WINDOW DECORATION.
NOW, girls, we must have practicable ideas in regard to our
decorations; they should consist of something which we _know_ will be
easy to make and at the same time look well; the materials employed
must be within possible reach of all, and nothing expensive or
difficult to obtain allowed to enter into their manufacture. What
are commonly called Dutch curtains are very popular; they are short
curtains of some thin, transparent fabric, fastened with rings to a
slender rod of bamboo, and when drawn, cover the lower part of the
window without intercepting the light. The curtains are very useful,
but, while they do not obstruct the light, they do obstruct the vision.
We all know that the front window is just the place to sit when sewing
or doing fancy-work, and although few ladies care to be seen by every
passer-by, yet they all like to see what is going on outside, and
while their deft fingers ply the needle their bright eyes take in the
landscape out of doors and derive amusement and entertainment from the
birds and flowers, if it be in the country, or the ever-moving throng,
if in the city.
An ornamental screen, therefore, that will shield one and yet not
interfere with the view is desirable. What might be termed the
=Oriental Window-Shade=
not only comes up to the above requirements, but is inexpensive, and
not difficult to construct.
[Illustration: Fig. 357.—Manner of Making Fringe for Oriental
Window-shade.]
[Illustration: Fig. 358.—Fringe of Macaroni and Beads.]
Make a small lawn-tennis net, long enough to reach across the width of
the window and about eight inches deep; make loops of the rope on the
ends for hanging the screen to knobs or hooks screwed in the framework
of the window; spread the net out and fasten it up on a door, between
two chairs, or any convenient place; then cut a number of pieces of
fine twine, about four feet long, and attach them, a quarter of an inch
apart, along the bottom rope (Fig. 357); A shows a loosened loop and
B the tightened ones. The ends of the twine hang free. On each double
strand string glass beads and slender pieces of bamboo, reeds, painted
clay pipe-stems, or macaroni broken in pieces of equal length and used
in their natural color, or painted with oil-paints to any desired tint.
Have the reeds four inches long, and thread them on alternately with
the beads (Fig. 358); or you can form a design by cutting the reeds
into different lengths; at the end of each strand fasten a large bead
or glass button. A very simple
=Ribbon-Curtain=
is of red, blue, yellow, and black ribbons all cut the same length and
sewed, a quarter of an inch apart, on a narrow strip of black cloth
long enough to reach across the window. The strip may be used as a
band, or attached to a slender pole by means of small brass rings. The
ribbons should be silk, and thin enough to admit of the light shining
through; they hang down fringe-like, with three glass beads fastened on
the end of each ribbon (Fig. 359 or Fig. 360). If you prefer to have
the shade all one color make it yellow, which gives a pleasant, mellow
light. Any pattern you choose can be made by taking short pieces of
ribbon and joining them together with glass beads. In this way bits
of ribbon could be utilized, but those used must be semi-transparent,
showing the color when held up to the light. Even smooth pieces of silk
with their edges neatly hemmed might do service, only be very careful
to join either ribbon or silk with the beads in such a manner as to
prevent its twisting; the beads must be heavy enough to keep the fringe
straight.
[Illustration: Fig. 359.]
[Illustration: Fig. 360.—Beads on the Ends of Ribbons.]
Nearly all homes have their bags of silk and worsted pieces, and from
these can be made a handsome
=Drapery of Very Small Scraps.=
Cut the pieces of silk or worsted into squares about an inch each way,
using any and all colors; then take a piece of twine of the length
you desire your curtain, and with a large needle string the bright
bits on the twine until the whole string is completely and closely
covered; next fasten the twine well to prevent its slipping, and with
a large pair of scissors trim off the rough edges of the silken strand
until the surface is rounded and even; on one end attach a small brass
curtain-ring, and on the other a heavy bead or button; make as many
strands as you will need to hang across the window and fasten them to
a pole in which small hooks have been screwed.
This drapery resembles chenille; it is rich in color, will wear well,
and is best adapted for full-length curtains.
As a substitute for stained glass we give directions for
=Painting Window-Panes.=
These are very pretty and satisfactory. If good designs are chosen the
window will surpass in beauty your expectations.
The materials necessary are: some of Winsor & Newton’s transparent
colors, such as rose-madder, Prussian blue, raw and burnt umber, burnt
sienna, ultramarine, gamboge, ivory-black, viridian green, and orient
yellow. Any transparent color can be used. For purple, mix rose-madder
with Prussian blue.
Prepare the paints to be used by mixing each color separately with a
little oil and siccatif Courtray. Almost any brush will do to paint
with, but one of medium size made for oil-colors is the best, and
another smaller one is necessary for the outlining, which takes the
place of leading in stained glass. The dabber is a ball of raw cotton
tied in a piece of fine cotton-cloth, and the manner of tinting or
grounding is exactly the same as in china-painting; lac-varnish will be
needed as a wash after the painting has dried.
When you have an opportunity, carefully examine real stained-glass
windows, and you will see that each window is one complete design. The
corners and borders are usually in rich, dark colors, while the central
portion is of lighter tints or clear glass.
[Illustration: Fig. 361.—Border Pattern.]
[Illustration: Fig. 362.—Cracked Glass.]
Always make your corners and borders first, and if you desire a
centre-piece, it should be placed in position next, and the space
between it and the border filled in afterward. A Gothic window may be
imitated by painting the corners black, thus making it arched at the
top. Very often good patterns can be found in the many art and fashion
papers. One copy may serve for an entire border, if it be pasted at
the four corners to one pane of glass, and, when that is outlined,
removed and gummed to the next, and so on until the border is finished.
