Have you ever seen a project so whimsical that it immediately sparks joy? That’s how I felt when I came across a dollhouse coat priced at over $900. While it was stunning, I knew I could create my own version with a bit of creativity and the help of my trusty embroidery machine.

The result? A one-of-a-kind coat that celebrates my love for all things house themed and whimsical items. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make your own DIY dollhouse coat—a wearable work of art inspired by the rooms of a house.

diy dollhouse coat

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

If the video doesn’t work here, you can watch it on YouTube here. It’d mean so much if you’d watch the video! I’m trying to get better at my video skills so I can grow my YouTube channel. If you have a few minutes to watch this and/or subscribe, I’d so appreciate it.

What is a Dollhouse Coat?

A dollhouse coat is essentially a coat designed to look like a dollhouse, complete with intricate details representing different rooms of a home. For this project, I’ve included a living room, laundry room, and even a front porch—each brought to life with embroidery and fabric appliqués. Instead of assembling these designs into a book, I’ve attached them to a thrifted coat for a unique and functional twist.

Why Make Your Own Dollhouse Coat?

There’s something magical about creating a piece that’s both functional and imaginative. Making your own dollhouse coat lets you:

Save money: The original version costs over $900, but I created mine for a fraction of that price.
Personalize it: Add rooms and details that reflect your favorite spaces or memories.
Upcycle: Use a thrifted coat as the base for an eco-friendly project.

SUPPLIES

Here’s what I used to make my dollhouse coat:

- Pattern for a Busy Book
- A thrifted or vintage coat
- An embroidery machine
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Felt for the room details
- Double Sided Tape
- Precision scissors for trimming felt
- Velcro (or interactive elements like dresses)
- Embroidery Thread
- Clear Vinyl
- Mini Clothespins
- Ribbon

step 1- plan and prep

To begin, plan the rooms and prep the coat.

Decide which rooms you want to include in your dollhouse coat. I bought this pattern and will use all the rooms in it- a living room, laundry room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, bedroom, closet and front porch, but you can customize it however you like.

I’m using a quiet book pattern designed for toddlers to play house because it gives a result very close to the inspiration.

After deciding your rooms, it’s important to figure out what colors you want for each component in the room. I like to lay out the felt to show the background, floor, and different furniture options. That way, when it’s time to stitch, it looks nice, and you don’t have to make aesthetic decisions on the spot.

Which room to start with? I suggest beginning with the front porch since it doesn’t have any interactive parts, making it the easiest to stitch. For the tutorial, I’ll be showing creating the laundry room since it’s a little more complicated.

Next, wash your coat to ensure a clean base for your project. I got my coat for $12 at the thrift shop.

For this project, I’ll be using an embroidery machine. This will make the resulting rooms look professional, as the machine will do all the precise stitching. There are patterns you can use with a Cricut and sewing machine, but this tutorial will only show using the embroidery machine.

To finishing prepping, gather your supplies. I got 2 yards of tear away stabilizer (these sheets work too), a 6″ strip of clear vinyl, embroidery thread, precision scissors for trimming the felt, ribbon, mini clothespins, double sided tape, and velcro.

For materials, I used a combination of affordable craft felt, luxurious Merino wool felt, and some calico fabric. The Merino felt provides a sturdy base, while scraps of thinner felt works great for adding decorative elements. Each room’s backing requires half a sheet of felt.

step 2- embroider the interactive elements

Next, embroider the interactive elements of the rooms.

To start, hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer in your embroidery hoop. Follow the instructions from the embroidery pattern to stitch out the designs.

For this pattern, it begins with stitching positioning stitches directly onto the stabilizer. If the pattern has interactive parts, first stitch the moveable components. For the laundry room that’s the washing machine and the detergent bottle.

When cutting pieces for the decorative details (like the washing machine), start with slightly larger pieces of felt than needed; this ensures you have enough to work with. The felt will later be trimmed down so it’s ok to have a piece that isn’t exactly the right size. So using scraps works great!

Sometimes ribbon is needed to make the elements interactive. For the laundry room, a 1-1/2″ ribbon needs to be stitched down as the hinge for the washing machine door. Before stitching it down, use a lighter to singe the ends so it doesn’t fray.

