TOYS OF CLOTHESPINS
YOU can make cunning, soft, downy hens and roosters simply of raw cotton
and clothespins (Fig. 101). The little creatures may be pure white, dark
colored, or part dark and part light, according to the cotton used.
[Illustration: FIG. 101--Soft, downy hens and roosters.]
All of
=The Chickens=
have the same kind of foundation. It is made by sliding the prongs of
two clothespins into each other (Fig. 102). Be sure the clothespins,
when together, stand firm on the prong ends, for these form the legs and
feet of the chickens.
[Illustration: FIG. 102--Slide the prongs of two clothespins together.]
[Illustration: FIG. 103--Tie a piece of raw cotton over the head of one
clothespin.]
With a string tie a piece of raw cotton over the head of one clothespin;
have the string tight, but the cotton cover rather loose. Bring the
cotton partly down the clothespin and tie it again (Fig. 103); then use
your fingers to shape the top cotton into the form of a rooster's head;
gently pull a little of it out to make the beak; tie a string around the
beak where it joins the head, and, with thumb and finger slightly
dampened, twist the end of the beak into a point (Fig. 104). Cotton
which comes in sheets is best for the tail, but the other will do. Lay
the centre of a generous piece of cotton over the head of the second
clothespin, plait the loose ends around the pin, and fasten with a
string, making the edge of the tail in a line with the opening of the
prongs of the pin. Cut the folded end rounded on top, and slit it up a
short distance into wide fringe to form the long feathers of the
rooster's tail (Fig. 104).
[Illustration: FIG. 104--Pull a little of the cotton out to make a
beak.]
[Illustration: FIG. 105--A fine little rooster that will move his little
head.]
With another piece of cotton cover the back and sides of the rooster, as
you would put a saddle on a horse. Bring the edges of the cover together
down the neck and body; when fitted lift the cover, put paste here and
there on its under side near the edge, replace the cover and it will
stick fast; then, with the top of a wire hairpin, push the edges of the
cover, front and back, in between the open prongs of the clothespin. Ink
round bits of paper and paste on the rooster for eyes; make his comb and
wattles of red tissue paper (Fig. 105), and you will have a fine rooster
which can actually
=Move His Little Cotton Head=
up and down, fast or slow, as you wish. To make him do so, hold the
front leg steady with your left hand, while with your right hand you
raise and lower the other leg. Try it, and see how naturally the little
fellow appears to pick up corn in an eager, hungry manner.
[Illustration: FIG. 106--The little hen.]
[Illustration: FIG. 107--Making a downy little lamb out of a
clothespin.]
Fashion the hen in the same way you made the rooster, only have the tail
smaller and without long feathers (Fig. 106). The comb on the hen must
also be smaller than that on the rooster. The general shape of the hen
is the same as that of the rooster. Notice that the direction of outline
along the lower edge of tail and body is one continuous slanting line;
remember this when adjusting the tail that it may not stand out backward
at right angles from the body.
=The Little Lambs=
are made in much the same way as the chickens. Slide two clothespins
together for the foundation (Fig. 102); tie a wad of cotton over the
head of one pin, then pull the head out a trifle on each side for ears,
and tie with a string as you made the rooster's beak. Cover the second
clothespin, making the upper part, which extends down, quite thick; then
lift the upper part, and bring it across to the lamb's neck, for the
little animal must have an almost level back (Fig. 107). Cut a piece of
cotton large enough to cover the entire back and sides of the lamb, lay
it over the lamb like a very large saddle, and fasten it in place with
paste. Use small inked papers for eyes, and tie a gay ribbon around his
neck (Fig. 108). Make a number of little lambs, for they are so
attractive and pretty grouped together (Fig. 109).
[Illustration: FIG. 108--Tie a gay ribbon around the lamb's neck.]
[Illustration: FIG. 109--The group of sheep.]
[Illustration: FIG. 110--Such a funny little long-eared rabbit.]
[Illustration: FIG. 111--The doggie's head is large.]
