figure on it (Fig. 479) and cut out the mermaid (Fig. 480); then cut
two pieces of rather long, finely fringed paper (Fig. 481) for the
hair, and paint them golden brown on both sides. Paint the back of the
mermaid’s head and the hair around her face the same color. Mark the
features with ink; when dry, color the face, arms and body pink; paint
the remaining part of the figure gray. After the paint has dried mark
fish scales from the waist down; then glue the straight top fringe of
hair across the centre of the back of the mermaid’s head from side to
side. Glue the other piece at the extreme top of the back of the head.
After the mermaid is thoroughly dry, bend all of the hair out from her
head. Do not allow any of it to lie down flat. Bend the body a little
backward in a curve from the waist-line, the arms forward; then wax the
mermaid, hair and all (Fig. 482). When the mermaid is in the water, the
little wax children will make friends with her, and she will perhaps
tell them fairy stories of the beautiful life under the waves.
[Illustration: Fig. 482.—The mermaid has flowing tresses.]
These water toys will last a long time if well cared for and kept in a
cool place where the wax will not melt.
[Illustration: The Process is Very Simple.]
CHAPTER XXIX
HOW TO WEAVE WITHOUT A LOOM
=Method Invented by the Author=
RUGS, portières, table covers, bedspreads, hammocks, in fact, almost
anything that can be woven of rags, can be woven without a loom. Any
one can do it, for the process is extremely simple and all that is
required is a board, a paper of tacks and some rags cut in strips.
These may be old rags or new, silk, cotton or wool, and the piece may
be woven heavy or light, in a close weave or a loose one, to suit its
intended purpose. Many colors or few can be used, and the patterns
can be as varied as the colors, for any design in straight lines can
be followed in the weaving. A snip of the scissors will cut off one
color, a stitch or two insert another, and so the pattern grows. It
is quick work and you will find it very absorbing as you sit amid
your vari-colored rags and see them grow beneath your fingers into
harmoniously colored hangings or soft, warm rugs.
=A Board=
forty inches long will answer for weaving anything one yard or less in
width and is of a convenient size to handle. The one-yard width is what
an ordinary loom produces, but if you would have your rug or portière
wider there is no reason why the board should not be longer. To prevent
the material from catching, your board must be smooth on both sides and
on the edge and it should be as wide as possible. A good-sized pastry
board is excellent for weaving a piece less than twenty-two inches in
width.
=Rags are Used=
for both warp and woof; if old and soft they should be more tightly
packed than when new and firm. The warp is composed of the strips which
run up and down in the work, the woof of those that are woven in and
out across the warp, and the process is like that of weaving a splint
basket. The following directions are for making
=A Blue and White Cotton Rug=
for bedroom or bathroom. Heavy, new canton flannel is a good material
for the rug and it is better to have new goods where the weave, as in
this case, is to be smooth and flat.
Cut the canton flannel, do not tear it, into strips half an inch
wide, but do not sew the strips together, and make into balls as for
loom weaving; piece them as needed while the work progresses. Draw a
straight line the whole length of the board one inch below the top
edge, then along this line
=Tack the Warp=
As there is to be a blue border four inches wide, entirely around the
rug, the warp at first must be all blue.
Take one strip of the blue and tack it on the line at the upper
left-hand corner of the board about two inches from the side edge.
Leave one end of the warp longer than the other and drive the tack only
part of the way in (Fig. 483). Give the strip two twists toward you,
close to the tack, and fasten it down with another tack on the line
just half an inch from the first tack. See Fig. 484.
[Illustration: Fig. 483.—Tack one strip of blue on the line.]
[Illustration: Fig. 484.—Fasten it down with another tack.]
Fasten your strips on in this way with the tacks half an inch apart
and you will have eight ends or eight strips of warp which will form
the side border. For the top border cut the blue strips into ten-inch
pieces, twist them at the middle so that the ends will be of an even
length, and tack them along the line as far as you wish the centre to
extend; then add the longer strips of warp for the other side border,
as in Fig. 485. To the ends of the short blue warp sew strips of white,
lapping the ends with the blue on top. Sew them securely like Fig. 486
and whip the end edges to make them lie perfectly flat.
This will give a white centre of warp with a blue border at the top and
sides. Draw each strip of warp down until it is smooth and taut and
tack it near the bottom edge of the board. Be very careful to have the
warp of the border and the centre measure the same distance across the
bottom as across the top and keep each strip in a straight line from
the top (Fig. 487). Frequent measurements while weaving will keep your
rug true and prevent narrowing between the two rows of tacks.
[Illustration: Fig. 485.—This will make a border.]
[Illustration: Fig. 486.—Sew the pieces securely.]
When the warp is ready take a strip of blue and begin
=To Weave.=
Tack the end of the strip, which is now the warp, a little to the left
and a trifle below the upper left-hand tack (Fig. 487) and, starting
under the first strip of warp, weave it in and out several times; then
draw the warp out its full length as you do a needle and thread after
taking several stitches. Keep the warp flat and even when it is woven
and push it up close to the tacks. Weave across in this way, always
under one and over the next, and drawing out the end of the woof every
little while. When you have reached the last strip of warp on the
right, turn the woof over it and weave back again in the same manner
(Fig. 487).
The woof for this rug is entirely of blue, and as you weave across the
white warp you will find that it makes a blue and white checker-board
centre.
[Illustration: Fig. 487.—Keep the warp perfectly straight.]
When you have woven as much as you can between the two rows of tacks,
take the tacks out,
=Move the Woven Part Up=
and tack across again along the second or third row of woof from the
bottom, putting a tack through the woof into each strip of warp; then
draw the warp down as at first and tack in place. Fig. 488 shows the
two rows of tacks after the rug has been moved up and also the effect
of the checker-board weaving and blue border. This manner of moving up
the woven part makes it possible to weave any length you may desire.
=Lengthen the Warp=
as you weave by sewing on new pieces, and when the centre is almost as
long as you want it, cut off the white warp evenly and sew on blue,
then weave until the border at the bottom is the width of that at the
top and sides. Cut off the woof that is left after weaving the last
row, and, turning in the end, sew it securely to the last row of warp.
=Cut Off the Warp,=
leaving ends about one and one-half inches long; turn each end of the
warp over the last row of woof and sew it down. One end will turn on
one side of the rug, the next on the other side, as splints turn over
the edge in binding off a splint basket.
[Illustration: Fig. 488.—After the rug has been moved up.]
[Illustration: Fig. 490.—Rug Woven by the Author.]
It is best to cut off one end of the warp and sew it down before
cutting the next, as this will prevent the woof from slipping out of
place during the binding off. Tuck each end of the warp under the row
of woof just above it and sew again. Fig. 489 shows how this is done.
G, H and I are the ends of the warp cut off evenly, F is an end turned
up and sewed to the bottom row of woof. E is an end which is to turn
under and be brought up on the other side of the rug. D has been turned
up, sewed to the last row of woof and is just being slipped under the
third row of woof, J. C is turned under and fastened in place on the
other side of the rug, and B has been turned up, sewed, tucked under
the third row of woof and sewed again. The end is shown above the woof
to make the idea plainer, but in reality it should be hidden under the
woof.
When the last end of the warp has been secured and the first end of
the woof (Letter A, Fig. 487) has been turned over and sewed to the
warp, your rug is finished and will look like Fig. 490. This rug is
photographed from one made by the writer on a pastry board. Its size
is twenty-two by thirty-four inches. Three-quarters of a yard of white
canton flannel and one yard and a half of blue were used for weaving.
[Illustration: Fig. 489.—Finish off the end of the rug in this way.]
=To Make a Heavier Rug=
with the flat weave, double the warp. That is, lay one piece of warp
directly on top of another, giving two thicknesses to each strip. A
close weave is made by using soft material, tacking the strips close
together for the warp and pushing the woof up tightly, crushing it
together as in loom weaving.
Diamonds, squares and Indian zigzag patterns are easy and you can work
out others quite original with yourself.
CHAPTER XXX
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN EASTER CARDS AND GIFTS
EVERYTHING awakens with new life and rejoices on Easter; and the
dear old Earth smiles with sympathy and brings her offering of sweet
flowers. It is the day when all people, little and big, young and old,
should be filled with joy, because Easter means the Resurrection.
It means life, light and immortality. It is the blest assurance and
certainty that love and goodness are the realities of life; far more
precious are they than the inanimate material things you can see and
touch. But we can use material things to convey to our friends the
invisible, wonderful good of love, joy, kindness, sympathy, tenderness,
and friendship.
A simple, inexpensive Easter card may carry with it happiness, for “it
is sweet to be remembered,” and you can think of many designs from
which to choose a cheery greeting to send to every one.
=Cards Made to Represent Easter Flowers=
are always welcome. Trace Fig. 491 on heavy paper; paint the flowers
to resemble as nearly as possible the natural blossoms, shading the
lily lightly and coloring the passion flower in natural hues. Paint the
violet a light blue purple and its foliage green. When dry cut out the
design; then bend the card at the dotted lines that each flower may
stand erect, supported by the blank back piece in tent-like fashion.
When bent the card will form three tents in a row, with the smallest in
front, as in Fig. 492.
[Illustration: Fig. 491.—Pattern of standing flower card.]
[Illustration: Fig. 492.—The Easter flower card.]
If you are not able to paint the flowers satisfactorily, use any
colored, printed flowers you happen to have, either the embossed ones
that come for scrap books, or those cut from colored advertisements or
newspapers. Select three different blossoms or groups of flowers and,
taking the largest first, lay it down flat on a strip of stiff paper
with the stems or lower part toward the edge of the paper; then run a
pencil line entirely around the edge of the flower; this will give a
blank enclosed by the outline of the flower. Place the same blossom
on the paper again, being sure to bring the top of the flower to meet
the top of the outline flower, in order that the two parts may fit;
then make a second tracing. Examine the lily in Fig. 491 and you will
understand more clearly. Unless the two flower tops meet, one side of
the flower tent will be upside down.
Place the middle-sized blossom on the paper with the lower part next
to the lower portion of the first and largest flower, in the same way
that the back support of the passion flower meets the lily stems in
Fig. 491. Trace this twice as you did the first design. The last and
smallest flower must be traced in like manner. Notice in Fig. 491 that
the leaves of the violet meet the lower part of the passion flower,
while the blossom of the violet meets the outline of the blossom.
When you comprehend the principle the work will be very easy. Paste
each bright blossom immediately in front of its back support; then cut
out the entire long card and bend it into three tents which will enable
the flowers to stand up and look very attractive. These floral cards
may be folded and brought together in flat layers, to be sent by mail
without danger of injury.
[Illustration: Fig. 493.—One half of the cross.]
[Illustration: Fig. 494.—The other half of the cross.]
=The Cross=
is a most appropriate design for Easter. You can make one of cardboard
which will stand alone. Cut Figs. 493 and 494 from stiff paper, and
make the slit down through the top of one and up through the bottom of
the other; then slide the two crosses together by placing Fig. 493 at
right angles down through the top of Fig. 494, adjust the two pieces
and your cross will resemble Fig. 495. The card may be closed flat by
turning the two crosses until they lie closely against each other. You
can decorate this double cross by painting or pasting flowers on it, or
lettering it with the words, “Easter Greeting.”
[Illustration: Fig. 495.—Put the two halves together in this way.]
[Illustration: Fig. 496.—The tulip bud.]
Another new design is
=The Tulip Bud=
(Fig. 496). This you can open at will and make it blossom. Open it
still further and the petals appear as if ready to fall, as in Fig.
497. Cut Fig. 498 of white paper and paint it to resemble a tulip
petal; make five more petals, then trace Fig. 499 on a piece of
cardboard, fit the six petals together and place them on top of the
tulip stem (Fig. 499). Hold the petals firmly in position while you run
a coarse needle and thread through the petals and cardboard back in
order to fasten the flowers on the stem. Knot the thread on the outside
of the petals and also on the wrong side of the pasteboard card. Fig.