The rooms on the dollhouse coat are made more realistic by the use of vinyl. It makes up the door of the oven, the shelves in the fridge, and the glass on the washing machine. To add it, stitch it down when instructed. In the laundry room, the vinyl is added between felt pieces and later the felt will be trimmed to expose the vinyl.

For the items that move, felt is added to the back of the stabilizer to make it double sided. Make sure to use double stick tape to hold the felt in place while it’s tacked into place.

Precise trimming is critical during the embroidery process. Trim the felt cleanly when the instructions call for it, as excess felt can get caught under the stitching and create a sloppy appearance. I highly recommend using precision scissors that cut flush to the surface—these made it much easier to get a clean, close trim.

One of the most whimsical features of the coat is the interactive elements. You can stitch up a doll and a cat that can be moved throughout the coat. The doll fits in the tub, sits on a chair, and even has a closet with different outfits that can be swapped out. These features make the coat really fun and look even cuter with these items.

step 3- embroider the rooms

And now, embroider the rooms for the dollhouse coat.

Just like with the interactive elements, hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer in your embroidery hoop. Begin with stitching positioning stitches directly onto the stabilizer. Put a piece of felt over the entire hoop for the background of the room. Tack it in place.

Next, to add the vinyl holder for the detergent, begin with adding positioning stitches. Then put the vinyl in place and tack it in place. Trim around the vinyl.

Use a piece of fabric folded in half and stitch that in place for the laundry basket. I’m using the same floral fabric throughout the rooms to add some pattern. Like many of the other elements, there’s positioning stitches, putting the fabric in place, trimming the fabric and then satin stitches to finish the edges.

For the next step, the machine tacks down the ribbon for the washing machine door. Then, positioning stitches are put down for the washing machine so that can be tacked in place. Now the washing machine is in with a functioning (and very cute) door.

The last part of this room is sewing stitches for where the clothes line will go. Poke a hole in the felt so string can be tied to the back of the felt for a clothes line.

Inspect the embroidered room and trim any loose threads. Its really exciting to see the finished room product! Here’s all the rooms I stitched for this project. Each one took over an hour to stitch up!

The pattern for this project has step by step instructions for each room (and the files for the embroidery machine). I thought it’d be helpful to show one room as an overview (something I wish I’d had). But really, following the pattern is pretty straightforward. It’s also fun to do! I loved seeing my rooms come together with the colors I choose.

step 4- attach the rooms to the coat

Finally, attach the rooms to the coat.

Once your embroidered rooms are complete, position the rooms on your coat to create a balanced layout and pin them in place.

Hand stitch each room onto the coat to securely attach it. Be sure to sew the rooms on straight and evenly so they look nice on the finished coat. This was a little tricky for me and I had to redo a few. I stitched over pockets so I made sure to put my hand in the pocket to make sure I didn’t sew it shut. I want to still be able to use the pockets!

After- Styling Your Dollhouse Coat

The best part of this project is wearing your creation! Pair your dollhouse coat with simple outfits to let the details shine. It’s perfect for creative outings, playdates, or just making everyday life a little more whimsical.

It reminds me a bit of playing with Polly Pocket! You can move the doll or her cat and dress her up- it really is fun.

I know that there’s a rule that coats should be simple (and should I say it?) boring. But why? Why not have fun with it!

So the question now is- will I be the favorite adult when I hang out with the little kids in my life? Lol- the coat is interactive and very whimsical.

The first time I put the coat on I was just thrilled. My husband said the coat looks more like me than ever. I love it and am really happy with how it turned out!

price breakdown

For this project, I thought I’d add up the costs- Pattern for the Busy Book $25, A thrifted or vintage coat $12, Tear-away stabilizer $5, Felt $23, Precision scissors $11, Clear Vinyl $2, Mini Clothespins $4

Here are the items I had on hand- An embroidery machine, Double Sided Tape, Velcro, Embroidery Thread, Ribbon

In total, the project cost me $82. Which is not cheap, but much more affordable than the $920 inspiration coat.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, making a dollhouse coat is a labor of love, but the results are so worth it. Whether you’re crafting it for yourself or as a gift, this project is sure to turn heads and bring smiles. And the best part? You can proudly say, “I made it myself!” What rooms would you include on your dollhouse coat? Let me know in the comments!

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