musing on string, and size

[treeskin]

I started a needlepoint project, rugs for a dollhouse, and that's got me wondering where the line falls between "miniature" needlework and merely small needlework. I'm not aiming for true dollhouse scale (1:12), because my scavanged materials aren't that small, and my dolls are 1:10. And I'm not sure I'm worried about truly in scale, as long as the result looks nice.

Anyway, the project.....

Been wanting to make some dollhouse stuff for a while, because the prices on ready-made dollhouse things are scary. I'd held off on the stitchery pieces, because all the patterns I've got call for 40-count silk gauze (or finer, for the truly insane), and have you seen the prices on that? Yikes!

The other day, I was looking at a small cloth bag I was keeping a project in, and had a lightbulb moment. The bag was one of the ones By brings home from work, that they get casting grain in. It's loosely woven cotton, about the weight of lawn, but you can see the individual threads, and they're pretty even.

So, I took a bag apart and tried it. It looked **amazing** stitched over 1, but counting stitches was impossible without magnification. Over 2 still looked nice, but I can see it. I *think* over 2 is yielding something similar to a 34-count fabric, which makes my current pattern a large accent rug instead of room size (the pattern calls for 22-count, worked over 1). It's reasonably easy and quick to stitch on, and it's not so precious that I'd feel horrible if the kids wanted to play with it.

Sooner or later, I'll have to come up with furniture to match this carpet, which is based on a 17th century Chinese carpet in white and 4 shades of indigo blue.