500 shows the knot on the lower portion of the petals. Draw the thread
tight to keep the petals firmly in place. Paint the stem and leaves
green and paste a small round piece of paper over each of the knots
which fasten the flower on its stem as shown in Fig. 501. When the bit
of paper is painted it will never be noticed.
[Illustration: Fig. 497.—The open flower.]
[Illustration: Fig. 498.—The tulip petal.]
[Illustration: Fig. 499.—Tulip stem and leaves.]
[Illustration: Fig. 500.—The knot in the petal.]
[Illustration: Fig. 501.—Paste paper over the knots.]
You can use this idea with another flower if you do not understand
painting in water colors.
=The Dainty Bloodroot=
wildflower blossom is pure white and you can cut the petals of white
paper, and fasten the flowers on gray-green cardboard. Paste the stem
securely down and sew the petals in place in the same manner as those
of the tulip. The bloodroot will look especially pretty when you move
the petals and cause the snowy flowers to open.
[Illustration: Fig. 502.—Half of the egg.]
[Illustration: Fig. 503.—The other half of the egg.]
One of the most beautiful of manufactured Easter eggs was the one
presented to an Infanta of Spain some years ago. The Gospel of Easter
day was inscribed on the inside of the white enamelled shell, and when
a secret spring was touched a little bird would fly out and sing. It
was said to have cost four thousand dollars. We can make an
=Easter Egg Card=
that will give almost, if not quite as much pleasure, for not more than
four cents. This will be of pasteboard and will fold flat like the
cross, but when opened a little chicken will sit up on the inside with
its beak wide open and its wings lifted as if ready to sing its little
chickie song. More than that, our egg will stand firmly on one end as
Christopher Columbus made his famous egg stand.
[Illustration: Fig. 504.—The outline of the chicken.]
[Illustration: Fig. 505.—The little chicken will sit up on the inside.]
Trace Figs. 502, 503 and 504. Slide the first egg (Fig. 502) in at
right angles through the second (Fig. 503); fit the slits into each
other. Paint the chicken (Fig. 504) a soft light yellow, and when dry
make the markings with ink; then slide the slit at the feet of the
chicken diagonally over the lower cross portion of the two eggs and you
will have Fig. 505.
In Jerusalem the
=Easter Bells=
ring out at precisely nine o’clock in the morning, telling the people
that the religious ceremony of the washing of the feet is about to take
place in the large court just outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
On Easter morning in our own land the church bells ring out joyously;
and the gladdened note seems to be given unconsciously by the bell
ringer, some of his Easter joy having entered into his work.
[Illustration: Fig. 506.—Cut this out of cardboard.]
[Illustration: Fig. 507.—Make three of these bells.]
[Illustration: Fig. 508.—The Easter bell card.]
Our Easter card of bells is fashioned after the old Spanish style of
architecture, in which the church bells are often seen suspended in
open alcoves which are built up flat above the body of the church. Copy
Fig. 506 on cardboard and cut it out. Make three bells like Fig. 507
and fasten one on each of the three round dots on the church belfry
(Fig. 506). Sew the bells in place as you did the tulip petals, but
in this case allow the thread to be a trifle looser that the bells
may sway back and forth, as if ringing, when you move the card. Cut up
the slit through the centre of the stand of the card and crease along
the dotted line, bending half of the stand forward and the other half
backward. This will give a good platform and the card will stand alone
(Fig. 508). Make the belfry (Fig. 506) of a warm gray-colored cardboard
and gild the cross and bells. When dry indicate a slight shading with
pen and ink.
Here are some original Easter toys to be used as small gifts or novel
dinner cards.
=Let the Comical Little Turtle=
be the first you make.
[Illustration: Fig. 509.—The turtle without his shell.]
[Illustration: Fig. 510.—Two tissue paper strips.]
Draw on heavy writing paper Fig. 509. Cut it out, and from white tissue
paper make two strips like Fig. 510. Paint eyes and mouth on the head
and mark the feet; then with strong glue or sealing wax cover the
edges of an egg-shell cut lengthwise and place it on Fig. 509; next
fasten a strip of tissue paper (Fig. 510) along the side of the turtle
between the fore and hind foot, making the strip reach partly on the
egg-shell and partly underneath on the writing paper; this is to make
the egg-shell and the heavy writing-paper adhere more firmly together.
Fasten the remaining strip on the other side of the turtle in the same
way, bend the head up a little and the tail down, also bend all the
feet down and the result will be a queer little Easter turtle able to
stand alone (Fig. 511).
[Illustration: Fig. 511.—Just like a real turtle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 512.—Such a ridiculous little pig.]
[Illustration: Fig. 513.—Piggie’s tail.]
=Now for the Funny Little Pig=
(Fig. 512). Select a good-sized white egg and blow out its contents in
this way: carefully bore a hole at each end of the egg, enlarging them
only sufficiently to enable you to send its contents out of one end by
blowing in the hole at the other end of the egg; this done, cut from
strong, stiff paper or cardboard diagram, Fig. 513, the tail; Fig.
514, the fore leg; Fig. 515, the hind leg; Fig. 516, the ear. Make two
ears, two fore and two hind legs. Mark eyes, nose, and mouth on the
small end of the shell; curl the tail with a penknife or scissors and
glue it on the pig by spreading out the slits and fastening them on
the back of the pig; then in turn glue in place the legs and ears and
behold! the pig (Fig. 512).
[Illustration: Fig. 514.—Piggie’s fore leg.]
[Illustration: Fig. 515.—Piggie’s hind leg.]
[Illustration: Fig. 516.—Piggie’s ear.]
[Illustration: Fig. 517.—An egg-shell spoon.]
=The Spoon=
(Fig. 517) requires a lengthwise half of an egg-shell, a piece of stiff
cardboard and a bit of plain white tissue paper for its manufacture.
Cut the edges of half a shell evenly all around with a pair of sharp
scissors, being careful not to crack the shell during the operation;
then cut the handle from cardboard (Fig. 518). Glue and attach the
handle with sealing wax on the outside of the small end of the shell,
bending the handle down a little where it joins the shell, secure the
handle still more tightly in place by fastening a piece of tissue
paper (Fig. 519) over that portion of the handle which is glued to the
egg-shell, allowing the tissue paper to extend out a little beyond
either side of the handle and fasten the extensions tight down on
the shell. When finished the spoon can be gilded along its edges or
otherwise ornamented (Fig. 517).
[Illustration: Fig. 518.—Cut the handle from cardboard.]
[Illustration: Fig. 519.—The tissue paper fastening.]
[Illustration: Fig. 520.—A little umbrella.]
=An Umbrella=
made of half an egg-shell would protect us from the rain if only
it were large enough, but such an umbrella is a good size for your
purpose, because you desire an odd little toy and here it is (Fig.
520). To make the umbrella, cut from paper (Fig. 521), fold it together
as in Fig. 522, turn down and outward the upper flaps; then glue the
two sides of the folded handle tightly together; next fasten the
spread-out flaps down on the inside centre of half an egg-shell with
sealing wax; be sure to make the handle come in the middle of the
shell, otherwise the umbrella will lop over a little to one side. The
rim and handle may be painted brown or black, and lines to represent
the seams of a real umbrella can be made on the outer surface of the
shell.
[Illustration: Fig. 521.—Cut the umbrella handle like this.]
[Illustration: Fig. 522.—Fold the handle in this way.]
=The Doll’s Chair=
is not difficult to make. Cut Fig. 523 from medium-weight paper, not
too heavy, ornament it as in Fig. 524 or in any other way you may
fancy, then take half an egg-shell and glue the chair seat over the
open end with melted sealing wax, bend the back in an upright position
and allow the slit edges of the seat to be bent down on the egg-shell
and fasten in place. The bottom of the shell must be levelled off a
little and the hole covered with a piece of paper, in order to make the
chair stand up as it should. If tinted paper be used in making this toy
it enhances the appearance, though the colored paper is not necessary,
as white ornamented makes a very pretty little chair.
[Illustration: Fig. 523.—The back and seat of Dolly’s chair.]
[Illustration: Fig. 524.—Dolly’s chair.]
=Strawberry=
The strawberry is in reality a candy box. Take a fine-looking egg and
blow out its contents, then dye or paint it red and with black ink mark
the dots as in Fig. 525. Next fill the egg-shell with small candies and
cover the opening at the top with a piece of green tissue paper cut
like Fig. 526. Fasten the paper on the shell with paste used sparingly
and only where it is necessary. On the top of the strawberry glue a bow
of narrow green ribbon and the candy box will be finished and ready
for a unique Easter gift.
[Illustration: Fig. 525.—The egg-shell strawberry.]
[Illustration: Fig. 526.—Paste this on top of the strawberries.]
[Illustration: Fig. 527.—A little hanging basket.]
=A Little Hanging Basket=
can be fashioned from half an egg-shell with narrow ribbon pasted over
its edge, a bow of the ribbon on the bottom and two more at the sides
covering the ends of a loop of the same narrow ribbon securely glued on
the shell (Fig. 527).
[Illustration: Fig. 528.—Dolly’s cradle.]
=The Doll’s Cradle=
(Fig. 528) is made by breaking the egg in the desired shape, first
drawing a line with pencil, so that it may be correct, then piercing
the pencil line with a fine needle. The wee cradle thus formed is
pasted on rockers made of stiff paper and bent down at each end (Fig.
529).
[Illustration: Fig. 529.—Cut the rockers by this pattern.]
[Illustration: Fig. 530.—An egg-shell bird’s nest.]
=Bird’s Nest=
The bird’s nest is simply half of an egg-shell, the outside covered
first with a thin coat of glue and then with moss. This is to be filled
with candy eggs (Fig. 530).
=Sail Boat=
[Illustration: Fig. 531.—The little sail boat.]
The egg-shell boat will sail very prettily in a basin of water. It is
half of a shell, with a tissue-paper sail (Fig. 531), the mast cut of
stiff paper (Fig. 532), folded at the dotted line. Fig. 533 is the
sail cut from colored or white tissue paper. The straight edge of the
sail is placed in the fold of the mast and the two halves of the mast
pasted together down to the cross line at the bottom. This lower
part is slit up, as in diagram 532, and the flaps bent in opposite
direction. These are used for braces in holding the mast upright and
are glued to the bottom of the boat. The pennant (Fig. 534) is cut of
bright-colored tissue paper, and fastened on the top of the sail (Fig.
531).
[Illustration: Fig. 532.—Make the mast of stiff paper.]
[Illustration: Fig. 533.—A tissue paper sail.]
[Illustration: Fig. 534.—The pennant.]
[Illustration: Fig. 535.—The head of the Mikado.]
Fig. 535 represents the head of
=The Mikado=
fashioned from an egg. The egg must first be pierced at both ends,
and the contents blown out, leaving the hollow shell; then a face, as
nearly as possible resembling the Mikado, painted on the egg. A narrow
strip of black paper (that encasing needles will answer the purpose)
must be pasted on the back of the head, and made to stand erect with
the top end curled forward as in Fig. 535; the egg should then be
painted black, except the face, as seen in the picture. The head must
be made to stand in the same manner that Columbus made his egg stand,
by levelling off a portion of the end.
=To Make the Pin-Cushion=
(Fig. 536), cut two pieces of satin or silk of any desired color by
pattern (Fig. 537); sew the two pieces together, leaving a small
opening; fill the bag with bran, sew up the opening, and tie around the
egg cushion a narrow ribbon matching the color of the cushion, making a
fancy bow at one end, and a bow and loops at the other. Place in pins
to form the word “Easter” (Fig. 536).
[Illustration: Fig. 536.—The Easter egg pin-cushion.]
[Illustration: Fig. 537.—Cut the pin-cushion by this pattern.]
Fig. 538 shows the head of
=Napoleon,=
and that you may not be behind the times in your hero worship, I am
going to tell how you may make a little Napoleon for yourself. At
least you may make a Napoleon head, and Napoleon’s head was really the
greatest part of him; his heart, I fear, was not so great, and his
body, we know, was insignificant.
