Insert a pair of compasses at one corner, and from the one corner
to that diagonally opposite describe a part of a circle and cut
along the line marked. Now bend the cardboard over into a conical
trumpet shape, and overlap the sides where they join, about an
inch. Lay over this join a broad strip of cloth or paper pasted or
glued firmly; you can put pins through the cardboard till this is
set into place and dried. Now at the pointed end of the cone cut a
mouthpiece wide enough to speak easily into; this will need a hole
about three inches wide. When you speak into this megaphone your
voice will carry a long distance--a quarter of a mile on a quiet
evening--and it will give great fun to watch the effect on people
who are walking at some distance in the country. For convenience
in holding you can paste on to the outside a loop or handle of
tape, but do not push this through the cardboard as it is important
that there should be nothing projecting inside the trumpet of the
megaphone.
RUSH FURNITURE
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Green rushes, green wool or thick cotton thread.
[Illustration: FIGS. 68 AND 69.]
This chair and table are made of the green rushes from the marshes,
and are very pretty things to make. For the little chair, first
take the bundle of rushes which forms the curved back, and curve
it into place and tie it round here and there with a little wool
to keep it firm while the seat is being made. This will be better
described by the diagram than by words. Each rush composing the
seat must be added successively from the back towards the front,
and when arranged, and the ends turned back or forwards to form
front and back legs, stays can be made of single rushes and all
carefully bound in neatly with wool; wool holds much more firmly
than cotton thread. The table, Figure 69, is made in the same way.
RUSH WHIP
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Green rushes.
[Illustration: FIG. 70.]
[Illustration: FIG. 71.]
The whip is the easiest thing you can make of rushes. It is bound
at intervals with wrapping of the rushes themselves.
RUSH RATTLE
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Green rushes, small round pillbox.
This is made on the same lines as the whip, but the bundle or sheaf
of rushes is opened out and made to surround a small cardboard box
with a pebble or a pea in it, and another rush laced round to keep
it in place. The diagram will show how to complete it; very tight
firm binding is needed: it is better to do it with wool rather than
with rushes.
PAPER BEADS
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Colored paper, wall-paper or magazine covers, a knitting needle,
scissors, a ruler, mucilage.
[Illustration: FIG. 72.]
This shows how to make beads of various shapes out of paper; it
can be of any color. To make the long pointed beads marked A, take
a ruler and rule on your paper lines as in B, and if the paper is
thin they should be strips about twelve inches long, and the wider
end of the wedge can be one inch or one and a half inches. The
strip must taper to a point at the other end. Now take the wide end
of your strip and roll it very tightly and evenly round a steel
knitting needle with the colored side out, and fix down the point
neatly with mucilage as in the darkened portion in the diagram.
Smaller beads of various shapes can be made, but all on the same
method. Leave the beads on the knitting needle till the mucilage is
quite dry, and give them a coat of clear varnish. Such beads look
well also with blobs of paint or gilt on them.
FISH BONE TEA SET
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Large and small vertebrae of codfish, a little gilt and water
color paint.
[Illustration: FIG. 73.]
This little tea set is very dainty and is made of the separate
vertebrae or backbones of large flat fish. When the bones are soft
after boiling, they can be easily bent or cut into the required
shapes, and the different sizes of bones used for cups or tea pot
can be decorated with little patterns in gilt paint or water-colors.
A RUSH OR RAFFIA BAG
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Green rushes or raffia, fine string, a small piece of cardboard, a
tape needle.
[Illustration: FIG. 74.]
This is a little bag made of raffia or rushes, woven on to a warp
of string. The string should first of all be wound very loosely on
to cardboard, and if necessary slits or notches can be cut in it
to hold the string firm. Now take your rush or raffia and darn up
one side of the card and down the other and back again, leaving one
long side of the card free. You can weave one thread up and one
down, or one thread up and two down as you please. When the weaving
is finished draw out the cardboard and decorate your bag with
little tassels, and add plaited handles.
THE HARVEST PLAIT
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Two long stems of straws, or stalks of oats, barley or wheat, with
ears left on, a little thread.
[Illustration: FIG. 75.]
