PLAYING INDIANS WITH COSTUMES MADE OF NEWSPAPERS
THE best framework for a newspaper wigwam can be made of long-handled
feather dusters, but long-handled brushes, or poles of any kind you may
happen to have, will answer the purpose; all that is necessary is
something you can make into a framework similar to Fig. 168. Tie your
poles together at the top and spread them out at the base, tent-fashion.
Make the
=Covering for the Wigwam=
of six large double sheets of newspaper pasted together.
[Illustration: FIG. 168--Framework for wigwam.]
Only three poles will be needed when the covering is of newspaper, but
if you do not happen to have enough newspapers on hand for the entire
outfit of tepees and costumes, you can use a white muslin sheet for the
wigwam, in which case four poles will be needed (Fig. 169). The sheet,
not being stiff like the paper, requires more supports to make it stand
out sufficiently. Should it be inclined to fall in between the poles,
pull it out a little and lay a book over the edge which lies on the
floor, as a weight, to keep the sheet in place.
[Illustration: FIG. 169--Look at our newspaper Indian costumes. We are
playing Indians.]
If you would like the wigwam decorated in real Indian fashion, cut out
large colored paper pictures and paste them around the lower part of the
wigwam, forming a band of pictures. Be the covering either cloth or
paper, it will look well decorated, but the covering must be taken off
and the pictures pasted on. The covering should then be adjusted over
the poles. One great beauty and attraction of this newspaper Indian
material is that effective results can be produced quickly and with
little work.
Make
=Moccasins=
of newspaper, cut like the pattern (Fig. 170). For a small pair the
paper should measure fifteen inches in length and three and a half
inches in width; larger sizes require larger paper.
Fringe the central portion of the longest edge according to the fringe
lines on Fig. 170. Cut the two boundary lines of fringe, A and A, up to
the dotted line; then bend down all dotted lines. Bring the two ends
together, allowing the fringe to come on the outside, and fit the point
B over the other point B. This finishes the newspaper moccasin (Fig.
171).
[Illustration: FIG. 170--Cut moccasins this way.]
[Illustration: FIG. 171--The newspaper moccasin.]
Make
=The Little Dress Skirt=
of two newspapers pasted together along the shortest edge, then folded
lengthwise through the centre, and the two lower loose ends cut into a
deep fringe. This skirt needs no belt; it should be simply fastened
together at the back over the ordinary dress with safety-pins.
Use one sheet of paper for the little fringed sacque. Allow the paper to
remain folded along the white central band, and fold the double layers
crosswise through the centre, making four thicknesses. Cut an opening
for the head according to dotted line C (Fig. 172). Fringe the sides
along dotted line D, as shown in diagram (Fig. 172).
Unfold carefully, that the paper may not tear, and after cutting a slit
from the neck partially down the centre of the front, you will have Fig.
173. If you wish to make the garment less liable to tear, paste narrow
strips of muslin on the under side of the sacque, around the neck, down
each side of the slit, and at the head of the fringe.
[Illustration: FIG. 172--Newspaper folded ready for making little
squaw's sacque.]
[Illustration: FIG. 173--Little squaw's newspaper sacque.]
From a folded piece of newspaper cut the little squaw a head-dress (Fig.
174). Let the top of the feather come on the fold of the paper. Turn
over and crease down the straight edge of the band at the dotted line
(Fig. 174), making four layers.
[Illustration: FIG. 174--Head-dress.]
Crown the little girl with the head-dress, pinning the ends together at
the back with a safety-pin. Slip the moccasins on her feet, fastening
them to the toe of the shoe with a little stiff paste, and your
charming little squaw will be ready to play in the wigwam (Fig. 175).
Older girls can make the Indian costume from the same patterns by
cutting them larger.
The Indian boy needs a lot of fringed newspaper for his costume. Cut
folded strips to make the fringe thick and in two layers. Fold down the
solid edge of one strip and with safety-pins fasten the fold along the
outside line of the boy's trousers and stockings, as in the photograph
(Fig. 176). Trim the other trouser leg and stocking in the same manner.
[Illustration: FIG. 175--Charming little squaw.]
[Illustration: FIG. 176--Young Indian chief.]
Cut a generous strip of double-layer fringe to fasten entirely around
the boy's shoulders, extending across both back and chest. Reinforce the
top edge of the band of fringe, and along the line where the solid paper
meets the fringe, with strips of muslin, pasted on, to prevent tearing.
[Illustration: FIG. 177--Newspaper cut for chief's head-dress.]
[Illustration: FIG. 178--Separate and open out the lower lengthwise
halves of the head-dress which falls down the back.]
For the chief's
=Feather Head-Dress=
cut a folded strip of newspaper long enough to encircle the boy's head
and allow for a lap--twenty-two inches will probably be correct. Make
the strip six inches wide; the tops of the feathers must be along the
folded edge. Let the feathers be fully four inches high, and allow a
space of one inch on the band at the base of each feather, F (Fig. 177).
The widest part of each feather should be one and three-quarters inches.
Make the band four thicknesses by folding it over at the dotted line;
then crease each separate feather on the right side lengthwise, through
the centre, to stiffen them and insure their standing erect. Cut another
long strip of feathers in the same way, to fall from the head down the
back. On this strip paste the front and back of each feather together at
its base. Also paste together lengthwise the upper portion of the band,
and, instead of folding as you did the first band, separate and open out
its two lower lengthwise halves. Crease them backward away from each
other, so that the feathers may stand erect and the band be at right
angles on each side of the feathers (Fig. 178).
The open base of the band lying against the boy's back causes the
feathers to stand out and not fall flat and spoil the effect, as they
otherwise might do. The photograph of the boy chieftain standing was
taken expressly that you might see exactly how the newspaper costume of
the Indian brave should look.
[Illustration: FIG. 179--Begin rolling paper strip for calumet this
way.]
[Illustration: FIG. 180--Continue rolling the paper.]
Make the
=Calumet=
of a strip of newspaper five inches wide and about thirty-two inches
long. Hold one corner between your thumb and first finger and roll the
paper as if you were making a lighter (Fig. 179). When you have rolled
it to the opposite corner, E, remove your fingers and let the paper
unroll. Smooth out the rolled corners until it springs back into a large
roll about three-quarters of an inch in diameter (Fig. 180).
When the corner roll is the right size, continue to roll the paper until
a long round stick is formed (Fig. 181). Paste the loose end of the
stick on the roll and cut both ends off even, as indicated by the dotted
lines in Fig. 181.
[Illustration: FIG. 181--Stick of rolled paper for calumet.]
Bend the paper roll about six and a half inches from one end, and bring
the bent portion over against and on top of the roll. Pin the fold down
on the roll three inches from the bend; then turn up the open end to
form the bowl of the pipe, which you must make stand erect should it
seem inclined to lean (Fig. 182).
[Illustration: FIG. 182--Paper roll bent and pinned into a calumet.]