Use a goose egg for the head; the dimensions given for the hat are
intended for a large egg. Blow the egg from the shell in the manner
described. Make the largest hole in the small end of the shell and
enlarge this hole to the size of a silver dime.
[Illustration: Fig. 538.—Napoleon.]
Now, Napoleon had what is called a well-balanced head. That was one
cause of his greatness; it could not be upset by anything that went on
around him. So, to make a head that will bear the stamp of Napoleon’s
character, we must contrive to have it keep its position, or balance;
to stand erect, unaided and alone, and it can be done in this way:
When the egg has been blown from the shell place the shell in a
perfectly upright position, large end down, in an egg-cup, or anything
that will hold it steady. Into the large hole pour a little melted
sealing wax, and on top of that pour a little melted lead, or some
pieces of shot, taking care to have the weight fall directly in the
centre to make a perfect balance.
[Illustration: Fig. 539.—Napoleon’s face.]
Fig. 539 is Napoleon’s face, which you must draw on one side of the
egg with black ink. Ink the hair black. Blacken the shell on the other
side, too, for the hair on the back of the head. In drawing the face on
the shell remember that the largest end of the shell is the chin, the
smallest end the top of the head. To be sure, the real Napoleon never
had a hole in the top of his head that we ever heard of, but the hole
in the top of our Napoleon’s head will not show when his hat is on, and
as the hat is to be glued in place no one will ever be any the wiser.
[Illustration: Fig. 540.]
To make the hat, or
“=Chapeau Bras,=”
as Napoleon would have called it, and which means a military cocked
hat, you must have some black paper. For the brim a piece five inches
square will be needed, as it measures just that many inches from front
to back and from side to side. Cut out the brim from pattern (Fig.
540). Cut the hole near the centre and cut the slits around it as shown
by the heavy lines. Bend up the little strips or laps, as denoted by
the dotted line around the hole. The other dotted lines show where the
brim is to be turned up front and back, but the crown must be glued on
first.
[Illustration: Fig. 541.—Crown of Napoleon’s Chapeau bras]
Fig. 541 is the pattern of the crown. From front to back it measures
three inches; from side to side, at its widest part, three and a
quarter inches; at the narrowest part the measure is two inches. The
heavy line shows where it is to be cut, the dotted line where it is
to be folded. Turn in the laps at the sides, bring them together and
paste neatly. Fit the crown on the brim, over the laps of the brim,
and paste the laps of the brim to the inside of the crown. Turn up the
brim according to the dotted lines on Fig. 540. At the points shown by
the crosses on the front of the brim put a drop of paste and bring them
up to meet the crosses on the crown of the chapeau. Place Napoleon’s
chapeau on Napoleon’s head as in Fig. 538, and glue it to the shell.
Now set the little hero before you on the table, touch him with your
finger, and, if the weight has been well placed, he will nod and bow,
but his head will always regain its level position.
Hero though he is, Napoleon is the better for a companion, and we will
give him his first wife, Josephine, whom he crowned Empress of France
on December 2, 1805, the day of his own coronation.
To express in a measure the regal dignity of
=Josephine=
on that occasion, her head must also be held erect; prepare the
shell, therefore, as you did the one for Napoleon’s head, with this
difference—place the weight in the small end of the egg-shell, instead
of the large end.
[Illustration: Fig. 542.—Josephine’s face.]
[Illustration: Fig. 543.—Josephine’s Tiara]
[Illustration: Fig. 544.—Crown of Empress Josephine]
Draw Josephine’s queenly countenance (Fig. 542) on the egg-shell,
placing her chin at the small end. Make her tiara of gold paper, which
you can spangle, if you like, to represent the diamonds of which it
was composed. Fig. 543 shows how to cut it. Fig. 544 is the pattern
for her crown and should also be made of gold paper. Paste the two
ends of the band of the crown together to form a circle, then draw the
ends of the arches together to meet in the middle, over the top. Fasten
these together with needle and thread on which a small glass bead has
been strung. The bead will hide the stitches and also take the place of
the small cross which occupies that position on the crown of the real
Empress. With your finger curve the arches out as shown in the sketch
of the finished head (Fig. 545).
[Illustration: Fig. 545.—The Empress Josephine.]
[Illustration: Fig. 546.—Josephine’s Ruff]
The crown and tiara are not fastened together, but are placed on
separately, for Josephine wore the diamond tiara when she was crowned.
Glue the tiara to the head first, bringing the ends around to meet
rather low down at the back; then set the crown back of the tiara and
glue in place.
From a piece of white tissue paper cut a ruff, after pattern (Fig.
546); crimp the ruff with the blade of a knife or scissors and glue to
the back and sides of Josephine’s head.
These little heads will be very amusing if you place them opposite
each other and set them nodding and bowing, Josephine to Napoleon and
Napoleon to Josephine.
The materials used for the
=Good-morning Chick=
are simply an egg-shell, a piece of wire, some light-yellow worsted,
two black beads and a small piece of writing paper.
[Illustration: Fig. 547.—Cut off the small end.]
[Illustration: Fig. 548.—The chicken’s head.]
[Illustration: Fig. 549.—Wrap the rings with worsted.]
Select a nice large egg, and with a sharp knife cut off the small end,
as evenly as possible, Fig. 547. After emptying the shell rinse it
carefully, and while it is drying make the chicken’s head (Fig. 548);
cut from a light quality of cardboard two rings like Fig. 549, place
them together, and with the worsted wrap the rings over and over,
as shown in Fig. 549, until the hole in the centre is nearly filled
up; then, holding it firmly between the forefinger and thumb, insert
the point of a pair of sharp scissors in the outer edge, slipping it
between the two rings; cut the worsted all the way around, and, still
holding it firmly, slide a piece of strong thread between the rings,
and, drawing it around once, tie tightly. Take the rings from the ball
thus made, and clip and trim it perfectly round. Sew the two round
black beads on the head for eyes; make the beak of writing paper after
Figs. 550 and 551. Fig. 550 is the upper, Fig. 551 the lower part of
beak. Pinch into shape as shown by dotted lines; and with a little
mucilage stick the upper end of Fig. 551 to the underside of Fig. 550,
as in Fig. 552. Paint the beak a light yellow, and gum to the head.
Fig. 548 shows the head complete.
[Illustration: Fig. 550.—The upper part of the beak.]
[Illustration: Fig. 551.—The lower part of the beak.]
[Illustration: Fig. 552.—The beak.]
[Illustration: Fig. 553.—Use hat-wire for the legs.]
[Illustration: Fig. 554.—The foot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 555.—Good-morning.]
Holes must now be made in the shell for the legs to come through, as
shown in Fig. 547. This is done by boring carefully with a large,
sharp-pointed needle (being cautious not to crack the shell in the
process), until the holes are large enough to admit the wire. Use a
piece of ordinary black hat-wire, four inches long, for the legs, bend
in the shape of Fig. 553 and slip through the holes in the shell. Cut a
piece of wire two inches long, and another one inch in length, for the
foot; bend in the shape of Fig. 554 and fasten to the leg by wrapping
tightly with black linen thread.
[Illustration: Fig. 556.—Run a line of perforations around the shell.]
[Illustration: Fig. 557.—Fasten the shells together.]
Fit the head in the hole left in the small end of the shell, and if
the work has been well done the chicken will look very natural indeed.
The small piece of shell taken from the end will give it a still more
cunning appearance if fastened on the chicken’s head (Fig. 555). This
little trifle makes a very pretty _bonbonnière_, as the shell is quite
strong enough to hold candy, and the head may be removed to allow of
its being filled or emptied.
To make the
=Good-night Chick=
first blow the egg, then, boring with a needle in the manner previously
described, run a line of perforations lengthwise around the shell, as
seen in Fig. 556. This will allow of the shells being opened quite
evenly. Cover the edges neatly with lutestring ribbon pasted down on
both sides like a binding. Paste a piece of the same ribbon, twelve
inches long, across the two halves of the shell, to connect them, as in
Fig. 557. Make the little chicken, which should nestle coseyly within
the shell, of two worsted balls, using rings two inches in diameter for
the body. Trim the body into a slightly oval shape. The chicken’s head
is made in the same way as described for “Good Morning.” Glue it to the
body. In the illustration (Fig. 558) the egg is shown both closed and
open, which will give some idea of what a pretty little gift it really
makes. The entire chicken must be glued in the shell as it is not
intended to come out.
[Illustration: Fig. 558.—Nestle the chicken coseyly in the shell.]
CHAPTER XXXI
HOME-MADE CANDLESTICKS
IF you are working in clay try making a few candlesticks. If you
haven’t the clay, why not get some at once and begin this most
fascinating work?
Candlesticks are always decorative; even the old tin candlestick with
its half burnt tallow candle has a certain picturesqueness that the
artist recognizes when he chooses that as an accessory to his picture
instead of the prosaic oil lamp. Then again, candlesticks give a wide
scope to individuality in design, and that it gives expression to one’s
originality is one of the greatest charms of pottery making.
A potter’s wheel is not at all necessary. The primitive method of
coiling the clay and gradually, without hurry, building it up into the
form desired is far the better way for home workers.
=Get Your Clay=
at the nearest pottery where anything finer than flower pots is made,
and if it is a place where they turn out only earthenware ask for their
finest clay. Very frequently they make a quantity of extra pieces for
holiday trade and for these prepare a finer clay than they ordinarily
use. Fifty pounds of clay will keep you busy a long while and
twenty-five pounds will be sufficient for a number of small pieces. It
sells at about one and a half cents per pound at most of the potteries.
Break your dry clay into small pieces with a hammer and then pound to a
powder. Put it into an earthen crock that has a cover of its own, and
mix with water until it is of the consistency of dough. If you are not
to use it immediately, and it is rather stiff, make several holes in
the clay with your finger, fill each hole with water, cover the crock
closely with its lid and set away until wanted.
[Illustration: This Pottery was Made by the Author.]
[Illustration: Fig. 559.—Cut the clay in two with a knife.]
[Illustration: Fig. 560.—Put the outside edges together.]
[Illustration: Fig. 561.—Useful in cutting the clay.]
When you are
=Ready for Work=
take out a good sized lump of clay, put it on a pastry board and knead
it like bread. This is to work out all the air and make the grain close
and fine. If the clay seems too stiff spread it out in a flat cake,
pour a little water in the middle, bring the edges together and knead
again until the whole piece is softened. When the clay is too soft
spread it out and put it in the air where it will soon stiffen. If it
is freezing out of doors do not expose the clay but let it dry off in
the house. From time to time, while you are working the clay, cut the
lump in two with a palette knife or ordinary table knife (A, B, Fig.
559). Put the outside edges together (C, D, Fig. 560) and continue
kneading. The professional potter has a wire strung above his table and
on it cuts his clay quickly and neatly in half, but a knife will answer
very well. You may have a number of
=Modelling Tools=
or a few, and you can do very well with two or three contrived by
yourself. A wire tool like Fig. 561 is useful in cutting away the clay
when the walls of a piece are too thick, but a wire hairpin answers the
purpose almost as well. A wooden skewer, used by butchers for pinning
meat, is also good for some purposes. In my own work one summer, when
far out of reach of modelling tools, I found use for a palette knife,
the handle of an old spoon, a hairpin and a steel ink eraser with a
curved blade. But best of all and most to be depended upon are the
fingers, for these sensitive, flexible, natural tools can perform most
of the work alone. Fig. 562 is a small jar made entirely with the
hands, no tool of any kind, save the fingers, having been used in the
modelling. You should have a good
=Strong Table,=
one you have no fear of harming, and that stands firmly and evenly on
the floor; a piece of smooth, rather thick board about ten inches
square upon which to build your pottery and a small pastry board. Place
the table near a window where there is plenty of light and under it lay
a piece of oilcloth to protect the floor; thus prepared you may plunge
into your work and accomplish wonders without disturbing the general
order of the room. At a convenient place on the table set a small bowl
of water and a cup of slip. The slip is simply clay softened in water
until it is about as thick as cream. A large piece of old muslin, that
you can tear in pieces as needed, should always be at hand, and a wet
sponge on which to wipe your fingers.