Fig. 361 is intended as a border. Fig. 362 is a very simple pattern
of cracked glass, which you can readily make without any copy. Place
a ruler across the woodwork of the window-pane, first one way, then
another, and with its aid paint your straight lines, being careful not
to have any two run parallel. A conventional design is always to be
preferred. Should any mistakes occur during the progress of the work,
remove the paint with a cloth dampened with turpentine and try again.
The painting is not difficult, and the only delays are in waiting for
the colors to dry.
First decide on your design, then trace it, making the outlines heavy
and black; gum the pattern by the four corners to the outside of
the window-pane, which it is essential to have perfectly clean and
dry; close the window, and with a small brush dipped in black paint
follow the outlines of your copy, keeping the lines of equal thickness
throughout; when this is finished remove the pattern. In the same
manner go over all the outlines you wish to make on the window, then
leave the color to harden and dry, which will probably require hours.
Begin again by laying on flat washes of paint to match the prevailing
colors of the copy, and use the dabber in tinting each color as it is
applied, so the surface may be even and uniform. While the decoration
is drying it is best to protect it from dust by pinning up a newspaper
or a large piece of cloth on the window-frame. When dry, the painting
can be touched up if necessary.
After the last color has entirely dried apply a wash of white
lac-varnish; when this is dry give the window another coat of
lac-varnish and then it will be finished. Should your copies be in
black and white, use your own taste in coloring the glass.
Another method of imitating stained glass is
=Painting on Lawn,=
batiste, or any kind of sheer white muslin. For this you will need the
same paints that are used for painting on glass; these are mixed only
with turpentine and the color put on as a stain.
Cut a piece of new thin white batiste large enough to cover a
window-sash, with a margin left for turning in, and make an outline on
it of the exact size of the sash; then select your pattern and place
the lawn over it, when the outlines should show through; trace these
carefully with gum-arabic dissolved, but made _very_ stiff, and when
the entire design has been traced let the gum dry; then go over it with
ivory-black unmixed; this latter makes the leading; be careful to keep
the lines even and of the same size. When the outlines have dried fill
in the spaces with the stains made of paint and turpentine; the gum
prevents the colors from spreading. When the paint has dried you may
add a few touches where they are needed, and the stained-glass design
will be ready to place on the window. Use stiff mucilage or tiny tacks
to keep it in place, having first turned in the margin left for the
purpose.
An attractive window can be made with the upper sash of imitation
stained glass, while the lower one is screened by a Dutch curtain, as
in the illustration.
For the benefit of those who prefer sewing to painting we now tell how
to
=Imitate Stained Glass=
with a piece of stiff white rice-net, such as is commonly used for
bonnet-frames, and some pieces of thin batiste, or lawns, of the
requisite colors. Cut the rice-net the proper size and lay it over your
design; then carefully trace off the pattern; when all the outlines
are finished cut the different-colored lawns of the shape and size to
correspond to the different portions of the design; baste these on
in the places they must occupy; then sew them on with the Automatic
Sewing-machine, following with coarse black thread the outlines on the
wrong side of the foundation, so that the chain-stitch will appear on
the right side to form the leading; or the stitching may be made by
hand, or a very narrow black braid can be used as leading. When all the
batiste is sewed on, cut out the net back of the design to allow the
light to shine through.
We have seen such an imitation of stained glass, and when placed up
against the window it was very good; but care must be taken to have the
colored lawns thin and of the right shades; if too heavy they obstruct
the light and the colors do not look bright.
For full-length window-drapery of inexpensive material there may be
had at any of the leading dry-goods stores beautiful soft fabrics, in
yellows and different colors, the designs of which equal those of much
higher-priced goods. These draperies hang in graceful folds and come
as low as ten cents a yard; some of them are also well adapted for the
useful Dutch curtains.
[Illustration: Fig. 363.—Imitation of Ground Glass.]
[Illustration: Fig. 364.—Folded Paper with Diamond Pattern for
Imitation of Ground Glass.]
[Illustration: Fig. 365.—Paper Marked with Design for Imitation of
Ground Glass.]
=Windows of Imitation Ground Glass=
can be made of white tissue-paper, cut in simple patterns and fastened
on the inside of the glass with white lac-varnish. The window must be
perfectly clean and dry. If possible have the pieces of tissue-paper
exactly the same size as the window-panes, fold and refold the paper
lengthwise until it is an inch or so in width; then cut from stiff
cardboard your pattern. If it be a diamond, as in Fig. 363, have it
exact, and cut it in halves; use one-half as a pattern, place this on
the edge of the paper, as in Fig. 364, and with a lead pencil draw a
line around it; remove the pattern and place it lower down about a
quarter of an inch from the first tracing, and again mark around the
edge. Continue in the same way until you have the pattern marked on the
entire length of the tissue-paper. Make the same pattern on the other
edge of the paper (Fig 365). Cut out the pattern, then unfold the paper
and smooth it free of wrinkles; give the window-pane a thin coating of
white lac-varnish, and apply the paper, being very careful to have it
_perfectly_ smooth when on the glass. Sometimes it is necessary to join
two or more pieces of paper, but if you are careful to make the edges
come _exactly_ together, the joins will not be noticeable.
Lac-varnish dries very quickly, and it takes only a short time to
decorate a window in this manner.
When all the panes of glass are covered with tissue-paper, finish by
varnishing each one with the white lac-varnish; at a little distance it
is difficult to distinguish a window so covered from one really formed
of ground glass.
For bath-rooms, or where the window is rather out of the way and the
outlook not agreeable, the imitation of ground glass is suitable and
useful.
[Illustration]