This kit is for personal use ONLY. Please do not copy, distribute, or sell any part of this design or the instructions without my permission. Pre-Cut Little Crooked House @2022 Jacqueline Smith
Please read all instructions prior to beginning the project. If you are new to making houses, make sure you read and understand each step before placing your glue.Â
I consider this an intermediate kit. Every angle is purposely offset, hence precision for this house is not required, but gluing together the curved pieces can be a bit of a challenge.
Before you start your new kit, think about how you will want to decorate it. You can paint the house, paint the house and glitter it, glitter just parts of the house like the roof, use the kit pieces as a guide to cut out decorative paper that you can glue onto the house, or just leave the building white for a modern look. If you leave any portion of the house as unpainted cardboard, I suggest spraying with a matte acrylic sealer like Krylon or Modge Podge Sealer.
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Suggested Material List . . .
- Pre-cut kit has been cut from White Kraft Board. This is equivalent to 120 lb cover cardstock or cardboard. The steps are cut from 100 lb cover cardstock for ease in folding.
- Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue. I put it in a bottle with a thin metal tip. If you are new to making kits, you may want to use Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue as this allows more time for you to reposition your pieces if you make a mistake.
- Bone Folder – A bone folder helps you make sharp folds when you are using cardstock or cardboard. While the kit comes pre-scored, I strongly suggest you make the scoring deeper with a bone folder.
- Multi-surface satin finish acrylic paints in your color choices. Two coats are usually required.Â
- To glitter the house: Extra fine glitter or extra fine iridescent glitter and Spectra Glitter Sparkling Crystals (mixed 50/50) and Modge Podge. I like to apply the Modge Podge with a foam brush to one side of the building at a time, glitter, then move on to the next side. You may like your building glittered with only the extra fine glitter, but I liked adding a slightly chunkier glitter to it too.
- To make the snow: Woodland Flex Paste, Woodland Soft Flake Snow, and Hemway White Ultra Sparkle Glitter. Apply the flex paste and sprinkle a combination of the soft flake snow and Ultra sparkle glitter over it while it is wet. Use a little Modge Podge on a brush to add more of the snow mixture once the flex paste is dry.
NOTES . . . (read before starting)
- Due to variations by each builder you may find a trim piece a tad longer than needed. If this happens, simply trim it down to fit.
- DO use the cutting guide below to identify all of the pieces! It’s always a good idea to lay out all of the pieces before you start so that you have everything in the correct place. I include a few extra window frames in the kit.Â
Cutting Guide for Little Crooked House…
Your kit will include either the Regular Back and Regular Bottom Insert, and 3 windows, OR the Putz Back, Putz Bottom Insert, and a strengthening ring for the Putz hole, depending on which option you chose when you purchased the kit.
Let’s get started . . .
The following instructions are to show you how the building should be constructed. I show the order of construction without any paint or glitter. Think about how you will finish the building and if any parts will need to be painted or finished before being glued in place.
There is no wrong way to paint, glitter and glue. Personally, I like to paint the trim and walls when flat, then glue the trim onto the building, add the vellum, and then glue the building together. I then glitter the completed building. However, I know people who glitter the building while flat before gluing it together. I suggest you try different methods until you find out what works best for you. Tutorials for various ways to decorate your house can be found on this website as well as on YouTube.
Constructing the Building
1. On the front, back, and side pieces with a tab with a curve, or that will be glued to a curve, cut slits into the tabs so you can make the folds.Â
2. Fold each of the body pieces towards the back or inside (mountain folds.)
3. Fold the entryway (all mountain folds), carefully folding on the curves. They will NOT make sharp right angles.Â
4. Glue all window frames and the door in place.Â
5. Glue the vellum in place if you are using it.Â
6. Glue the entryway together.Â
7. Glue the entryway onto the front, making sure to align the bottoms.
8. Glue the the body of the house together. I find it easiest to glue the tall left side to the front first, then the back, then glue on the smaller side.
9. Check the fit of the bottom insert piece, adjusting any of the fold lines as necessary. You may need to trim the corners. I like to lower it in from the top. I run the needle tip of my glue bottle between the Bottom Insert and the sides, making sure each side is glued securely before moving on to the next.
10. Glue on the roof, with the rectangle cutout on the left, and the square cutout on the right. Once again, I made the roofline wavy, so no need to worry about centering it perfectly. If you are going to shingle the roof, do so now.
11. Glue each of the dormer windows onto the roof, then glue the corresponding roof onto the dormers. Glue the dormers on a crooked as you would like. I actually glued my 2 window dormer on too straight as I wasn’t paying attention!
12. Glue together the 4 sides of the chimney, making sure you match up the lengths of the sides. Decide where you are going to glue your chimney and trim away the roof overhang to let it sit flush with the house.
13. Glue together the steps and glue to the entryway. Attach the entryway roof, and the shutters.
Use the included cardstock to make a base. I made my base 4 3/4″ x 5″. The kit includes pieces for a fence.
This building can be finished with any method you are used to. This building does not want to be perfect! Just have fun and enjoy the process!
Enjoy making your Little Crooked House!! I would love to see your finished buildings. Please share a photo with me by emailing me at Jackie@acottageintheforest.com.
Examples for Inspiration
