September 12, 2019

Viking Table for American Girl Doll

Return to Renaissance and Viking overview

Overall dimension: 10 1/2" x 24" x 11"

On this table the table legs can be easily removed for easy storage !!!!

What you need (got all my wood and hardware from Home Depot)
  • 1" x 4" x 6'  premium common board for parts A
  • 1" x 3" x 6'  premium common board for parts E
  • 1" x 2" x 6'  premium common board for parts C
  • 1/4" x 2" x 36" for parts B and D
  • Wood glue
  • Various sized drill bits
  • (16) #8 2" long wood screws (I used decking screws since that is what I had)
  • (4) #6 Tee-nuts (1/4" long)
  • (4) #6 Pan head machine screws 1" long
  • (4) #6 washers
  • (24) #4 flat head wood screws 1/2" to 3/4" long
  • Masking tape (optional, to hold pieces in place)
  • Rotary too like a Dremel
  • wood stain (optional)

Cut wood to the following size
Sand all pieces and optionally stain or paint them.
  • A:  (3)  1" x 4" x 24"
  • B:  (2)  1/4" x 2" x 9 1/2"
  • C:  (4)  1" x 2" x 8 1/2"
  • D:  (4)  1/4" x 2" x 2"
  • E:  (4)  1" x 3" x 8 1/4" (you can cut those 1" shorter if you want the table to be hip high but then the bench needs to be shortened as well)

How to make the Table
  1. Take all three pieces A and glue them together along the long sides to create the table top.
    Hold them together with masking tape until glue has dried.
  2. Take one piece C and glue two pieces D to either end on one side (bottom side).
    Repeat with another piece C and the remaining two pieces D. Optionally you can use masking tape to temporarily hold pieces in place while glue dries. Set both aside for the glue to dry.
  3. Take two pieces E and glue them together along the long side.
    Use masking tape to temporarily hold the pieces together. Set aside for glue to dry.
    Repeat for the remaining two pieces E.
  4. Take one of the glued pieces E and glue in the center of one of the glued pieces CD from step 2.
    Use masking tape to temporarily hold in place. This will create part of the table leg.
    Repeat for the other pieces E and CD.
  5. Pre-drill (4) holes from C into both E pieces with a drill bit just a little smaller than your 2" wood screws and taper the hole edges with a larger drill bit.
    Use (4) 2" long wood screws to attach pieces E to C.
    Repeat for the other table leg.
    Set both table legs aside for later use.
  6. Take a piece C and a piece B and center them. Use some masking tape to keep them aligned.
    On piece C put a centered mark 3/4" from end. Repeat on the other end.
    Drill a hole at each mark through both pieces B and C. Keep taped together.
    Repeat for remaining piece B and C.
  7. This is just a recommended step but I can't drill holes in the exact spot on all sides, I need to mark which BC pairs go together and in which direction. To do that, open the masking tape and fold B and C open like a book. Mark with a pencil on the "open pages" both "pages" with the number 1 (make sure you know what is up on your 1!).
    Repeat for the other BC pair, marking it with the number 2.
  8. Widen holes on both pieces B with a 1/4" drill bit so that the Tee-nut fits into the whole.
  9. Take table top (glued pieces A) from step 1 and align pieces B on wrong side of table top
    1 1/2" from the ends.
    Mark the holes on table top (marked in red on picture), then set table top aside.
             
  10. Hammer Tee-nuts into the holes on pieces B from the side that does NOT have the number 1 or 2 written on it. Set aside
  11. Take rotary tool and create an indentation on each of the hole marks on table top (A) large and deep enough that the head of the Tee-nut fits in it and so that piece B sits flush with A.
           
  12. Glue pieces B onto table top and align Tee-nut heads so they fit into the indentations made in the previous step.
    Pre-drill holes with a tiny drill bit for the small #4 flat head wood screws. Each piece A should be attached with 4 screws to each piece B.
    Your table top is done.
       