Place your pastry board on the table and when the clay is kneaded lay
it to one side and scrape the board, clearing off all dried particles.
Unless this precaution is taken crumbs of dry clay are apt to mix with
the moist clay and make it rough and gritty.
Figs. 563, 564 and 565 are three original designs in candlesticks. We
will take one of these for a model. Fig. 563 is the simplest and most
easily made, so we will begin with that.
Have ready a rather deep
=China Saucer,=
tear off a square of muslin large enough to cover the inside of the
saucer and to extend over its edge. Dip the muslin in the bowl of water
and lay it flat in the saucer, pressing it down as evenly as possible
and smoothing out the air bubbles.
Now take
=A Large Handful of Clay,=
roll it between your palms, lay it on the pastry board in front of you
and with an even pressure of your hands roll it back and forth until it
lengthens out and forms a snake-like piece a little more than half
an inch in diameter (Fig. 566). Do not let the roll flatten, keep it
as round as possible and of an equal size from end to end, then press
it with your fingers and flatten the top just enough to take off its
roundness. When this is done place one end of the roll narrow side up
exactly in the centre of the saucer and make
=A Close Coil=
like Fig. 567, bringing the edges of the coils together with your thumb
nail. When you have coiled one roll make another roll and, cutting the
end of each, like Fig. 568, fit them together and make a smooth and
even joint.
[Illustration: Fig. 576
Design Painted on the Unbaked Clay.]
[Illustration: Fig. 565
A Leaf Design.]
[Illustration: Fig. 575
The Little Pitcher.]
[Illustration: Fig. 563
Yellow Candlestick.]
[Illustration: Fig. 562
Made Without Tools.]
[Illustration: Fig. 564
Hooded Cobra Design.]
[Illustration: Fig. 566.—Roll the clay back and forth.]
[Illustration: Fig. 567.—Make a close coil.]
Continue to coil the clay until the saucer is filled to the edge, then
build it up one coil higher on the edge and cut the last end of the
roll as you did the first. Press this end down to join the roll beneath
it, making the joint invisible. Now
=Dip Your Fingers in Water=
and rub them gently over the coiled clay in the saucer to smooth it,
but be careful not to get it too wet and not to lower the coil on the
edge in the process. If depressions occur fill them with fresh clay
joining the edges of the new clay to the coiled clay, making it one
piece with no cracks or seams. In adding clay at any time the new piece
must always become one with the old, else it will crack when dry or in
the firing, and it is best to brush the place to be filled with slip
before adding the clay. Set your saucer away at this stage of the work
until the clay stiffens a little and the piece becomes what is called
“set.” It is just here that you must use patience, for to continue to
work while the clay is too soft will frequently spoil the whole thing
and the only remedy is to bunch the clay and begin over again. To be
successful in the making of pottery one’s enthusiasm must be of the
kind that will not cool during the necessary waiting periods.
[Illustration: Fig. 568.—Cut the ends like this.]
When the clay in your saucer has become firm but is still quite
pliable, dip another square of muslin in water, spread it inside the
clay saucer and
=Fit in Another Saucer=
of china a trifle smaller than the first. This will give you a pile of
three saucers one within the other, first china, then clay, then china.
Now cover your small board with wet muslin and turn your stack of
saucers upside down on the board. Lift off the top saucer and you have
your clay saucer inverted on top of the smaller china saucer. You will
find all the seams of the coil showing on this underside and must join
them and make the clay one piece as you did on the inside. With your
wire tool (Fig. 561) or a hairpin, carefully
=Cut Down the Parts=
that seem too thick, but at the same time beware of making them so thin
as to weaken the walls of the saucer. It is better to fill out and make
a piece rather heavy than to try at first to obtain the delicacy one
naturally desires, for thin walls often collapse in unaccustomed hands.
As you work, turn the board around and around to be sure the contour is
symmetrical. It is often a good thing to raise the work to the level of
the eye in order the better to detect inaccuracies of outline.
When you have finished the underside and the clay seems firm enough to
stand without support, turn it right side up on the board, always with
the wet muslin between to keep it from sticking. Lift out the small
saucer which is still in the clay saucer and proceed to remove all
traces of the line in the clay made by the ridge on the bottom of the
china saucer. This can be done by smoothing down and adding more clay
to make a curve instead of an angle.
With the wooden skewer make a dot in the centre of the clay saucer,
measuring the distance to be sure it is exact, then take
=A Half Candle,=
wrap it spirally and closely with a narrow strip of wet muslin (Fig.
569) and stand it directly over the mark (Fig. 570). Make little
crossed lines with a sharp tool, or hat pin, around the candle like
Fig. 571; then roll some clay for coiling the candle holder, flattening
the roll as you did for the saucer.
[Illustration: Fig. 569.—Wrap the candle with a strip of wet muslin.]
[Illustration: Fig. 570.—Stand the candle in the centre of the saucer.]
[Illustration: Fig. 571.—Make little crossed lines around the candle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 572.—Press the sharpened end of the roll close to
the candle.]
Before beginning to coil cover the roughened surface around the candle
with slip, then press one sharpened end of the clay roll onto the
saucer close to the candle (Fig. 572) and bring the roll once around
the candle. Make crossed lines on top of the coil, brush with slip and
coil again. Continue roughening the top of the coil and covering with
slip until you have built the holder up a little over two inches from
the saucer, then sharpen the end of your roll and join it to the top
(E, Fig. 573). With a brush dipped in slip, fill up, to some extent the
creases between the coils and make the coil even and round where it may
have been pressed out of shape, for in this part we allow the coil to
show.
[Illustration: Fig. 573.—Sharpen the end of the roll and join it to the
top.]
When the walls of the holder are firm enough gently remove the candle
and
=Smooth the Inside of the Holder=
with a finger wet with slip. If this does not fill up the cracks use a
rounded tool, but be very careful not to press the holder out of shape
or enlarge the opening.
[Illustration: Fig. 574.—Make the handle of a coil of clay.]
=Make the Handle=
of a coil of clay as shown in Fig. 574. First the small coil, joining
the base of the holder to the saucer, then the larger coil which
connects the small coil, and the inside and the outside of the saucer.
Use your first finger for keeping the hole in the centre of the large
coil the proper size. Build up the edge of the saucer slantingly to
join the inner coil of the handle (F, Fig. 574) and allow a ridge to
extend from the outer coil a short distance along the outside of the
saucer (G, Fig. 574).
=This Blending of Decoration with the Article=
itself, making it appear a natural outgrowth from it, is a law of
beauty in modeled decoration, which should always be kept in mind. No
part of a piece of pottery should look as if it were simply stuck on
and might drop off again, but rather as though it were a necessary part
of the whole.
When your candlestick is in good shape and still moist, go over it
with a camel’s-hair brush dipped in water, smoothing down any little
unevenness in this way. Sometimes a coating of slip, well worked in
with the brush will give a good surface. Set the piece away after
this and let it stand undisturbed for several days, or until the clay
has become quite dry and has turned almost white, then if it is still
imperfect in shape
=Scrape it Down=
with a steel tool or pocket knife. The clay is so easily shaved off at
this stage the danger lies in making too deep a cut and the work should
be done gradually and patiently. For the final rubbing use a piece of
fine emery paper. Even this must be carefully handled, for if pressed
heavily on the clay it, also, will cut too deeply.
Do not put your work away to dry in the sun or near a fire. If dried
too rapidly the clay will crack. Sometimes it will crack when it dries,
never so gradually; it may be from shrinkage or because the clay has
not been sufficiently kneaded.
=If Cracks Occur=
while the clay is still moist fill in with new clay and slip. If the
piece is perfectly dry mix some finely powdered baked clay with water,
making a thick paste, and fill the opening. You may be able to get the
unglazed baked clay at the pottery, but if not put a thin cake of clay
in any kind of a very hot oven and allow it to bake several hours, then
grind to a fine powder. Keep this powder in a labelled box that it may
always be at hand when needed.
It is generally supposed that when a piece of pottery cracks in the
firing there is no remedy. This is very likely true with pieces that
have been glazed, but with unglazed ware my own experience has proved
that it can be mended. When an unglazed piece comes from the firing
showing cracks, large or small, mix a thin slip of clay with a little
finely powdered flint and run into the cracks until they are more than
filled, then rub or scrape off the surplus. This formula was given me
by a prominent art potter who also furnished the mixture.
In putting away
=Unfinished Work,=
cover with a damp cloth and keep the cloth damp until you are ready to
go on with your modeling. Once hard the clay can no longer be worked,
and unfinished pottery must always be kept moist. In the case of a
piece having handles, spouts and like projections, place something
under the cloth to hold it away from these parts and prevent its
pushing them out of shape.
=You May Glaze Your Candlestick=
with colored glaze before it is fired or you may have it fired and
returned to you in “the bisque,” when it can be glazed and sent to be
fired the second time. One firing really seems all that is necessary
for small pieces, however. Fig. 563 was fired but once, the glaze
having been applied to the unbaked clay and it came from the pottery
in a perfectly satisfactory condition, without crack or blemish.
The glaze used for all the pottery in the little group in our full-page
illustration, is Marshing’s soft Limoges glaze which may be obtained
where mineral colors for pottery and china painting are sold. The glaze
is transparent when fired and is to be mixed with color unless the
piece has underglaze decoration or the clay is colored. The proportion
is one part dry color to nine parts dry glaze. Both come in powders and
must be thoroughly mixed, then dissolved in a solution of gum arabic.
Eight and one-half teaspoonfuls of glaze to one-half teaspoonful of
underglaze color is sufficient for two candlesticks. Apply this with a
No. 8 camel’s-hair brush and give the piece three coats, waiting each
time for one coat to become thoroughly dry before putting on the next.
Lay the color on evenly and do not allow little streams of glaze to run
over the edges.
There are various
=Other Methods of Coloring Pottery.=
One is to work the dry color into the moist clay by kneading. For
the little pitcher (Fig. 575) one tablespoonful of raw sienna was
thoroughly worked into a lump of clay the size of a large apple and the
pitcher then modelled from the colored clay. Prepared mineral color was
not used, but dry “raw or green” color purchased at an ordinary paint
shop. When quite dry the pitcher turned a beautiful ivory yellow, but
became almost terra cotta when fired. The uncolored glaze was dissolved
in gum arabic and applied after the first firing, and the pitcher was
fired a second time.
Another way to color your pottery is to mix the raw color with slip the
consistency of cream and with it paint a design on the unbaked clay.
A little gum arabic added to the slip will make it adhere more closely
and prevent its rubbing off. This must be fired before the uncolored
glaze is applied. The little bowl (Fig. 576) was decorated in this way
and the colors used were raw sienna and burnt sienna. But one coat of
glaze was given the bowl which makes it look more like old Indian ware
than if it had the very glossy surface.
Colored pottery
=“In the Bisque”=
or unglazed state is often very beautiful and if designed to hold water
or liquid of any kind the inside alone may be glazed, leaving the
outside in its natural dull and porous condition.
Of the various designs shown here the saucers were used only for Fig.
563, and the sooner you are able to discard all such aids and depend
upon your eye alone to guide your hands the more you will enjoy your
work.
Probably you can have your candlesticks fired at the pottery where you
get your clay, but if you wish to carry on the work and experiment for
yourself secure a kiln of your own by all means.
[Illustration: The Light of the Fairy Lamp.]
CHAPTER XXXII
WHAT TO MAKE OF BANANAS, ORANGES, AND APPLES
WHILE icy blasts are still sweeping through the cities of the North,
while the snow lies deep on the ground, and the children, bundled
up until little except their pink noses is visible, are coasting,
sleighing, and snowballing, in the South soft breezes are sifting
through the green leaves of the trees and gently stirring the beautiful
flowers blossoming in the warm sunshine.