This is made by Scottish children to wear in their hats at harvest
time. Take two long firm straws with the ears on them and tie them
together firmly just below the ears. Now flatten out each straw and
bend one across the other, and the first across that again, making
each fit close and fold evenly at the bend. You will find this
holds quite firmly, when tied at the end, and makes a very pretty
ornament. The same plait can also be done with strips of paper an
inch wide, and used as a decoration at Christmas.
DOLLS' FURNITURE
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Some branches of willow, freshly cut, some laundry pins, a
penknife, a little broad tape or carpet binding, needle and thread.
[Illustration: FIG. 76.]
[Illustration: FIG. 77.]
These little chairs and stools can be very neatly made of willow
or privet branches, or any twigs where there is a small core of
soft pith which will allow a strong pin to fit in exactly. All
the lengths for the various legs and spars of each article must
be measured and cut very accurately before beginning to put them
together; use a very sharp penknife to do the cutting. The pins
used should be fairly strong ones. In the diagrams a broad piece
of tape or ribbon has been stretched tightly round the spars back
and front, and its end stitched together underneath, but this is
not necessary. Two or more spars can be set across to form the
seat, only if too many pins are pushed through one spar there is a
tendency for it to split.
A WHEELBARROW
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A piece of cork or a button mould, an empty matchbox, matches,
needle and strong thread, a tiny piece of wire.
[Illustration: FIG. 78.]
A little wheelbarrow can be nicely made out of a match or cardboard
box. The legs and handles are of matches, and may be fixed on with
mucilage and held steady with large strong stitches. The support
for the wheel is made of a strip taken from the lid of the matchbox
and narrowed at one end where it supports the wheel. The wheel may
be made of a slice of cork or a button mould fixed on with a piece
of wire bent into a knot at each end to prevent it being pulled
through the support.
A FERN BASKET
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Fresh-cut willow twigs, laundry pins, four large beads.
[Illustration: FIG. 79.]
This is made of fairly thick twigs cut carefully in the same way
as Figure 84, and pinned firmly together. Beads or small buttons
can be fixed on for feet. The basket should be entirely lined
with pretty moss, and then the earth put in and ferns planted in
it. It must be kept very moist, and can be hung from the roof if
preferred.
A DOLL'S STOOL
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
The fireproof base of a gas mantle, a tiny piece of cardboard, a
little wadding and a tiny piece of silk or velvet, mucilage or
needle and thread.
[Illustration: FIG. 80.]
This is made from the earthenware support for a gas mantle. Take a
piece of cardboard and draw round the circle of the mantle support
on it, and cut it out. Then with a padding of tissue paper or
wadding and a piece of pretty material make a neat cushion, using
the cut-out circle of cardboard as a foundation; stitch or glue
this neatly on the under side and fix it on to the support.
A DOLL'S STOOL OF FEATHERS
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Four or five quills from a chicken's wing, some very fine pins, a
little thread, scissors.
[Illustration: FIG. 81.]
This is made of small quill feathers and is very pretty. Use
feathers which are large enough to hold a pin inside their hollow
tubes. Cut off a thick piece of quill for each of the four legs
and entirely strip them of webbing. Cut and strip rather thinner
ones for the spars to support these, and fix as in Fig. 76, using
very slender pins. If the quills used for legs are strong enough,
the feathers for the sea may be pinned on also, but if they are
inclined to split, those for the seat must be lashed on, and
therefore must be cut so that they project at the ends beyond the
legs. Cut each of these like A in the diagram, so that the webbing
is cut straight across at the end furthest from the point of the
quill. Fix each of these four quills into place with the webbing
overlapping the sloping end of the quill in front of it.
A PORTER'S HANDBARROW
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A wooden sweet box, a fret saw and sharp penknife, a reel, small
tacks, upholsterer's nails.
[Illustration: FIG. 82.]
This can be made of nice pieces of soft wood such as are used for
grocers' sweet-boxes or fruit boxes. Cut the two long sides with a
saw and bevel them off in a curve to form the handles--they should
be six to eight inches long. The crosspiece at the end should be
about three inches, and also the two crossbars. Fasten the sides to
the end about the middle of the latter, so that a piece projects
below the sides wide enough to support the wheels--these should
be made of a reel cut in half and fastened on with a large-headed
nail. Smooth all down with coarse sandpaper.
A CRANE
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A wooden sweet box, three large reels, one small one, tacks,
upholstery nails, string, mucilage, a fret saw, a large coat hook.
