_The Design._--The problem of design in this case is, first of all,
to determine the dimensions of the pad, which depend, of course, upon
the use to be made of it. Then a dimensioned sketch should be drawn in
outline, including the spacing for the corners as illustrated in the
drawing (A). The only detail that will need elaboration is the corner.
The shape and decoration of one of the corners should be carefully
laid out on thin paper, from which in due time it may be transferred to
the leather and tooled as in other problems.
[Illustration: Detail of the leather corner]
[Illustration: Outline of desk pad]
_Material and the Process._--For making the pad it will be necessary
to secure a piece of binders' board--_i. e._, heavy pulp or straw
board--of the required size. The medium weight is the best, and it may
generally be obtained at the bookbinder's. If this cannot be obtained,
two sheets of 10-ply card-board may be used instead. The size given in
the drawing will carry a half sheet of commercial blotting paper. The
edges of the paper board should be bound with passe-partout binding
of a colour to harmonize with the leather that is to be used; the
strips of binding should be long enough to extend under the leather
corners but they need not reach up to the corners of the board. After
the binding has been put on, the top of the board should be covered
with paper also harmonizing in colour with the leather, and the paper
should be cut of such size as to lap over the edge of the binding and
yet leave a suitable width of the binding. The so-called "cover papers"
will be found satisfactory.
_Making the Corners._--The next step in the process is to lay out and
cut the leather corners according to the original design. The form in
which the leather is to be cut and the dimensions are shown in the
illustration B. The little flap at _x_ should be noted. It is designed
to tuck under and close the corner. The edges of leather at _x_ should
be "skived" or thinned down so as to add to the neat appearance of the
work. Further improvement will result from skiving down the edges S R
S and T V T of the large flaps, which are to be folded over underneath
and pasted down to the back of the board. The ordinary photographers'
paste is satisfactory for this work. When the leather corners are
placed in position for pasting, two or three thicknesses of blotting
paper should be used at each corner, in order to secure the necessary
space for the reception of the blotters when the board is in use. After
the corners are pasted on, the back of the board should be covered with
paper in the same way as the front, care being taken to leave a portion
of the binding and leather exposed. Finally a number of blotters of
full size should be inserted in position under the corners to keep them
in shape and the whole placed under light pressure until dry.