In the orange groves the great golden balls are ripening, and on the
long-leaved banana trees hang the queer bunches of bananas, growing
in their funny upside-down fashion. Pineapples, lemons and many other
fruits are there, all growing and ripening that the children of the
North may have them when their own delicious strawberries, peaches and
plums have gone.
We are very glad of these Southern fruits, even the skins seem too good
to throw away. And so they are.
=Save Your Orange, and Banana, and Apple Skins,=
too, and see what delightful things you can make of them.
Long, long ago, before there were any steamboats, sailboats or even
rowboats in the British Isles, when men’s clothes were merely the
skins of wild beasts tied on with leather thongs, the people went on
the water in little circular boats called coracles. These boats were
wickerwork baskets covered with the hides of animals and resembled
bowls in shape. They were sent skimming over the water very rapidly by
means of a paddle which was dipped in first on one side of the boat
then on the other. The coracles were so small a man easily carried his
boat on his back to transport it over dry land, looking, one would
think, very much like a huge turtle walking on its hind legs.
It is a boat like this most primitive one that you can make of
=Half of an Orange Skin=
It will float, too, and ride safely the roughest waves of the bathtub
sea. As it is perfectly water-tight, Miss Dolly need have no fear of
wetting her dainty skirts as she sits in the bottom of the boat.
[Illustration: Fig. 577.—Cut an orange exactly in half.]
[Illustration: Fig. 578.—Carefully remove the pulp.]
Cut an orange exactly in halves like Fig. 577. Slide the blade of a
penknife around the edge, loosening the pulp from the skin, then cut
the pulp in quarters and remove it piece by piece as in Fig. 578. When
all is taken out you have your little boat (Fig. 579) and your orange
besides.
[Illustration: Fig. 579.—The coracle.]
Place the coracle in a basinful of water, put a small doll in it, stir
the water round and round with a stick, and watch the boat glide along
as swiftly as if its little occupant were paddling with all her might.
From the skin of the banana an almost
=Perfect Canoe=
can be made, which will look very much like those used by the Indians
at the time when Columbus discovered America. You know, of course, that
a banana has several ridges on its surface with wide, smooth spaces
between and that the stem end curves up more decidedly than the other.
Along the middle of the smooth space which takes the upward curve of
the stem you must make a slit with the sharp point of your knife,
as shown by the black line on the banana in Fig. 580. Open the slit
carefully, cut the banana in small pieces and take out one piece at a
time (Fig. 581).
[Illustration: Fig. 580.—Make a slit with the point of your knife.]
[Illustration: Fig. 581.—Take out one piece at a time.]
[Illustration: Fig. 582.—Cut the sulphur ends off two matches.]
Cut the sulphur ends off two matches (Fig. 582) and place the little
sticks crosswise in the banana skin, one near each end, to act as
braces in holding the sides apart (Fig. 583) and as a seat for the
doll-man (Fig. 584). Fig. 584 shows both the canoe and the coracle in
the water.
[Illustration: Fig. 583.—The little canoe.]
[Illustration: Fig. 584.—Banana canoe and orange-skin coracle.]
In selecting a banana for the canoe choose a symmetrical or even-sided
one, that it may not tip but sit squarely on the water. In case the
banana is not perfect and the canoe does tip to one side, place in it a
small weight and the balance will be regulated.
The apple lantern, or
=Fairy Lamp=
(Fig. 585) requires a little more time and patience in its preparation
than the boats, but it is not difficult to make. Find a rather small,
perfectly round, red apple without bruise or blemish. Hold it in both
hands and gently press it with your two thumbs, beginning close to the
stem and gradually working down to the blossom end. Be careful not to
break the skin, but press and press until every part is loosened and
the apple feels pulpy like a grape—every part except the blossom; that
holds fast because it is attached to the core. When no hard spots can
be found cut a circle around the stem as shown in Fig. 586, and little
by little dig out the apple until nothing but the skin remains (Fig.
587); then you will find a small lump at the bottom which must be left,
since cutting it out would result in a hole in the skin. With a pair of
sharp scissors trim away all unevenness or raggedness that may be found
on the edge. This will make the opening a trifle larger.
[Illustration: Fig. 585.—The fairy lamp.]
[Illustration: Fig. 586.—Cut a circle around the stem.]
[Illustration: Fig. 587.—The empty skin.]
=Cut a Slice from an Ordinary Candle=
about half an inch thick (A, Fig. 588) and hollow out the under side
enough to allow the candle to fit over the lump in the bottom of the
apple skin (B, Fig. 588). Fit the candle in place, and when it is lit
you will have the prettiest, daintiest little fairy lamp imaginable.
The light shining through the rosy, semi-transparent apple skin gives
the effect of Bohemian glass and casts a red glow all around it.
[Illustration: Fig. 588.—Cut the candle like these.]
The fairy lamp looks very pretty floating in water in a glass bowl,
and a number of lamps around your birthday cake will be a new way of
telling how old you are.
CHAPTER XXXIII
LITTLE PAPER COLUMBUS AND HIS PAPER SHIP
PLACE a chair against one end of the bath tub, for Spain, and another
chair at the other end of the tub for America. If the chair seat is
lower than the rim of the tub, build up with books until the top book
is as high as the tub; then fill the bathtub more than half full of
water and pretend it is the Atlantic ocean. Cut out two paper dolls,
one for King Ferdinand, the other for Queen Isabella. Remember which
chair is Spain, and seat the royal couple in Spain, on a throne, made
of a bent piece of cardboard. Bring Columbus before the monarchs and
let them bid him Godspeed; then put Columbus in his ship, the _Santa
Maria_, with a number of sailors, and send the vessel sailing off on
her voyage of discovery. Gently push the boat forward by the projecting
spar at the stern, and the little craft will sail along like a real
ship on a real ocean; but you must be careful not to push too hard and
capsize the vessel. When the boat reaches America, have ready on the
chair at that end of the bathtub, some wild Indians with their wigwams,
and let Columbus and his men land, while the Indians stand gazing at
them in astonishment.
[Illustration: Fig. 589.—The hull of the _Santa Maria_.]
Before we make the little paper people, let us build
=Columbus’ Ship.=
This ship is to be as nearly like the _Santa Maria_, the real ship in
which Columbus sailed, as is possible to make of paper. Cut a piece
of light-weight cardboard fifteen and three-fourths inches long and
seven and one-half inches wide; on this draw the diagram of the boat
(Fig. 589), making the greatest lengths of the diagram exactly as long
and the greatest widths as wide as the cardboard. Find the lengthwise
centre of the cardboard, which will be three and three-fourths inches
from each long side line, as the cardboard is seven and one-half
inches wide. Draw a line along the centre from end to end, to guide you
in making the diagram of the boat; this central line will also be the
centre of your ship. Commence drawing the bottom A—A (Fig. 589) at a
distance of two and one-fourth inches from the end of the cardboard;
the bottom must measure seven inches from its extreme front point A to
the back line A, and two and three-eighths inches at its widest point
from B to B. The point A of the bottom must come on the long central
line, and the straight back line of the bottom A must be one and
three-fourths inches across.
[Illustration: Columbus’ Ship Made of Paper.]
The length of the extension at the back of the boat from C to D is
three and one-half inches; the deck from D to E, three inches. The
greatest width of the deck, E, not including the two flaps, is two and
three-fourth inches, and the narrowest part at the line D one inch. The
sides of the boat are slashed and the last slash or side piece, F, at
its greatest height touches the edge of the cardboard, while the side
pieces G and G, are the lowest, and so are the longest distance from
the cardboard edge. When you have drawn the diagram cut out the little
craft.
Cut along all the heavy lines. Bend the four dotted lines of the prow
ledge (H, I and H, I) backward. All other dotted lines must be bent
forward, and care taken to keep the bends exactly on the dotted lines.
Do not bend the laps enclosed by the tiny circles along the sides J,
J, J, J, J, J. These circles merely show how far the slashed sides lap
over each other to form the correct shape of the _Santa Maria_, for
you must know that Columbus’ vessel was very different in build and
appearance from any ships we find at the present time. The prow and
stern were much higher than the middle of the boat and at the top the
stern was quite narrow while at the bottom it was wide, making the
rear of the ship big at the bottom and small at the top.
[Illustration: Fig. 590.—This is the mizzenmast.]
Now put the little craft together. Bend the sides up and fasten each
lap on the edge of the next side piece with glue or strong, thick
paste. Bend up the back and paste the three laps of each edge over onto
the sides, fitting the short laps on the section K over the projections
L and L of the sides.
=Make the Mizzenmast=
of a paper lighter, ten inches high after the end has been bent (Fig.
590). Slide the small end of the mast, from beneath, up through the
hole K in the after deck (Fig. 589). The hole should be a tight fit.
Paste the bent end of the mast flat and tight to the bottom of the
boat; bring the flaps of the deck down over the top of the sides and
paste them securely in place.
Next bend up the prow, lapping the flap O (Fig. 589) over the side edge
of the prow, O, and the flap P over the prow, P.
[Illustration: Fig. 591.—Cut the bowsprit like this.]
=Cut the Bowsprit=
(Fig. 591) of cardboard six and one-half inches long, split the wide
end up lengthwise through the centre two and one-fourth inches, then
fold the remainder lengthwise through the centre according to the
dotted lines Fig. 592. Open the split end and place one-half on the
inside of one side of the prow, and the second half opposite on the
inside of the other side of the prow. Leave these ends loose, resting
the bowsprit in the short opening at the centre top of the point of the
prow, where the two short ledges, H and I (Fig. 589), meet.
[Illustration: Fig. 592.—The bowsprit is folded through the centre.]
[Illustration: Fig. 593—The forward deck.]
[Illustration: Fig. 594.—Slash the strip for the forward deck.]
=Make the forward Deck=
of cardboard (Fig. 593) two and one-fourth inches long and at its
widest part a generous one and one-eighth inch. Cut the hole N,
five-eighths of an inch from the wide, straight edge; then cut a strip
five and five-eighths inches in length and three-fourths of an inch in
width, slash as in diagram and bend at dotted line (Fig. 594). Cut the
slit M, and fasten the strip on the deck by pasting the flaps over the
top of the curved edge of the deck (Fig. 595). Slide the flat point of
the projecting bowsprit through the slit M (Fig. 594), and run a paper
lighter foremast, nine and one-half inches long, not including the
bent end, through the hole N (Fig. 593). Bring the deck down over the
prow, adjust the bowsprit to the inclined height of the bowsprit in the
illustration and paste the two split halves of the end of the bowsprit
on each side of the inside of the prow. Fasten the foremast tight on
the bottom of the boat and paste the deck on the ledges, H, I, H, I
(Fig. 589). Make a
=Deck-Fence=
for the stern of a piece of paper seven and one-half inches long and
one inch wide. Cut it in a fringe with every other short strip of the
fringe cut out like Fig. 596. Paste the loose fringe ends along the
three outside top edges of the after deck, allowing the solid border of
the fringe to form the fence rail. See illustration. Cover the lower
ends of the fence when they are pasted to the deck with a band of paper
seven and one-half inches long and three-eighths of an inch wide (Fig.
597).
[Illustration: Fig. 595.—Forward deck.]
[Illustration: Fig. 596.—The deck fence.]
[Illustration: Fig. 597.—Strip for bottom of fence.]
=Make a Spar=
for the stern of the boat as you made the bowsprit Fig. 592, only the
spar should be shorter, extending beyond the stern of the boat about
two inches. Slide the large end of the spar through the opening in the
deck at E (Fig. 589) and rest the split ends on each side of the mast.
=For the Mainmast=
at the centre of the boat make another paper lighter eleven inches
high. Do not bend the end, but paste the bottom lapped edges together
and run the mast through a common wooden spool (Fig. 598). Glue the
spool tight on the bottom of the boat, a trifle forward of the centre,
and your ship is ready for the sails, as you can see from the picture.