[Illustration: FIG. 83.]
This should also be made of a box of soft wood from the grocer. The
semicircular sides should be about four inches long, where they
are fastened to the base; they may either be glued or nailed on to
this. The base should be about seven inches long and three inches
wide. Before fastening on the side-pieces bore a hole at the end of
each to insert the thick wire which turns the large reel used to
wind the cord, and also set in the tacks which support the crane at
each side. The sides of the crane should be about three quarters of
an inch wide at the lower end, and should taper to about half an
inch at the other end; they should be about seven inches long. Near
the lower end use another smaller reel or a block of wood as a
stay to hold the sides of the crane; it should be of such a size as
to hold the ends of the crane firmly between the nails in the sides
of the base. At the other end set in a very small reel, with a
long slim nail, so that it will easily turn on it. Now take a good
strong dressmaker's hook, such as is used for coats or mantles,
fasten it to a length of strong string, and wind one end round the
large reel, setting the hook end over the end of the crane.
A TOP
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A large reel, a skewer or penholder, a fret saw, a penknife.
[Illustration: FIG. 84.]
This is made of a large reel cut in half and the roller portion
cut away into a point with a penknife. The pin is made of a wooden
skewer or penholder with the point projecting slightly beyond the
cut portion of the reel. These are very good tops and spin very
steadily.
A TEETOTUM
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A small block of soft wood, an old penholder, a sharp penknife, a
gimlet.
[Illustration: FIG. 85.]
This is made from a square block of wood cut sharply to a point
with a peg sunk well into a close-fitting hole. Each flat side of
the top has on it a letter or a number, and the game is to spin it
round, and according to which letter or number falls upward each
player takes or makes so many counters to the pool. The letters
generally used are--
P==pay one, N==nothing, T==take one, W==win all. Beans or counters
are usually played for.
BOW AND ARROW
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A branch of pliable smooth wood, strong twine, a penknife, two
goose quills.
[Illustration: FIGS. 86 AND 87.]
Take a smooth even branch of willow, cane, or other pliable wood
about three quarters of an inch thick and about two feet or two and
a half feet long, and round the smaller end cut a shallow groove
about one and a half inches wide, and about half an inch from
the end. About one inch from the thicker end cut a notch sloping
inwards towards the middle of the stick just deep enough to hold
firm a piece of strong string. Next bind round about four inches at
the middle of the stick with string, laying the end of the string
along the stick, so that the binding will cover it all but three
inches. Bind the four inches very closely, and tie the end of the
binding to the spare end of the string and knot it and cut away
the ends. Now bind over in the same way, round the groove at the
end of the stick, and knot the free end of the string to the spare
end under the binding, and stretch the free end of the string very
taut, so that the stick bends a little. Make a loop in the end of
the string which can be easily slipped in and out of the notch at
the other end of the bow. When not in use keep the looped end loose
from the notch.
The arrows must be of very straight light sticks or thin bamboo,
and must be scraped or sandpapered perfectly smooth. At the point
cut a long slit, and into it slip a long and very slender nail, and
bind it round across the notch with strong linen thread. You can
file off the head of the nail. At the other end make a similar but
longer notch, and into it slip a portion of a quill feather with
one side of the webbing practically cut away. Arrange both pieces
of the quills so that they project the same distance at each side
from the wooden shaft. Bind round the arrow with linen thread both
above and below the quills, and at the extreme end deepen the
mouth of the notch so that it makes a groove into which you can fit
the string of the bow.
A DART
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A six-inch stick of soft wood, a long nail, pincers, a file, a
piece of stiff writing paper, a penknife or fret saw.
[Illustration: FIG. 88.]
This dart is made of a piece of soft wood about six inches long,
and into the sharpened end a slim long nail is driven; the head may
be nipped or filed off so that the point will stick into the ground
or into a target. Across the other end cut or saw two notches at
right angles, for about one inch down, and fit into these a square
of paper folded neatly into "diagonals and diameters"--this makes
the "feathering" of the dart. Smooth the dart with sandpaper.
A CROSSBOW
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A bow-stick of pliable wood, strong string, a smooth lath of thin
wood, a fret saw, an awl, a penknife, a long nail.