  13. Take one of the remaining pieces C from step 7 and center on table legs created in step 5.
    Have the number one written in pencil face up.
    Pre-drill holes and taper the edges, just as was done in step 5. Make sure the screws sit flush with the wood surface.
    Repeat for the other table leg and piece C.
    Your table legs are done.
  14. Now you have the table legs and table top as you can store them when table is not used.
    Let's get to the assembly.
    Take one of the machine screws and add a washer to it.
    Align table leg 1 with the table top part B that is marked 1 and screw table leg to table top with machine screw and washer.
    Repeat for the remaining 3 screws and washers.
    Your table is done. When you want to store the table, just remove those 4 machine screws and washers.

Your table is done.

Check out the tutorial for the bench that goes with this table!

Viking Bench for American Girl Doll

Return to Renaissance and Viking overview

Overall dimension: 5" x 24" x 6 3/4"

On this bench the bench legs can be easily removed for easy storage !!!!

What you need (got all my wood and hardware from Home Depot)
  • 1" x 3" x 6'  premium common board for parts A and E
  • 1" x 2" x 6'  premium common board for parts C
  • 1/4" x 2" x 12" for parts B and D
  • Wood glue
  • Various sized drill bits
  • (8) #8 2" long wood screws (I used decking screws since that is what I had)
  • (4) #6 Tee-nuts (1/4" long)
  • (4) #6 Pan head machine screws 1" long
  • (8) #4 flat head wood screws 1/2" to 3/4" long
  • Masking tape (optional, to hold pieces in place)
  • Rotary too like a Dremel
  • wood stain (optional)

Cut wood to the following size
Sand all pieces and optionally stain or paint them.
  • A:  (2)  1" x 3" x 24"
  • B:  (2)  1/4" x 2" x 4"
  • C:  (4)  1" x 2" x 4"
  • D:  (4)  1/4" x 2" x 1"
  • E:  (2)  1" x 3" x 4" (you can cut those 1" shorter if you want the matching table to be hip high)

How to make the Bench
  1. Take both pieces A and glue them together along the long sides to create the bench top.
    Hold them together with masking tape until glue has dried.
     
  2. Take one piece C and glue two pieces D to either end on one side (bottom side).
    Repeat with another piece C and the remaining two pieces D. Optionally you can use masking tape to temporarily hold pieces in place while glue dries. Set both aside for the glue to dry.


  3. Take one of the pieces E and glue in the center of one of the glued pieces CD from step 2.
    Use masking tape to temporarily hold in place. This will create part of the bench leg.
    Repeat for the other piece E and CD.
     
  4. Pre-drill (2) holes from C into the E piece with a drill bit just a little smaller than your 2" wood screws and taper the hole edges with a larger drill bit.
     
  5. Use (2) 2" long wood screws to attach piece E to C.
    Repeat for the other bench leg.
    Set both bench legs aside for later use.
       
  6. Take a piece C and a piece B and align on top of each other. Use some masking tape to keep them aligned.
    On piece C put a centered mark 1/2" from end. Repeat on the other end.
    Drill a hole at each mark through both pieces B and C. Keep taped together.
    Repeat for remaining piece B and C.
       
  7. This is just a recommended step but I can't drill holes in the exact spot on all sides, I need to mark which BC pairs go together and in which direction. To do that, open the masking tape and fold B and C open like a book. Mark with a pencil on the "open pages" both "pages" with the number 1 (make sure you know what is up on your 1!).
    Repeat for the other BC pair, marking it with the number 2.


       
  8. Widen holes on both pieces B with a 1/4" drill bit so that the Tee-nut fits into the whole.
     
  9. Take bench top (glued pieces A) from step 1 and align pieces B on wrong side of bench top
    1 1/2" from the ends.
    Mark the holes on bench top (marked in red on picture), then set bench top aside.         

  10. Hammer Tee-nuts into the holes on pieces B from the side that does NOT have the number 1 or 2 written on it. Set aside

     
  11. Take rotary tool and create an indentation on each of the hole marks on bench top (A) large and deep enough that the head of the Tee-nut fits in it and so that piece B sits flush with A.
           
  12. Glue pieces B onto bench top and align Tee-nut heads so they fit into the indentations made in the previous step.
    Pre-drill holes with a tiny drill bit for the small #4 flat head wood screws. Each piece A should be attached with 4 screws to each piece B.
    Your bench top is done.
       
