Wednesday 22 September 2010

The Mad Hatter's Hat Making Table



At last, Ive finally got round to taking pics of my Mad Hatters hat making table!


A few months ago I bought yet another room box cheaply on ebay. This was a long narrow room with perfect dimensions for my version of the Mad Hatters room from the new Tim Burton Movie.
In the film, the Hatter has a work table, beautiful dressing table for the queen to preen herself, and a pretty chaise .

The roombox all needs redecoration and lighting but in the mean time I just couldnt resist starting on some of the internal furniture!

I have lots of furniture I could use in the room, but had trouble finding a suitable table. Eventually the perfect ornate table came up on ebay and I set to work

Id like to thank Nikki Rowe for her immense help and loads of tips and advice. I had secretly hoped Nikki would take on the project for me, having seen her fantastic witches hat making tables but I knew that Nikki dosnt really like to take on comissions so instead I took all her advice in hand and got started on it myself!
Thanks too have to go to Kat the Hat for sending me loads of trim, beads, material, and lots more that she had knowing it would suit my project! I could never done it without you two so huge hugs! And also to Susan for all her help on my questions I bombarded her with after seeing her own fantastic Alice Hatter room scene. Seeing this room really spurred me on to get on with my own and inspired me no end! Plus Susan was so kind and helpful with how to make and buy different things I needed in the room.

So now onto the table itself. I bought this deep mahogony table and chairs and edged the table in gold and re-upholstered the chair with red velvety material, gold trim and a heart shaped decoration.

The the fun began!! I made lots of different size cotton reels, some from balsa wood dowel and buttons, some from....well just about whatever I could cut up really. I was cutting up the children's pencils and all sorts to get differing widths and sizes of reels. I decorated each top with a tiny logo . I chose 2 logos, one of a vintage style Hatter hat and one of the Hatter himself but not Johnny Depp, the older Lewis Carol Hatter, which was more colourful and showed up clearer than the Depp images I found.


I made several with ribbon, some with thread, some with trims. I also made lots of pieces of card with the Hatter logo which I wound ribbons and trims around. I made stacks and rolls of materials.

Then I continued to dress the table with jars of feathers, beads, buttons, bottles, hatpins etc etc



The fantastic hat pins, hats and the unmade hat on the right of the table are all made exclusively for me by dear Kat!



It took quite a while and I kept changing the layout until I was happy enough to start sticking it all into place. After all with all these little fingers in the house I dare not leave it all loose!

I had a couple of gaps left on the table top and then something spooky happened. Id tried and tried to make a pincushion and just couldn't get it right. Then I recieved my parcel of perfume bottle displays I had ordered from Victoria of on Etsy and in there was a little bag of goodies that Victoria had made and sent me knowing I was doing the table! In it was the cutest little red pin cushion on a c cotton reel, a pair of oversized dressmaker scissors which was exactly what I was after, and a yard stick Victoria had also made herself!! Just wonderful minis, so thankyou Victoria, it all came at the perfect time!! I can still see a couple of little gaps that I can fit some tiny buttons etc in to fill them up . Funny how you notice them when you take pictures!



I dressed the table top and then got to work on stacks of material , hat boxes, patterns, cotton reel boxes etc for underneath the table so the whole setting looks really stacked with things to look at.

I had so much fun making the table that I got to work on an old sewing machine on a small table I have had sitting in a box for years and this will go next to the table, as I just didnt have enough room on the table itself for him to do his sewing.



So , hope you like it so far, I think the Hatter will when he gets here!



I now have a great material holder to decorate with reems of material and the chaise to reupholster.

Soon I will have finished the dressing table which Im so excited about as once again another brilliant blogging friend has made lots of exceptional miniatures for it which I cant wait to show off! I am waiting on the parcel with them and then will start to to dress the furniture this week!

I am also awaiting a totally unique and amazing creation made for me by another talented, lovely fellow blogger and friend which is all hush hush until it arrives then it will blow you away!

I suppose I best get to work on the decorating too, not much point in having all this fun furniture and no where to put it all to show it off!!

17 comments:

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

Bravo Kate!!! Your hat making table and sewing machine are excellent. I can't wait to see your room box all filled and decorated. Every little detail is a feast for the eyes and Kat's heart hat perfect. You have done a wonderful job.

Victoria ♥

Tabitha Corsica said...

WOW....just wow, Kate! This is so much more than I expected when you said you were making a Hatter and Queen of Hearts roombox. It's beautifully done. I think my favorite piece is the heart shaped hat by Kat.

Cia of Briarwood Studio said...

Outstanding, Kate! This is marvelous. I'm in awe.

Cia

Witchkrafting with Kat said...

Wow it looks great Kate! You have been working hard. I know Nikki would have done a fantastic hatter table but I think yours is wonderful!

Michelle said...

This is fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! I love all the detailing and the wonderful colours!

See what you can rustle up yourself!!! :o))))

The little sewing box on the table top is a fav and I love the labels you have made, oh just so much to see and love. Kat's fantastic hat sets it off. I know where to come when it comes to filling my witchy hat makers cottage with her sewing needs!

Simply fantastic work Kate, I love it! :o))

Michelle xxx

The Old Maid said...

I love the way you put everything on the table! Great work Kate!

onbeingaminimum said...

It all looks fabulous Kate. I especially like the fact that you have added logos and pictures to your reels and cards.
I bet you are really pleased that you had a go yourself now.
The sewing machine looks great too with just the right items.
Good job! I can only imagine how much time it took.

Josje said...

Love all the detail you've put in. The sewing accessories are fab!

Lorraine Escapita said...

OMG! Everything looks amazing together! There is so much to look at and it's all beautiful! Wonderful arrangement Kate, it looks fantastic!

Ara said...

It's all wonderful Kate!! How great to have such amazing blogger friends to help out! That scene is so rich and you've definitely got the table down perfectly! I can't wait to see the rest of it together! -ara

Glenda said...

Wow!! I love them! The detail is fascinating :)

Wendie-kins said...

You've worked really hard on this Kate and its definitely paid off! its really bright and cheerful, you must be so pleased with it :o) Cant wait to see it with your Hatter installed and hard at work x

Ascension said...

Que maravilla!!!!!
Me encantan todos los detalles, es una mesa fantastica!!!
besitos ascension

Creepy Creations by Jamie Moore said...

OMG Kate, that is fabulous! You did an amazing job!!! So much detail!! Every time I look at the pic I see something that I missed before!! Can't wait to see it in the room!!

Jamie

Julie said...

Amazing...love it all but adore the hat....
look forward to seeing the box room complete
xxx

Unknown said...

Una mesa maravillosa. He aumentado cada detalle. Todo, todo está colocado con mucho gusto.
La escena será una locura.
Besos Clara

Cottage Kitty Miniatures by Julie Lawton said...

Hi Kate ,you have certainly worked hard on this project. But what a result, the attention to detail is fanfastic. I bet you feel really pleased with it you should do!! LOL Julie