buckland, John Zweifel - Photos of the amazing replication of the White House. (I was lucky enough to finally see it in Chicago a few years back and the detail is amazing.) The house is updated with new administrations.
(* See details at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. - See video below. )
(* More info and details. It's housed at the President's Hall of Fame in Clermont, FL. I don't see that it's touring anywhere now.)
Within the Fairy Castle: Colleen Moore's Dollhouse - The famous castle commissioned by and for silent film star Colleen Moore has been a centerpiece at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry since 1949. (127 pages) (See photos at website.)
Fiction:
The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton - The book and later film about a mysterious dolls' house cabinet and a new bride's standoffish husband with his own secret life was inspired by the famous 17th century dolls house cabinet of Petronella Oortman at the Riksmuseum in Amsterdam, Holland. (See photos of that house and others in the museum's collection.)
The Sixty-Eight Rooms, (Book 1), Marianne Malone - What if you discovered a key small enough to let you shrink yourself and explore the famous 68 Thorne rooms at Chicago's Art Institute? What if you discovered someone else had done that and left behind something important? (Children's, 280 pages) (The series continues in three other volumes.)
******
* My books, In Miniature Style and In Miniature Style II are going to be revamped and reprinted at a later date. Keep updated at my website. 
My kid's book, Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, Christine Verstraete, is also still available. Friends Sam and Lita, with the "help" of a mischievous dachshund named Petey, search for a missing miniature painting, a replica of Van Gogh's Starry Night. (And no, the dog is not the main focus of the book. But he's fun, gets involved in things like most dogs, and hey, he's cute!)
Also see, Dollhouse Décor & More, Mad About Miniatures Volume 1, Joanna Campbell Slan and Christine Verstraete - Includes 62 miniature projects in 1/12th and some 1/24th, half scale. (75 pages.)
* Video of the Miniature White House at the Ronald Reagan Library in California.