[Illustration: Fig. 598.—Support the mainmast with a spool.]
The illustration shows little paper Columbus in his red cloak and cap,
standing on the stern of his vessel, one of the sailors in the centre,
and a wild Indian peeping over the side of the boat. We must make our
=Santa Maria Watertight=
before the sails are set. Melt half of a wax candle in a tin piepan
and set the ship down into the melted hot wax to cover the bottom
thoroughly. Use a teaspoon for pouring the liquid wax over all sides,
about one inch up from the bottom of the boat. This bath of wax should
render your ship perfectly water-tight, but test the little craft on
water to make sure that it does not leak.
=Cut the Sails=
of very light-weight writing-paper, the top edge straight, side edges
slanting, and bottom edge curved inward. Make the greatest height of
the foresail for the bow four inches, the width three and one-half
inches. With the scissors point, punch two small holes in this
foresail, one in the middle at the top and one in the middle at the
bottom. Enlarge the holes slightly by inserting the point of a lead
pencil and twisting the pencil gently around (Fig. 599). Remember that
all holes for the masts to run through must be made rather small, to
prevent the sails from sliding too far down the masts. Bend the top and
bottom of the sails together to curve the paper, that the sails may
appear to be in a good stiff breeze when fastened on the masts. Slide
the foresail you have just made on the foremast; it will stay in place
without glue. Make
=A Paper Flag=
like Fig. 600, for the mainmast, one and three-fourths inches long and
one and one-half inches wide. Cut two holes at one side as shown in the
diagram, divide the remaining space into four squares and paint the two
diagonal squares, Q and Q, red.
[Illustration: Fig. 599.—The foresail.]
[Illustration: Fig. 600.—The flag.]
[Illustration: Fig. 601.—The main-topsail.]
=Make the Main-Topsail=
three and one-fourth inches long and three and three-fourths inches
wide (Fig. 601). For the
=Crow’s-Nest=
saw or cut off the top of an ordinary wooden spool and paint red
downward points around the top edge, a pointed band around the centre,
and two straight, narrow bands at the lower edge (Fig. 602).
[Illustration: Fig. 602.—The crow’s-nest.]
[Illustration: Fig. 603.—The mainsail.]
=The Mainsail=
(Fig. 603) must be four and one-half inches long and five inches wide.
Paint a red cross on it as shown in the diagram. Slide the mainsail
well down on the mainmast; over it place the spool top “crow’s-nest”;
next run on the main-topsail and slip the flag on the tip-top.
[Illustration: Fig. 604.—The jigger sail is shaped like this.]
=The Jigger Sail=
for the mizzenmast at the stern of the boat must be five inches high
and five inches wide (Fig. 604). Paint the paper pennant (Fig. 605)
blue, and bend it into several waves. Slide the jigger sail in place on
the mizzenmast and top it with the blue pennant. Your finished vessel
should resemble closely the illustration. If you want to
=Paint the Santa Maria=
do so before giving it the wax bath. Color the hull a reddish brown,
the masts brown, and the sails a light orange; this will give a very
pretty effect.
[Illustration: Fig. 605.—A bright colored pennant.]
[Illustration: Fig. 606.—Cut Columbus out by this pattern.]
Now for the characters of our little drama. Make
=Columbus=
of heavy stiff writing-paper or very light-weight cardboard, like the
pattern (Fig. 606), which measures from the top of the head to the
lowest edge of the stand, four and three-fourths inches. Without the
stand the figure measures four inches. Carefully cut out Columbus,
mark his features, hair, and clothing in black ink. Cut his cloak (Fig.
607) of red tissue paper, bend at dotted lines across the shoulders,
and fold back the open front as in Fig. 608. Make the red tissue paper
cap (Fig. 609), and fold lengthwise across centre (Fig. 610); then put
both cloak and hat on Columbus, that he may be ready to start on his
journey (Fig. 611). Cut out a number of sailors (Fig. 612) to go on
the boat with Columbus, and a lot of Indians (Fig. 613) for Columbus to
find when he lands on the shores of America, at the other end of the
bathtub.
[Illustration: Fig. 607.—Make a cloak for Columbus in this way.]
[Illustration: Fig. 608.—Turn back the front edges.]
[Illustration: Fig. 609.—Cut the hat like this.]
[Illustration: Fig. 610.—The hat is folded.]
[Illustration: Fig. 611.—Columbus in his red cloak.]
[Illustration: Fig. 612.—One of the sailors.]
[Illustration: Fig. 613.—The Indian.]
[Illustration: Fig. 614.—Make several paper wigwams.]
[Illustration: Fig. 615.—King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.]
=Make Wigwams=
for the Indians of paper cut in half circles. Bend back narrow,
pie-shaped pieces along the two straight edges of each half circle,
make the pie-shaped pieces reach midway up toward the centre; then bend
the half circles into tent-like forms, pin the two top edges of each
one together, and you will have wigwams, with the doorway flaps bent
back. Cut off the top peak of each, wigwam and stand some heavy long
broom straws in the opening to represent poles used in real wigwams
(Fig. 614).
Fig. 615 shows
=King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella=
of Spain, seated on their pasteboard throne, ready to receive Columbus.
Queen Isabella gave three ships to Columbus, but the _Santa Maria_ was
the largest vessel, and the one which carried Columbus. The two smaller
boats were named the _Pinta_ and the _Nina_. You can make these smaller
ships or use any little boats you happen to have; they are not very
important.
CHAPTER XXXIV
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE STARS
WHEN you used to recite about the cow jumping over the moon, you did
not know that there were all sorts of animals and people up among
the stars near the moon, and, while they may never have followed the
example of the cow in the nursery rhyme, probably they often feel as
though they would enjoy doing so. But these starry people and their
pets are very well behaved, and so far they have been perfectly content
to remain exactly where they were placed hundreds of years ago.
There is one animal in particular with which you must make friends—a
bear, an immense creature called
=Ursa Major.=
Never could an earthly bear have such a tail as you see in Fig. 616.
However, the Great Bear is very different from the ordinary bear, and
needs the big, bushy tail for three bright stars. Four more equally
bright stars are on the creature’s side. Trace the big bear on
cardboard, and be sure to get the stars in the right places. Cut out
the pasteboard bear, and with a large, coarse pin or needle pierce a
hole in the centre of each star; then hold the bear up to the light, as
the little girl holds the lion in Fig. 617. Look through the bear and
you will see seven tiny, twinkling stars forming a dipper. Pretend you
have stretched a string from star to star, and what you will see will
resemble Fig. 618. Look again and if the dipper is not distinct, make
the holes in the centres of the stars larger.
[Illustration: Fig. 616.—Ursa Major, the Great Bear.]
[Illustration: Fig. 617.—Making friends with the stars.]
After you have learned precisely how Ursa Major looks with its starry
dipper, and can see it even with your eyes closed, peep out into the
night and try to find your friend up in the real sky. The bear is
there, but you must recognize it by the dipper, for of course you
cannot really see the animal itself. When you find the dipper you will
know that the Great Bear is in the sky looking down upon you. You can
see the big bear during the early evening hours of March, April, May,
June and July.
[Illustration: Fig. 620.—Ursa Minor, Little Bear.]
[Illustration: Fig. 618.—Ursa Major, Great Bear.]
Fig. 619 gives another bear, a little one, whose name is
=Ursa Minor;=
he also has a long tail spangled with stars and four more stars on the
side of his body which form a little dipper; the three stars on the
tail make the handle. Though the bear is small, he is very important
because of the large star on the end of his tail, which you must call
the Pole star. This star shines out to show which direction is north
when one gets lost or confused about his way. The Pole star may always
be depended upon as a guide, and sailors look for it to help them find
their course through the waters.
[Illustration: Fig. 619.—Ursa Minor, Little Bear.]
Ursa Minor is turned in an opposite direction and position from the
Great Bear, and the pose makes it easy for us to find the Pole star,
because when we once trace out the stars of the Great Bear in the real
sky we will see that the two outermost stars of the four which form its
bowl, point to the Pole star. We can pretend that we have tied a string
on the star in the outside top end of the Big Dipper (Figs. 616 and 618
A), and that we are stretching that string out from the Dipper star
in a direct line; then we can tie the string on the Pole star in the
end of the Little Bear’s tail, as shown in Figs. 618 and 620, where the
dotted line represents a string.
Trace on cardboard and cut out Ursa Minor, punch holes through the
stars and hold the little fellow up to the light, head down. The Little
Bear, too, is visible shining not far from the Big Bear during the same
months.
There is
=A Fairy Tale=
about the starry bears. The story tells us that a long time ago these
animals were not bears and did not live among the stars. The Great Bear
was a gentle lady, and the Little Bear her son. The poor mother and son
were turned into bears by the goddess Juno, and their friend Jupiter
had not enough power to disenchant them and restore to them their human
forms. So he did what he thought was next best; he placed the two
bears, mother and son, up in the sky among the stars, where they remain
to this day.
[Illustration: Fig. 621.—Cassiopeia.]
Fig. 621 is
=Cassiopeia=
In the sky all of her stars are brilliant, except the one marked K.
This is a shy little twinkler and appears rather faint at times; but in
the Autumn when you hunt for Cassiopeia, you will be able to see the
star K, if your eyes are bright. This lady with uplifted arms is the
wife of a king. Trace her and cut her out, punch holes through the
centres of the seven stars, then catch hold of the sweeping train of
the queen’s dress and hold her up to the light, when the pinholes will
look like Fig. 622, reminding one of a chair turned upside down, with
its feet toward the queen’s head and its back down toward her feet. You
will be delighted with this constellation, for it is very beautiful,
and you may find Cassiopeia any night of August, September, October,
November, December, January and February, as she is always then visible
after dark.
[Illustration: Fig. 622.—Cassiopeia.]
[Illustration: Fig. 623.—Leo, the Lion.]
[Illustration: Fig. 624.—Leo, the Lion.]
Now we will make the king of beasts,
=Leo, the Lion,=
for he is very fine-looking with his starry mane and a star almost
in his mouth (Fig. 623). Trace the lion carefully, name him Leo, and
cut him out; pierce holes through the stars and hold the figure up to
the light. The little girl in Fig. 617 is enjoying her Leo very much.
Notice how earnestly she peers through the holes, for she is determined
to know the constellation. When you look through the pinholes of Leo,
you will find that the constellation resembles a sickle, as in Fig.
624. The lion is in plain sight during February, March, April, May and
June, so you have a long time to make friends with him.
During the Spring you can see all the constellations we have made, and
also the beautiful starry
=Northern Crown=
(Fig. 625), shining in a brilliant half circle as shown in Fig. 626.
The gems of stars in the crown sparkle and shine for us during April,
May, June, July, August, September and October.
[Illustration: Fig. 625.—The Northern Crown.]
[Illustration: Fig. 626.—The Northern Crown.]
[Illustration: Fig. 627.—Gemini, the Twins.]
The little twin brothers,
=Castor and Pollux,=
sons of Jupiter; always sit together up among the stars. The
constellation is called Gemini (Fig. 627). When stars are clustered
together, we say the group is a constellation. All of the starry people
and animals are only different constellations. In this group each boy
has a star on his head, a star on one knee and a star on one foot,
which makes six stars. Trace the twins on cardboard, cut them out
together in one piece and punch a hole through the centre of each star.
Hold the constellation up to the light, and the group of wee, sparkling
stars seen through the pinholes will resemble Fig. 628. Look for the
twins during the months of December, January, February, March, April
and May, and remember you must find the group of stars like Fig. 628.
[Illustration: Fig. 628.—Gemini, the Twins.]
[Illustration: Fig. 629.—Orion, the Giant.]
[Illustration: Fig. 630.—Orion, the Giant.]