[Illustration: FIGS. 89 AND 90.]
This bow is made somewhat more elaborately than in Figure 86, and
shoots off pebbles or bullets. The bow itself must be tapered
evenly towards either end, and in the middle it must be bevelled
flat for about two and a half inches at one side, and a slight
groove run right round the stick at either end of the bevelled
portion. Next take a thin lath or flat thin piece of wood, a
quarter of an inch thick and rather less than the length of the
bow. Taper it from two and a half inches wide at one end to one
and a half at the other, and lay the broad end across the flattened
portion of the bow with about one inch projecting. Mark on the
crosspiece the width of the bow-stick and cut into each side of
the crosspiece a deep sharp nick, leaving about one inch between
each opposite set of nicks. Now draw your bow to the full extent of
its curve without running the risk of breaking it, and mark on the
crosspiece where the bowstring crosses it when the bow is drawn,
and here cut a narrow slot right through the crosspiece. Into this
insert a trigger as in Figure 90. The trigger must be of wood and
should curve at one or both ends, and should be pinned through
into its slot with a long thin nail, in such a position that the
curved end will broad end across the flattened portion of full,
and will lie well into the slot when the string is released. Now
bind the crosspiece on to the side of the bow by strings fitting
tightly into the four nicks and running round the grooves round the
bow-stick. This will leave the crosspiece free of any bindings
which might interfere with the bullet or "quarrel" as it leaves the
bow.
A CATAPULT
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A forked branch, strong round elastic, a scrap of leather, fine
string, penknife, scissors.
[Illustration: FIG. 91.]
Take a firm forked branch about three quarters of an inch thick,
or a little less, and trim the two forks evenly, and run a groove
about three quarters of an inch wide round each, near the end. Into
these bind very tightly two pieces of very strong round elastic
about five inches long. Next take a firm piece of leather about
one inch wide and two inches long, trim it away at the corners,
and make a hole at each end into which insert the free ends of the
elastic, turning them back on themselves and binding firmly. It may
be well to mention that there are very strict police regulations
about shooting with bows and catapults, and those who use them must
only do so away from houses or traffic.
A TARGET
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A bandbox, thin paper, string, scissors, ink, and paintbrush.
[Illustration: FIG. 92.]
A very simple target may be made by using a round bandbox and
stretching over its open mouth a piece of newspaper, which may be
kept in place by slipping over it the rim taken off the lid. Mark
roughly on this the "Bull's Eye" in ink, and hang up the box by
means of loops of string through the side. The newspaper can be
renewed as often as is necessary. A square box will do just as well.
A RAFT
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A quantity of reeds or thin straight twigs, a piece of cork,
strong string.
[Illustration: FIG. 93.]
This is made of dry reeds or any other light straight
sticks--bamboo is good. It may be made of any size and may even be
made large enough to carry one or more persons, if the size and
strength of the branches and lashings is duly proportioned, but for
a toy reeds will do nicely. Lay down first the crossbar beneath the
raft and then space out the raft itself to fit it, leaving a little
space between each reed. Take a strong thin string and fasten it
with a tight loop over the end of the first reed, turn it down and
round the lower cross-spar, and then up and around the upper one,
and lay in the next reed, and so on. When the first row of lashings
is done lay on the second pair of crossbars, and if there is any
difficulty about lashing the string a large darning-needle may help
you, but if the lashing is done in the right direction this is not
needful. If a mast is wanted, a reel, or a cork with a hole in it,
may be lashed down to the raft as in the diagram, and the mast can
be set firmly into this.
A CANOE
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
Some cheap cloth or shelving, some "basketry cane," soft string or
fine tape, scissors, penknife, a large strong needle.
[Illustration: FIG. 94.]
The best material for this is thin shelving cloth and it must be
made at least twelve inches long. Double your shelving cloth, and
outline on it the pattern of the side of the canoe, which should
be cut in brown paper; this must be quite straight at the upper
sides, not curving as it appears in the drawing. Lay the paper
pattern with the line of the bottom of the canoe at the fold of
the oilcloth. Now take two long pieces of cane, such as is used
for basket-work, and with a large needle, and very thick thread,
lash each length of cane along the outsides of the boat from end
to end, keeping the shiny side of the cloth outwards. A short
thick tapestry needle is best, and the lashing must be steady and
even, but if it is difficult to stitch through the cloth an awl or
pricker can be used to make the holes before beginning to stitch.