=The Rabbit=
(Fig. 110) has the same kind of foundation as the lamb, but stretched
out more, bringing the heads of the pins lower and farther apart. He
needs very long ears, so they must be of separate pieces of sheet cotton
tied to the head. Make his head rather large, and in other respects
manufacture him much the same as the lamb.
=The Ears and Tail of a Dog=
are too large for pulling out and tying from the main piece of cotton,
so cut them separate and tie on at the proper places. Make the doggie's
head large, and the saddle-like cover thick, that the little fellow may
be plump and fat; cut inked paper for eyes and end of nose; with these
exceptions the work is the same as on the lamb (Fig. 107).
When tying beaks, ears, and tails of the various animals, cut the string
ends close to the knot; then the string will sink into the cotton.
[Illustration: FIG. 112--Begin to dress the doll in this way.]
[Illustration: FIG. 113--A strip of cotton for arms.]
To dress a
=Little Girl Doll,=
cut a strip of cotton extending from below the neck line of the
clothespin to within a short distance of the ends of the prongs; tie the
cotton in gathers around the lower edge of the neck, and again lower
down at the belt line (Fig. 112). Make the arms of a strip of cotton
about four and a quarter inches long and one inch wide; slash in the
middle a short distance, and slip the strip over the head of the pin
(Fig. 113); bend at the shoulders, fold remaining lengths once for arms,
and, with dampened thumb and finger, lightly twist the ends into hands.
The edges of the cotton forming arms and hands will cling together. Tie
a bright ribbon sash around Miss Dolly's waist; then make her hair of a
strip of dark raw cotton; fit and press it on the wooden head, twisting
the ends to resemble long braids; pinch the cotton up on the top of the
head to form a pompadour; when adjusted take the wig off; cover the
wooden head with paste, and replace the wig, setting it well back from
the front of the head. Fasten a ribbon bow back of the pompadour, and
tie the braids together at the nape of the neck with another ribbon;
then ink the features. Insert the ends of the prongs of the clothespin
forming dolly's feet into a small piece of double-faced corrugated straw
board, fasten them in with paste, and the little girl will stand alone
(Fig. 114). The doll's back is shown in Fig. 115.
[Illustration: FIG. 114--Little girl doll made of a clothespin and
dressed in raw cotton.]
[Illustration: FIG. 115--Miss Dolly's back.]
[Illustration: FIG. 116--The clothespin boy.]
Make the
=Boy Doll=
(Fig. 116) stand in the same manner; fashion his hair of dark cotton,
his trousers of a strip of white cotton tied around the waist and pushed
in between the prongs of the clothespins. Cut the coat from a folded
piece of cotton, a hole in the centre of the fold for the head to pass
through; straight sleeves horizontally cut along the fold; and the
remainder in sacque form like a Japanese coat or pajamas. The sleeves
form the arms and the hands of the boy.
Fasten a belt high at the back and low in the front around his waist,
giving the coat a Russian-blouse effect; make him a ribbon bow necktie,
and ink the features.
These small people are very bewitching, as are also the animals.
You can color the sheet cotton slightly here and there with water-color
paint if you are clever with a paint brush. As you work with these
little dolls and animals you will find ever so many ways to vary them in
effect. They are so soft and fluffy that a baby can play with them
without injury, and a school or college boy may be amused by being
presented with one, appropriately dressed, as a souvenir of pleasant
experiences at a college luncheon or dinner.
To make a foot-ball player, finish the blouse without necktie or belt;
make the shoulders wide and the hair rather short, like a college boy's
rough head. So much for the boy. Paste a letter cut out of colored paper
on the front of the blouse to make it look like a college sweater, and
gather the trousers in a little at the knees. You can tuck an egg-shaped
ball made of brown raw wool under one arm for a realistic touch, if you
choose.
Little girl dolls may be similarly made to represent basket-ball players
in short skirts and school or college sweaters, with appropriate emblems
on the front, for a special entertainment.
Making these figures is much less trouble than dressing dolls entails,
and much more of a novelty, too. They take so many shapes that they fit
almost any occasion.
In fact, the possibilities of these cotton and clothespin toys are
almost endless in the hands of ingenious young people.