Winter will bring
=Orion=
(Fig. 629). He appears in November and remains where we can see him
through December, January, February and March. Orion is one of the most
brilliant of constellations. The strenuous hunter has but one visible
foot, the other being hidden by his pet hare seated in front of it; so
we are obliged to make the star, man with one foot. The fairy tale says
that he was a giant and the mightiest hunter ever known. There is a
star on each of his shoulders and one on his cheek, forming a triangle;
then there is another star down on his left foot and one on his right
knee. Trace the mighty hunter and cut him out as you did the other
constellations. Draw a line from star to star and, after adding the
three stars which form Orion’s belt, pierce holes in all, look through
them (Fig. 630) and make friends with the harmless, starry giant. Fig.
631 is
=Taurus,=
a very lively-looking bull for one so aged; possibly the stars, being
bright and cheery, keep the milk-white creature from growing old. Only
a portion of the bull can be seen; other stars hide the remainder.
Taurus must be greatly dazzled by the stars, for there is actually one
in each of his eyes, the two forming the ends of the V-shaped group of
stars across his face. The tip of each horn is decked with a glorious
star, while on the Bull’s neck is a cluster of stars called the
Pleiades. These stars were in all seven beautiful sisters, daughters
of the giant Atlas; but one star daughter married a mortal and lost
her brightness for doing so; consequently you can now see but six star
sisters.
[Illustration: Fig. 631.—Taurus, the Bull.]
[Illustration: Fig. 632.—Taurus, the Bull.]
In Fig. 632 you will find the constellation of Taurus as it looks when
seen through the pinholes in the stars of the Bull, and also as the
constellation appears in the sky on a clear night during November,
December, January, February and March.
CHAPTER XXXV
STENCIL PAINTING AND HOW TO MAKE THE STENCILS
YOU need not be an artist to do the painting or to make the stencils.
It is all easy enough and, because of the real beauty of the work and
the number of purposes to which it may be applied, stencilling is
growing more and more popular.
With the stencil you can decorate a window curtain, portière, table
cover, bedspread, bureau scarf, screen or the walls of your room. You
may even paint the trimmings for a dress if you like; it has been done.
[Illustration: This Portière is Made of Unbleached Sheeting Stencilled
in Persian Design.]
[Illustration: A Stencilled Cheese-cloth Curtain.]
Stencilling is effective on almost any material: silk, cotton, linen
and wool. Swiss and cheese-cloth sash curtains are particularly
attractive decorated in this way, and swiss bureau and pin-cushion
covers are very dainty. The drawing on page 427 is of a white
cheese-cloth short sash curtain stencilled in pink and light
apple-green. Both dye and oil paints may be used, but for anything
washable
=Dyes=
are the best, inasmuch as they are supposed to be fast colors. There
is an inexpensive dye now on the market that comes in tubes like oil
paint and does not require boiling. This is convenient to handle, as it
is merely necessary to dissolve it in water. Tapestry dyes may also
be used but are much more expensive. Heavy, non-washable material may
be stencilled with oil colors. The color is not used as a paint but as
a stain and must be entirely dissolved in turpentine to make it flow
easily. Our first drawing shows
=A Portière=
made of heavy unbleached sheeting stencilled in a Persian pattern with
dull-red, moss-green, yellow and black. Curtains may also be made of
denim, crash, burlap and a number of other materials. The simplest way
to
=Make Your Stencil=
if you have no especial ideas of your own to carry out, will be to
select a graceful embroidery pattern or one intended for decorative
painting and adapt it to your use. With a little practice this becomes
quite easy. The principal things to remember are that a good stencil
design should be simple, bold and conventional; the unbroken lines must
not be too long nor the spaces to be cut out too narrow, between the
cut-out parts there must be space wide enough to hold firmly. It is
also necessary to break the lines once in a while with little bridges.
[Illustration: Fig. 633.—Design for outline embroidery.]
Suppose we take the pattern (Fig. 633). To make it into
=A Design for Stencilling=
we must cut off connections and separate it into many parts, at the
same time keeping the effect of the long curves. Beginning with the
flower we will separate the petals and calyx (A, Fig. 633, and A,
Fig. 634), and widen the stem (B, Fig. 633, and B, Fig. 634). Instead
of continuing the curve we will break it at C and D, with two little
bridges. This divides the stem into three parts, and, to give variety
and interest to an otherwise monotonous line, we will widen the first
and second parts of the stem at the lower ends, curving the wide end
inward and rounding the end of the next section to give the idea of
its fitting the joint. The suggestion of the various parts fitting
together in stencil designing is the means of carrying the eye over
necessary bridges or intervening spaces and conveying the impression of
continuous lines. The third section of the stem, where it disappears
under the flower in Fig. 633, we will bring to a point in Fig. 634 to
indicate its vanishing behind the flower. The buds which fill in the
curve of this stem in Fig. 633 we will leave out altogether, for they
would crowd the design. We will conventionalize the leaves, dispense
with the small stems, broaden the main leaf stem, separate it from the
flower stem and curve each end, one to fit the base of the end leaf,
the other to follow the curve of the flower stem.
[Illustration: Fig. 634.—This is adapted from an outline embroidery
design.]
This furnishes one section of the pattern; the rest is but a repetition
of the same, which is reversed as the curves alternate.
Now for the making of the stencil.
Fig. 635 is a section of the design, actual size, which you can use
immediately, without waiting to develop a design for yourself.
Take a piece of smooth white tissue paper, lay it over the pattern
(Fig. 635) and, with a very soft lead pencil, trace the pattern
carefully. Fig. 635 is reversed, especially for tracing. Have ready
a perfectly smooth piece of heavy Manila wrapping paper seventeen
inches long and seven inches wide. With the aid of a ruler draw two
straight lines lengthwise across the paper, the first line two and a
half inches from the top edge of the paper (E, Fig. 636), the next one
and three-eighths inches below the first line (F). One-half of an inch
above the first line E draw another line (G), and one-half of an inch
below the line F draw another line (H).
[Illustration: Fig. 635.—Trace this.]
[Illustration: Fig. 636.—Rule the paper in this way.]
[Illustration: Fig. 637.—Place sections of the design between the lines
in this way.]
Lay the tracing, pencilled side down, on the wrapping paper, with the
upper and lower curves of the flower stem just fitting between the
lines G and F (Fig. 637). Transfer the tracing to the wrapping paper by
going over the lines of the design with your soft pencil; then turn the
tracing over and bottom edge up to reverse it and lay it again on the
paper, this time with the curves of the flower stem between the lines E
and H, and go over the lines of the design again with your soft pencil.
Once more reverse the design and bring the curves of the flower stem
between the lines G and F. This last section will finish the pattern.
In reversing the tracing always allow one-quarter of an inch space
between the tips of the two flower petals I and J (Fig. 637), and the
leaf K (Fig. 637).
[Illustration: Fig. 638.—Cut the stencil out like this.]
With a pair of sharp scissors
=Cut Out Your Design=
taking great care to keep within the outlines, for a snip beyond will
let in color in the wrong place and spoil your stencil. Remember you
are not to cut the paper _away_ from the design but cut _the design
out_ leaving the surrounding paper intact. This makes the stencil
(Fig. 638). When all of the design is cut out place your stencil flat
on a board and give it a coat of white shellac, then lift it and move
to another place on the board to prevent its sticking. When quite dry
turn the stencil over and shellac the other side. Be sure the edges of
the cut-out parts are covered with shellac as well as the rest of the
paper. The shellac makes the paper waterproof and durable. Do not use
the stencil until it is absolutely dry.
Trace Fig. 639 which is the conventionalized flower, and transfer it
to the centre of a four-inch square of the wrapping paper, or make the
flower smaller if you prefer to have it the size of the one in the
border. Cut out the design and shellac the little stencil as you did
the larger one (Fig. 640).
[Illustration: Fig. 639.—Trace this flower.]
The closer the weave of the cloth the easier is the work of
stencilling, but the dye penetrates entirely through thin material, and
the effect is so attractive I will describe the
=Cheese-cloth Curtains=
and the process given for stencilling these will answer for any other
material.
[Illustration: Fig. 640.—The small stencil.]
One width of cheese-cloth for each half of the short Dutch curtains is
sufficient for quite a wide window. If the curtain is too full much of
the effect of the decoration is lost.
Select the finest quality of cheese-cloth and cut it the required
length. Hem the bottom edge and lay the curtain, right side up,
smoothly on a lap-board with the hem at the top. Place your stencil
on the curtain so that the design will be about one inch and a half
from the hem. Slide a new piece of blotter paper under the curtain to
absorb the extra moisture, then tack the stencil down with rather small
pins. Drive a pin in the centre of each flower, at the point of each
petal and at the point of each leaf, between the petals and between the
leaves, also in every bridge and along the edges of the design wherever
the paper is inclined to lift (Fig. 641). In short, your endeavor must
be to keep the stencil perfectly flat on the cloth so that the dye will
not penetrate beyond the openings and blur the outlines.
[Illustration: Fig. 641.—Tack the stencil down with pins.]
Before tacking the stencil in place
=Make Your Dye Ready=
Buy a tube of olive green dye, one of yellow and one of cardinal
red. Squeeze about a teaspoonful of dye into a teacup, add two
tablespoonfuls of boiling water, stir until dissolved, then add enough
boiling water to give the desired shade. You can test the depth of
color by dipping bits of white cloth in the dye. Each dye must be in a
separate cup and a little yellow should be added to the green after it
is dissolved, but before it is diluted with the extra water. Have ready
=Two Stiff Bristle Brushes,=
such as are used for oil painting, and a piece of old white muslin.
With your stencil in place, take the board on your lap, set the dye on
a stand at your side and lay the old muslin folded on the board above
your curtain. Dip a brush in the dye and rub it on the muslin to remove
some of the moisture, for a brush too wet will cause the dye to spread
and spoil the outline of the design.
Beginning at the left hand of your stencil, scrub the cheese-cloth in
the openings of the design until it becomes the right shade and the
dye sinks entirely through the cloth. The flowers must be pink and the
leaves green, but you can make the flowers darker at the centre if you
wish by applying more color. Use separate brushes for the green and red
dye. Hold the brush firmly and in an upright position.
[Illustration: Fig. 642.—Crease the cloth through the centre.]
[Illustration: Fig. 643.—Leave several inches of thread at the ends.]
[Illustration: Fig. 644.—Tie securely.]
[Illustration: Fig. 645.—Make a loop of the floss.]
When you have stencilled the entire design
=Pull Out the Pins,=
move the stencil farther along on the curtain, tack it down and
continue stencilling until the border is finished; then take the small
stencil of the single flower (Fig. 640) and stencil the flower at
irregular intervals over the curtain. For
=The Tassels=
which finish the curtains use cheese-cloth colored with the green dye.
Cut a strip of cheese-cloth two and a half inches wide, spread it
flat on the board and paint it with the dye, using your bristle paint
brush for the purpose. When the cloth is dry cut it into pieces four
inches long. Dye a number of strands of white linen floss, or use green
linen or silk floss for tying the tassels.
[Illustration: Fig. 646.—Run another gathering thread across each half
of the tassel.]
[Illustration: Fig. 647.—Wrap the thread around to form the neck.]
[Illustration: Fig. 648.—Trim off the bottom.]
Fold one piece of the dyed cheese-cloth crosswise through the centre
and crease it (Fig. 642). Thread a coarse needle with a strand of the
floss and run it through the crease, leaving several inches of the
floss at each end (Fig. 643). Draw the material into gathers and tie
securely (Fig. 644). Then bring the two ends together. Make a loop of
the floss about one inch long (Fig. 645), and fasten by taking one or
two stitches in the gathers. Open the fold, bring the ends of the floss
on the underside of the tassel, tie close to the gathers and cut off
the ends. Run another gathering thread across each half of the tassel,
half an inch below the gathers at the top (Fig. 646). Draw the thread
tight, wrap it around several times to form the neck (Fig. 647), and
fasten with several stitches. Cut the floss close to the wrapping
and with the scissors trim off the bottom of the tassel until it is
perfectly even (Fig. 648). Sew the tassels several inches apart on
the bottom edge of the curtains, as shown in illustration. When the
curtains are
=To be Laundered=
soak them for an hour or more in a strong solution of salt and water,
then wash carefully in the suds of a pure white soap and rinse
thoroughly. Do not rub the soap on the material, and before putting the
curtain in water shake and brush out all loose dust. Dry in the shade.
