Make a miniature wood burning stove for your tiny rag doll. You’ve probably already got everything you need and it’s pretty quick (and super fun) to make. The stove is made from a TP tube and paper egg carton.
The little stove is intended for the bedroom of the cardboard cottage I’m making for the tiny rag doll.
What’s more luxurious than a sweet wood burning stove in your bed room? I can think of nothing.
get the tiny rag doll pattern here
Before we dive into the construction steps lets talk a little about finishing. Let the glue dry completely before painting or you will be sad… And speaking of glue, I do prefer wood glue for this, it sets up fast.
find more miss thistle society projects here
Use a paint that has a pretty flat finish – lots of craft paints do. I added little bits of lace to mimic the ornate details of antique wood stoves – you could go bananas with this idea and add all sorts of decorations. During the lengthy research and development phase of this project I looked at tons of antique wood stoves, there are lots of fascinating shapes and details you could play with.
Apply 2 or three coats rather than a single heavy coat and let them dry in between coats. Use a stiff brush and work the paint into the lace details. For even more detail you can rub a graphite stick over the textures and edges to highlight them. I also like to draw details and decorations with a pencil.
Tools and Materials:
- paper egg carton
- corrugated cardboard
- 1 TP roll tube
- toothpick
- masking tape
- small lace trim
- wood glue (you can use white glue but I prefer wood glue)
- scissors
- manicure scissors are helpful
- black paint
1. Gather your materials for building the shape – corrugated cardboard, one TP roll and an egg carton.
2. Measure 1 and 3/4 inches from one end of the TP roll and mark a line. Cut as shown- make a straight cut from the longer side to the line and then around the line.
3. Cut the roll in half – marked in red.
4. The 1 and 3/4 inch tube will be the center of the stove and the remaining pieces will become the pipe.
5. Pull off a couple pieces of masking tape so they are handy. Roll the two piece into tubes about 1/2 inch in diameter.
6. Glue the edge down and secure with masking tape
7. Cut 2 – 2 inch squares of corrugated cardboard.
8. Apply wood glue to one end of the tube.
9. Glue the tube to one of the cardboard squares. Squeeze the tube a little to make it as round as possible if necessary and press down.
10. Wipe away the excess glue with your finger.
11. Repeat for the other end of the tube.
12. Put something for weight on the glued cardboard and tube. Cut out 2 of the egg carton sections.
13. Measure and cut one egg carton section to 1/2 inch.
14. Draw a half circle on each side and cut out. Manicure scissors are super handy for these small cuts.
15. Measure and cut the other egg carton section to 5/8th inch.
16. When the glue is dry trim the cardboard around the tube on both ends
17. Glue the bottom egg carton section in place.
18. Trim a section from one side of the other egg carton section. This opening will be for the pipe – test the cut with one of your rolled tubes for size
19. Apply glue to the edge of the top section
20. Glue the top on and hold for a minute or two until the glue begins to set.
21. Cut a one inch square of corrugated cardboard. Round the corners and cut out a little section on one side.
22. Curve the cardboard.
23. Glue to the tube. Cut a 1 inch section of toothpick and glue under the tabs on the side.
24. Paint glue to the top and bottom of the tube and apply lace – pressing it into the glue.
25. Poke a hole in the door and glue in another little piece of a toothpick for a door handle.
26. Trim one end of one cardboard tube to flatten the edge. Insert it into the back opening and adjust the opening if necessary. Glue it in and let it dry until the glue is firmly set.
27. Trim the top of the attached pipe and one end of the other pipe at an angle. Round off the points.
28. Twist a little scrap of egg carton and insert it into the pipe attached to the stove.
29. Thread on the second pipe, add glue and hold in place until the glue sets.
Let the glue dry thoroughly and then paint your stove with mat black paint. Don’t add a lot of water to the paint and cover in 2 or three thin coats. You can draw decorative details with a pencil and rub a graphite stick over the surface to highlight texture details.
I hope you make sweet little stoves! If you do I’d love to see – please use #missthistlesociety on instagram.
Oh, you are so clever! Your little stoves are brilliant and I’m going to try making one soon. Thankyou for your lovely whimsical treats!
Deborah
So imaginative and dear. Ann, thank you for making the our world more magical and whimsically wonderful, also for all you share!
Constance
What a lovely little stove 🙂 I am taken back to my youth when I made complete cup and tea sets from egg cartons that was fun!
The material of the egg cartons has completely changed since then; they used to have shiny white styropore-foam egg boxes in the supermarket which were perfect for my ideas.
Love your craft ideas….made a couple of the wire beds and will try the stove. Thanks you for the creative and fun projects with stuff on hand or easy (and inexpensive to get)!
And did you make that sweet red teapot? Love the stove and the teapot!!! Maybe I could make one using the tiny dish tutorial…hmmm. Thinking cap on!
Ann
Thank you for sharing this. Brought back memories of making doll house furniture with my mom. We used a Velveeta cheese box for a fridge. Can’t wait to see what you make next!
Jaimy
Ann, thank you for sharing your creativity!!! Your ideas are amazing!! You really should consider writing a book about the world of whimsical creatures, their habitats and their friends. I wish I had half of your creativity. The world that you create is so much fun and imaginative. I hope to try the cute stove, it’s amazing! However, I always enjoy reading your blog. Thank you again for sharing your ideas with the internet world of friends!!
Hi Ann, I love your beautiful little stoves. Can’t wait to make one. Like always thanks for sharing and showing how !
Oh wow!
I have been yearning for an ‘old-timey’ stove to had to my ‘suitcase dollhouse’, and these are a.ma.zing!!!
Thank you so much =D
This is a keeper!. So much easier than the stoves I’ve been making. Of course, since I never make things easy on myself, I’m going to put the door on hinges add faux flames and a flickering tea light on the inside. Thank you I can’t wait to get started.