A HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE
There is nothing more interesting to build than a doll-house, and the construction is within the ability of the average girl. If brother is willing to lend a hand with the carpenter work so much the better. Sister can attend to the finishing and furnishing, which are important parts of the work that she can do more handily than a boy can. But there is no reason why either a girl or boy cannot undertake a doll-house like that shown in [Figs. 220] and [221], and carry the work to a successful completion, by carefully following the instructions and diagrams in this chapter.
The Building Material. The doll-house in the photographs was built of packing cases. You can buy these at a dry-goods store at 15 or 20 cents apiece.
The Floor Plans are shown in [Figs. 222], [223], and [224]. Your boxes may make it necessary to alter the dimensions given, but that will be simple to do. Patterns for
The Partitions are shown in [Figs. 225] and [226]. In cutting the second-floor partitions ([Fig. 226]), miter one edge of E and F to allow for the bedroom door opening, shown upon the plan, and miter the edges of _G_ to fit between them above the door. The mitering is shown in the drawings ([Fig. 226]).
Besides cutting a stair opening in the second floor, make an opening three by five inches in the second and third floors for
The Elevator-shaft. Care must be taken to have these openings exactly over one another. Make the opening in the second floor six by eight inches in the place indicated upon the plan. This will allow for the elevator shaft and stairway. No stairway has been built to the third story, as the elevator serves the purpose, and one would take up too much of the ball-room space.
The Side Walls should measure nineteen inches wide by twenty-four inches high, and the other two walls thirty inches wide by twenty-four inches high. That portion of
The Rear Wall enclosing the kitchen and bath-room is hinged to open (see [Fig. 222]), and
The Front Wall is made in two sections, each hinged to a strip of wood an inch and one-half wide nailed to the two edges of the house, as shown in [Fig. 220].