DIY Card Table Playhouse
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I finally did it! I made a diy card table playhouse for little miss and it's our new favorite toy! I've been wanting to make a diy card table playhouse for over a year now and I finally got around to it in time for her 2nd birthday. I didn't do a tutorial, but I do have some tips for you:)
How to Make a Card Table Playhouse
Table Playhouse Tour
First let's take a tour...
The front door complete with a mailbox:
I used ribbon ties on either side of the door so it can be held open:
And of course the mailbox opens up and comes with some letters:
A very popular feature:)
Around back is a home for fido (little miss is a big time dog lover) with a doggie door that goes through to the inside (I saw this idea over at Homemade by Jill)
On one wall I made a little window (essential or the playhouse would be a bit dark inside) and beneath it is a flower box with watering can. The flower heads and watering can are attached with Velcro so the flowers can be watered and picked.
And around the other side is an apple tree. All of the apples can be picked and gathered in the basket. And since little miss is a major doll lover I added a little rag doll who Velcros to the swing (she flops around a bit but it's still fun)
My 1st attempt at making a doll- definitely could use some practice:)
And then because I'm a bit crazy I decided to make this house fully lined so I could decorate the inside too. Her playhouse might just have more amenities than our apartment:)
I slaved over this kitchen and in the end it was totally worth it!
The fridge and freezer both open up and they're stocked with ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cones and 2 bowls for holding produce. And then you can put all of that yummy food into a pot to make soup.
Just doing a bit of cooking...
Along the back wall is a fireplace (the doggie door from outside opens up through the fire). Above it is a picture frame, which I still need to fill with a family photo or something.
And of course I had to make a little bed for the baby and finish off the window with some curtains
(sorry about the horrible photo- taking pictures underneath a card table is ridiculously hard)
By the front door, I made a little bookshelf to hold some of her favorite reads. The hole is where the mail comes through.
Phew...and that completes our tour!
Card Table Playhouse Tips
- Do your research: there are a LOT of cute ideas out there and you only have so many walls, so make sure you come up with your game plan before you get started
- Make it gender neutral: these are super fun for little girls and boys so stick with a theme that will work with all of your kids (and future kids)
- Make a materials list and then wait until you have a lot of coupons or there's a sale- this takes quite a bit of fabric but it's not too expensive if you shop smart
- I used broadcloth for the walls and I liked that it was a bit lighter than felt. This worked great for a lined house but for a single layer you might want to stick with felt. The broadcloth also wrinkles a bit during storage
- Felt is your best friend for embellishing- it doesn't fray, it's cheap, and you can even put a few things together with your glue gun:)
- If you're planning on lining your house keep in mind that a wall with a window on the outside will have a window on the inside too. Common sense but you do need to plan around it
How I made the Table Play House
For my card table and design here's what I ended up buying:
- 3 1/4 yards broadcloth for the walls (I bought 2 colors since my house is lined). If you use felt you won't need as much because it comes on a wider bolt
- 1 yard brown felt for the roof, tree, shelves, etc.
- 1/2 yard white felt for the kitchen
- 1/3 (maybe it was 1/2?) yard black felt for the kitchen, dog house, and fireplace
- 1/2 yard red broadcloth for the front door
- 1/4 yard felt in various colors for the embellishments
And here's how I put the card table playhouse together:
- Embellish each wall- remember to leave a seam allowance on each side
- Sew the 4 walls together along the side seams (repeat with the inside of the house if you have one)
- Baste the top edge of the inside of the house to the top edge of the outside of the house with wrong sides together
- And then sew on the roof!
If you have any questions just let me know- I'm happy to help:) Also, come and join our sewing community in the Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop Facebook Group.
