This project grew out of weaving little dolls and weaving and crocheting shawls for them, and weaving rugs and kilim-style weavings.

I love yurts, and my fascination with the central Asian ger inspired me to make this yurt as a dollhouse for my granddaughter. I took apart bamboo placemats to make the latticework walls. The circle at the top is a small embroidery hoop. I taught a felting class for children, and as they did their own projects, they wanted to decorate my yurt wall, so they added flowers all the way around.

Of course it didn’t stop there! We peopled it with all the things a dollhouse needs: a family, animals (crocheted and knitted), a table with little dishes, and lots of decorations. The doily was crocheted by one of my fiber-artist ancestors from the 1800’s. Guli perons, beaded medallions, are a favorite. Grandmother wears a knit shawl, and watches gradfather, who is sleeping (he’s made of beach stones). A bronze Buddha sits on a little chest. A container made of dried orange peel is the “tuffet” for two little birds who greet visitors, and a tiny chime is the doorbell.

The rug underneath is all was woven on my four harness LeClerc loom.