Dare to Make It: Holiday

How to Make a Gingerbread House to Outlast Even the Sweetest of Sweet Tooths

Erika Kern, contributor

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All decorated! This "gingerbread" house is a great project to fill the time between presents and dinner, and it will last until next year!

Erika Kern

This felt "gingerbread" house makes up so fast that you'll be able to make one for each of the kids to decorate on Christmas day.

 

Erika Kern

Recycle some of the many boxes that show up during the holidays to make the structure of your house.

Erika Kern

All decorated! This "gingerbread" house is a great project to fill the time between presents and dinner, and it will last until next year!

Photo: Erika Kern

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I've always been facinated by gingerbread houses. When I was little, my mom had this book of German cooking and right on the cover was a gingerbread A-frame house. For as long as I can remember, I wanted that gingerbread house. At the age of 8, I was finally old enough to master the making of the gingerbread and icing, so my mom and I set out to make my dream house. We baked it and iced it, then my friend and I decorated it with candies and chocolates . . . man, it was beautiful . . . my first craft success! I was so proud of it that I had to take it out to the garage to show my dad. We carried it gently through the house and out to where my dad was working on his car. There I tripped and it fell . . . smashing against the hard cement floor. . . my first craft-tastrophe.

It still hurts a bit to this day.

Since that day, I've wanted a gingerbread house that would withstand my clumsy nature, and now I think I've figured it out! A felt "gingerbread" house! This house is so easy to put together that once you make one you'll want to make two or three.

Here's what you'll need:

• Cardboard
• 1/3 yard brown felt (I used a wool felt to add to the heirloom quality. The color I used is called Copper Kettle. One-third yard should yield two houses.)
• 1/3 yard of white felt
• Glue
• Hot glue
• Crafty bits and bobs (I used foam shapes, pom-poms, trim, ribbon, pipe cleaners, puff paint, glitter, and other things hiding in my stash.)

First, cut the cardboard base for your house.

Recycle some of the many boxes that show up during the holidays to make the structure of your house.

Here are your measurements:

House front: 7-1/2 inches by 4 inches by 5-7/8 inches (cut two).

House side: 4 inches by 5-7/8 inches (cut two).

Roof: 14 inches by 7-1/2 inches (measure 7 inches in and score the roof piece so that it's easier to fold).

Base: 8-3/4 inches by 8-3/4 inches.

Glue the cardboard pieces to your felt, let the glue dry, then trim the felt to fit the cardboard. The roof and the base will have felt on both sides. I used white on both sides of the base and white and brown on the roof.

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Comments (6)

EcocessorizeGirl writes: Another thing you could do with spare felt... Take cookie cutters and use them as a stencil, and stencil them onto spare felt.
Posted: 6:33 pm on December 23rd

michaelb72556 writes: tooths or no tooths, the idea is really cute. I make gingerbread houses with my primary students every year and have made them in a variety of ways. This is a great idea for them (and me). There are a lot of gingerbread house lovers out there...and we love new ideas. Thanks Erika!
Posted: 5:43 pm on December 23rd

SARASTA_IN_VA writes: This is so cool. I can't wait to do this with my kids. They love to make things with boxes, and this will be fun for all of us.
Posted: 10:51 am on November 25th

Jen1964 writes: Love the cloth-felt stuff. It really stays cute and inspiring over the years. We still have some of the projects my husband's sister did, while she was alive. Felt is a great starter for your young sewers and would-be crafters.
You know, once you've made the templates, if you have made spares, you have your cookie house templates as well. And here's a tip for those who don't fancy gingerbread: make them out of rolled sugar cookie dough - plain or chocolate! It isn't hard at all, and if you flour the counter enough, or use waxed paper (like for pie crusts) everything comes up fine. The key is to let people eat them -if you want. Otherwise, I wonder if the bread dough craft people have ideas for (sugarless) house projects to last.
One year when funds were sparse, we blew a lot on gingerbread house makings, and then took pictures as the project went along. Can't say for the rest, but it made memories we'll never forget. I'll bet the Felt would be even more economical. ... and just as dear!
Posted: 10:04 am on January 5th

erika_kern writes: Seriously.
Posted: 12:12 pm on December 26th

RNC11254 writes: Tooths? Seriously?
Posted: 7:35 pm on December 25th

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