Now take another piece of cane and bend about one inch at one end
and lash this bent portion to the side of the boat about one-third
of the way along the "gunwale" where it is already lashed, and lash
it over firmly to this on the inside of the boat. Bend the cane now
across to the opposite side of the canoe and meantime tie tightly
together the ends of the cane that is lashed from end to end of the
boat, and set in this crosspiece so that it keeps the two sides
of the boat apart at the right angle. Fix in the second crosspiece
likewise, and then lash the open ends of the boat firmly together.
The canoe should be rather wide and shallow, or it will be inclined
to lie on its side unless ballast is added by weighting it at the
bottom. If weight is needed the best thing for this sort of boat
is one or two of the heavy lead buttons to be had at a tailor's
for weighting garments; they can be lashed on with strong thread
through the holes. Quite large canoes can be made in this way,
and if a tight "decking" of thin waterproof material be stretched
across at both ends from the crosspiece it makes a vessel almost
identical with the Eskimo "kayak" which used to be used round the
coasts not so very long ago.
A SHIP
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A block of soft wood ten or twelve inches long, about three inches
wide and two inches deep, nine post cards, three skewers or old
wooden knitting-pins, a cork, a piece of heavy wire, dressmakers'
eyelets, some small staples, fine string, a gimlet, a sharp
penknife, small tacks, scissors, mucilage.
[Illustration: FIG. 95.]
This is the simplest sort of a ship to model in wood; all wooden
boats require carefulness in their modelling and balance. This can
be made from six to twelve inches long, and in soft wood. Let your
block of wood be about four times its width, roughly speaking. Rule
a line up to center of your block to mark the keel and cut away
from this with a very sharp knife to the curving outlines of the
deck which must be drawn on the top side of the block. It would be
impossible, in the space allowed for diagrams, to give details for
modelling the body of the boat, but any boy can shape it if he is
careful and observes, from pictures or actual boats or models, how
to do it. When the body of the vessel is shaped and smoothed down
with a file and sandpaper, take a piece of heavy thick wire, and
bend it at either end and sharpen the ends into points with a file
and hammer it into the keel; or, if preferred, a deep groove may be
cut with a gouge and a strip of lead inserted. The rudder suggested
here can be made either of wood, or of a double piece of tin with a
piece of thick wire hammered in at the fold and left with one end
projecting, so that it fits through a hole in the stem and forms a
tiller. The rudder must have a hole pierced at the lower corner,
and into this fix a small staple which must work loosely in its
hole, and after the rudder is fixed in position this staple must be
hammered into the stern of the boat. Figure 95 A shows the stern
end with rudder fixed into place. Next cut a bowsprit of wood and
with two staples fix it firmly on to the deck. Take three pieces of
cork or three half reels, and glue or nail them to the deck--this
will make a good hold for the masts. Then along each side of the
boat at intervals fasten on a strong dressmaker's "eye" (for a
hook) with its two small loops bent so that they overlap; the
nail can be set through this. These eyelets are meant to hold the
"stays" which keep the masts steady. Now take nine postcards, and
about half an inch from the edge in the middle of each long side
cut neatly a hole big enough to slip your masts through, with a
strong needle, a piece of strong thin string or stout linen thread,
knotting it with a large knot at the end. Lay the post cards flat
so that they just touch and set the mast through the holes--a long
wooden knitting-pin makes a capital mast--and the knob can be left
on to finish it at the top. About one inch or more above the top
sails make a slight groove round the mast, and round this bind
tightly the threads laced through the cards, tightened so that each
card bends a little; carry down these threads or stays now to the
eyelets and fasten them firmly. Take another stay to the bowsprit
and lash it down and carry it on to meet the front of the keel, and
fasten it in with a tiny tack or a pin. Gum on small paper flags to
the masts. This makes quite a good little sailing ship and it is
not difficult to make.
A PROPELLER
MATERIALS REQUIRED:--
A slip of thin wood, a small strip of tin, strong round elastic,
strong tin cutters, a penknife or fret saw, an awl.
[Illustration: FIG. 96.]
This is a little propeller which with certain alterations can be
fixed to any boat.