  13. Take one of the remaining pieces C from step 7 and center on bench legs created in step 5.
    Have the number one written in pencil face up.
    Pre-drill holes and taper the edges, just as was done in step 4. Make sure the screws sit flush with the wood surface.
    Repeat for the other bench leg and piece C.
    Your bench legs are done.
      
  14. Now you have the bench legs and bench top as you can store them when bench is not used.
    Let's get to the assembly.
    Take one of the machine screws.
    Align bench leg 1 with the bench top part B that is marked 1 and screw bench leg to bench top with machine screw.
    Repeat for the remaining 3 screws.
    Your bench is done. When you want to store the bench, just remove those 4 machine screws and washers.

Your bench is done.

Check out the tutorial for the table that goes with this bench!

September 04, 2019

Viking Chair for American Girl Dolls

Return to Viking Overview

What you need
  • (2) 1" x 5" x 15" pieces of premium common board (got mine at Home Depot)
    The actual dimensions of the wood will be around 3/4" x 4 1/2" x 15"
  • Saw, best is a coping or scroll saw or any thing that can cut straight up and down
  • small wooden chisel (optional but very helpful)
  • Sandpaper

How to make the Viking chair
  1. Cut two pieces of 5" wide wood to a length of 15" (could be a little shorter if you don't want it to go that high to the doll's head).
    Sand all sides and corners.
       
  2. Measure 4" from one end of the board and draw a horizontal line.
    Mark center of that line (center of board).
    Then draw a second line parallel to the first line 3/4" further away or the width of the board if it is not 3/4" wide up to center of board.
    For easier cutting of the cutout, I sawed the two long, straight cuts with a coping or scroll saw, then used a wood chisel to break out the cutout but you can saw it just as well.
    Repeat for the other board.

          
  3. Slide the two boards together in the cutouts, forming a cross



  4.  You could decorate the backrest with Viking wood carvings or round the back rest corners.
You are all done !!!

Return to Viking Overview for more Viking related tutorials.

August 08, 2019

Renaissance - Overview for American Girl Dolls


Clothes patterns used to create the scene above for sale in my store and on Etsy:


Saddle up your horse with a new saddle and 3D print barrels and buckets.

Free tutorial on how to make a jousting pole for your doll. (coming soon)

Free tutorial on how to modify the free saddle blanket to look like a saddle blanket used in a jousting competition (coming soon)

Free tutorial on how to make a bow (coming soon)


Flat Bread for American Girl Dolls

Return to  Medieval/Renaissance or Viking overview


What you need
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1/4 cup flour + some extra for hands and table
  • 1/4 cup water
  • some cinnamon for darker color (optional)
  • piece of parchment paper
  • baking sheet and oven

How to make the Bread
  1. Mix salt and flour in a bowl.
  2. Slowly add water while mixing until you have a dough like consistency.
  3. To get the darker color, add some cinnamon in the dough (either the whole dough or just part of it).
  4. Use additional flour for hands and table and knead though thoroughly.
  5. Form small balls and flatten and put on parchment paper on baking sheet.
  6. Make smaller and larger ones
  7. To make the breads, leave in larger ball and cut top surface with a knife with a couple of vertical and horizontal cuts.
  8. Leave over night to dry.
  9. Bake at 300F/150C for about 40 minutes.
  10. Let cool and spray with a mat sealer.
This bread goes very well with your Medieval/Renaissance or Viking theme.
The amounts stated above were able to create all of these:

December 23, 2018

Horses - Overview for American Girl Doll



I was having some fun with the staple setup. The English Saddle, Riding Pants and Riding Jacket are all sewing patterns available for sale in my store. The Bucket and Barrel are part of my 3D-printable Pioneer Set pattern also available in my store.

       




The free Horse Blanket pattern can be found right here on this blog.




July 03, 2018

NASA Mars Info Package for American Girl Dolls


I found all of these perfect flyers and leaflets on NASA's webpage (https://spinoff.nasa.gov/resources.html).

I resized some of them for AG size and made a new folder to match what a NASA folder might look like.
You can download a clear folder (use with grey card stock)
or download the grey folder (use with white card stock).
For my free tutorial on how to assemble the folder, go here.

The Information Pack I created from the NASA flyers can be downloaded here.


See all my other Science related items here and get the free sewing pattern for the FlightSuit here with any other pattern purchase.