Make Miniature Animals for the Dollhouse, Railway or Model Scene

Dogs with a great deal of personality and accurate or stylized coats are fairly simple to make using needlefelt techniques and wool, silk or mohair roving (unspun fiber). As the needles used are very sharp, this is not a technique recommended for children. The dogs can be made in many scale sizes, depending on the wire armature used and the type of fiber. Silk roving is best for smaller animals (1:24 and less).

Make A Miniature Dog - Jack Russell Terrier

Here's another poseable animal sculpted with a needlefelt technique. These little raccoons make great Christmas ornaments for the tree, and are fun in all kinds of nature scenes. You can perch them in a tree next to a dolls house, or show them in the garbage, or stealing food.

Make Miniature Needlefelt Raccoons

Use simple needlefelting techniques to make a lamb a flock of sheep. Basic wool roving to make the sheep can be found in most yarn or knitting and weaving shops.

This particular sheep was made in 1:24 scale to fit a friend's model railroad scene.

The cat shown here was made as a stray for a Halloween scene, but you can use this tutorial to fashion a range of pampered pet cats which can be posed stalking, at play, or simply sleeping. Short haired breeds are easier for beginners to make, but long haired cats can be made using the instructions for the raccoon that show adding longer fur.

This needlefelt rabbit can be made in natural colors as a pet, or a wild rabbit for a model scene, or you can make it in soft colors for a dollhouse child's toy. Unlike the other needlefelted projects in this list, the rabbit is not poseable, although it could be made over a wire frame like the other animals, which would allow you to pose it. This is a great first needlefelt project for a beginner as the shapes are very simple and easy to make.

This miniature mouse can be used as a poseable character for miniature scenes as it is roughly adult sized in 1:24 or 'half' scale. It also makes a great decoration. Make it without the wire armature, and use stitched facial details instead of beads, if you want it for a child's play situation.

:This project introduces a beginner to using two part epoxy resin. The tadpoles are made of polymer clay, which is then set into the resin in the jar. It doesn't matter whether you want a jar of pickled eggs, fruit, or other produce, the same technique is used as for tadpoles. As epoxy resin requires precise measurement, the tadpoles can be made by children, but adults should handle the resin to fill the jars.

Make Tadpoles in a Jar

Butterfly Koi are fairly easy to make from polymer clay. You can pose them in a fish pond or use them for miniature jewellery.

The color patterns of Koi make them easy to mimic in small scales, plus they show up well in simple water pools made with a water 'surface' of sheet plastic.

You can make these mice or rats from polymer or air dry clay. Tiny mice are most easily shaped from air dry clays like Delight Claywhich can be sculpted with a damp brush. Tiny no hole beads (microbeads) or balls of clay can be used for the eyes.

Instructions for Making Miniature Mice or Rats

Scale miniature bats can be made from air dry or polymer clay in a method similar to the one used for mice and rats. These bats have flocked bodies which make them appear furry. You can make them with outstretched or folded wings for a variety of scenes.

Make Miniature Flying Bats