INDEX
A
Airships, fairy, 70
Alexandria, Pharos of, 245
Amytis, 279
Animal circus, 15
Apollo, Statue of, 233
Apple, Hallowe’en, 60
Apple games, 85
Ascension, balloon, 11
B
Baby, Punch and Judy, 52
Baby porcupine, 68
Babylon, hanging gardens of, 279
Babylonians, 283
Backyard camp, 194
Ball, tether, 207
Balloon ascension, 11
Banana canoe, 401
Basket, hanging, 372
Bathing place, 341
Bayberry candle, 326
Bead door knobs, 317
Bean bag test, 66
Bells, Easter, 364
Berries, holly, 307
Blackbirds, girls’ fair, 181
Blarney stone game, 71
Blind mice, three, 144
Bloodroot, 363
Board, weaving, 349
Boat, backyard camp, 202
Boot, Santa Claus, 169
Bouquet, 147
Bowls and cups, 59
Bowsprit, 408
Box, Pandora, 12
Bricks, Babylonian, 286
Broad-fronted bulls, 293
Brook, crossing the, 133
Bud, tulip, 361
Bulls, Babylonian, 293
Bushes, bayberry, 326
Butterfly game, 42
C
Camels, Egyptian, 228
Camp, backyard, 194
Camp-fire, backyard, 201
Camping outfit, 194
Candle, bayberry, 326
Candle-moulds, 331
Candlesticks, home-made, 385
Candlewicks, 334
Canoe, banana, 401
Card, Easter egg, 363
Card, tally, 159
Cardboard Pharos, 244
Cards, Easter, 358
Caria, 257
Cassiopeia, 421
Castor, 423
Cats, black, 56
Cella, 271
Chair, doll’s, 370
“Chapeau Bras,” 377
Charades, Pantomime, 6
Chares, 233
Charm, lava, 67
Cheops, 219
Chephren, King, 224
Chick, good-morning, 381
Chicks, Easter, 143
Christmas, decorations, 303
Christmas tree, living, 173
Circus, home, 15
Claus, jolly little Santa, 163
Clay candlesticks, 386
Cnidus, Sostratus, 253
Coat, Santa Claus’, 169
Coloring pottery, 396
Colossus of Rhodes, 233
Columbus, paper, 405
Columbus, to make, 414
Columns, temple, 269
Coracle, orange skin, 400
Costume, Puritan man’s, 98
Costume, Titania’s, 82
Costumes, Charades, 7
Cotton, stuffing, 237
Country picnic, 132
Court, pumpkin game, 90
Court, tether-ball, 211
Cow jumped over the moon, to make, 139
Cradle, doll’s, 372
Cross, to make, 360
Crossing the brook, 133
Crow’s-nest, 412
Crystal, Japanese, 68
Cupid’s door, 108
Cups and bowls, 59
Cups, Santa Claus’, 170
Curtains, tissue paper, 324
D
Dainty bloodroot, 363
Dais, upper, 264
Daisy Valentine, 110
Dance of the dolls, 145
Dance, of Titania, 75
Date palm, 227
Daylight fireworks, 11
Deck, forward, 409
Deck-fence, 410
Decorations, living Christmas tree, 177
Diana, temple of, 269
Disks, gilt paper, 36
Doll house, 315
Doll’s chair, 370
Dolls, dance of the, 145
Door, Cupid’s, 108
Doorknobs, bead, 317
Drama, Punch and Judy, 53
Dress, Punch’s, 50
Dress, Puritan woman’s, 98
Dye kettle, magic, 43
E
Easter bells, 364
Easter cards, 358
Easter chicks, 143
Easter egg cards, 363
Easter party, 33
Egg card, 363
Egg tennis, 33
Eggs, to prepare for tennis, 34
Egypt, pyramids of, 219
Elephant, 20
Empress Josephine, 379
Entertainment, Valentine, 103
Ephesus, temple of Diana at, 269
Euphrates, 279
Evergreen ropes, 312
Express office, girls’ fair, 186
F
Fair, girls’, 179
Fairy airships, 70
Fairy lamp, 403
Fairy waters, life in, 141
Fence, picnic, 132
Fire, backyard, 201
Firecracker invitations, 4
Fireworks, daylight, 11
Flag, 412
Flags, flower beds, 157
Footstool, Zeus, 265
Forfeits, 95
Fortune jingle, 71
Fortune telling, novel, 55
Fourth of July lawn frolic, 3
Frieze, doll house, 322
Frolic, Fourth of July, 3
G
Game, Blarney Stone, 71
Game, butterfly, 42
Game of egg tennis, 39
Games, new Easter, 33
Garden, plant your, 151
Garden planting game, 159
Gardens, hanging, 279
Giant firecracker invitation, 4
Gilt paper disks, 36
Girl, sun-bonnet, 149
Girls’ fair, 179
Glazing candlesticks, 395
Goddess Diana, 272
Good-night chick, 384
Grass, invitation rings of, 55
H
Half candle, 391
Halicarnassus, Mausoleum of, 245
Hallowe’en apple, 60
Hallowe’en merrymaking, 55
Handle, candle, 393
Hanging basket, 372
Hanging gardens, 279
Harmless serpent, 69
Hat, peaked, 174
Head, Judy’s, 51
Heart, Valentine, 109
Heavier rug, 357
Holly, 304
Holly berries, 307
Hollyhocks, paper, 129
Home circus, 15
Home-made candlesticks, 385
Horse, Rosebud’s, 18
House, doll, 315
Hurling the lance, 10
I
Impromptu moving pictures, 97
Inlaying Zeus’ throne, 267
Invitation, giant firecrackers, 4
J
Japanese crystal, 68
Japanese tag, 134
Jigger sail, 413
Jingle, fortune, 71
Jolly little Santa Claus, 163
Josephine, 379
Judy’s head, 51
K
Kettle, magic dye, 43
L
Lamp, fairy, 403
Lance, hurling the, 10
Lantern, pumpkin, 93
Lava charm, 67
Lawn frolic, Fourth of July, 3
Leaves, bayberry, 326
Leo, 422
Life rope, toy, 340
Lighthouse, first, 245
Living Christmas tree, 173
Loom, to weave without, 349
Love’s palette, 111
Lumberman, 344
M
Mademoiselle Rosebud, 16
Magic dye kettle, 43
Magic peep show, 137
Mainmast, 411
Mainsail, 413
Main topsail, 412
Man, Puritan, 98
Marble steps, 252
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, 245
Media, 279
Mermaid, 142
Mermaid, 345
Merrymaking Hallowe’en, 55
Mice, three blind, 144
Mikado, 374
Mistletoe, 310
Mizzenmast, 408
Modelling tools, 387
Moon, cow that jumped over, 141
Moulds, candle, 331
Moving animal circus, 15
Moving pictures, impromptu, 97
Myth, 12
N
Napoleon, 375
Nebuchadnezzar, 279
Nest, bird’s, 373
Northern crown, 423
Novel Easter party, 33
Novel fortune telling, 55
O
Office, express, girls’ fair, 186
Olympia, statue of Zeus at, 259
Orange games, 85
Orange-skin coracle, 400
Order of entertainment, 6
Original Valentine, 103
Orion, 424
Outdoor fun, 207
Outfit, camping, 194
Oyster, sea treasure, 69
P
Palette, love’s, 111
Palm, date, 227
Pandora box, 12
Pantomime, 102
Pantomime, charades, 6
Paper Columbus, 405
Paper disks, 36
Paper shower, 36
Party, novel Easter, 33
Party, Thanksgiving, 85
Pasteboard doll house, 315
Peaked hat, 174
Peep show, magic, 137
Performers, wild west show, 120
Pharos of Alexandria, 244
Phidias, 259
Picnic, roof, 127
Pig, to make, 367
Pin cushion, 375
Pitch-wood fire, 252
Plant your garden, 151
Plants, Babylonian, 299
Platforms, hanging gardens’, 284
Pole, tether-ball, 207
Pollux, 423
Porcupine, 68
Post-office, 104
Postmaster, girls’ fair, 192
Pottery, coloring, 396
Properties, Thanksgiving stage, 101
Pumpkin games, 85
Punch and Judy show, 45
Punch’s head, 46
Puritan woman, 98
Pyramids, 219
Q
Queen Titania, 75
R
Race, shuffle, 10
Race, wedding, 61
Rackets, egg tennis, 38
Rackets, palm-leaf fan, 158
Rackets, tether-ball, 214
Raft, toy, 341
Rapid-transit story, 92
Reindeer, Santa Claus, 165
Rhodes, Colossus of, 233
Rings of grass, invitation, 55
Rite, vesper, 65
Roof picnic, 127
Ropes, evergreen, 312
Rosebud, mademoiselle, 16
Roses, paper, 130
Rug, doll house, 323
Rules of egg tennis, 41
S
Saddle, camel, 230
Safe, backyard, 199
Sail boat, 373
Sails, Columbus’ ship, 411
Sandpaper for pyramids, 221
Santa Claus, 163
Santa Maria, 411
Saucers, Santa Claus, 171
Screen, witch, 66
Sea treasure, 69
Secret of magic kettle, 43
Serpent, 69
Shelves, 324
Ship, Columbus’, 405
Show, magic peep, 137
Show, Punch and Judy, 45
Show, wild west, 113
Shower of paper, 36
Shrubbery, Babylonian, 297
Shuffle race, 10
Side steps, Diana’s temple, 276
Sides, choice of, 160
Sleigh, Santa Claus, 164
Slides, peep show, 138
Slippers, old, 58
Sostratus, 253
Sphinx, 225
Spool table, 315
Spoon, 368
Spring, tin-pail, 200
Stage, Punch and Judy, 45
Stage, Titania’s, 75
Stamps, Valentine, 107
Statue of Zeus, 259
Statues, Babylonian, 294
Stems, 311
Stencil painting, 426
Stencils, to make, 426
Steps, Diana’s temple, 274
Steps, marble, 252
Story, rapid transit, 92
Strawberry, 371
Sun-bonnet, charade, 7
Sun-bonnet girl, 149
Sunflowers, paper, 127
T
Table, backyard camp, 198
Table, spool, 315
Table, wild west show, 113
Tag, Japanese, 134
Tally card, 159
Taurus, 425
Temple of Diana, 269
Tennis, egg, 33
Tent, backyard, 197
Tent, to make, 123
Test, bean bag, 66
Tether-ball, 207
Thanksgiving party, 85
Three blind mice, 144
Throne of Zeus, 263
Tissue paper glass, 318
Titania’s dance, 75
Tools, clay modelling, 387
Toys, water, 338
Tree, living Christmas, 173
Trousers, Santa Claus, 169
Tulip bed, 361
Turtle, 366
U
Umbrella, 369
Upper dais, 264
Ursa major, 418
Ursa minor, 420
V
Valentine entertainment, 103
Vesper rite, 65
Victory, winged, 268
W
Warp, 350
Water life, 141
Water toys, 338
Wax, bayberry, 331
Weaving, 349
Wedding race, 61
Wicks, candle, 334
Wig, Santa Claus, 169
Wigwams, 416
Wild west show, 113
Window glass, 318
Winged victory, 268
Wings, Titania’s, 83
Witch screen, 66
World, valentine, 109
Wreaths, 310
Y
Yard, camping in back, 194
Z
Zeus, statue of, 259
_THE BEARD BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE_
Recreations for Girls
By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD
Profusely illustrated by the authors. 8vo, $2.00
————
This new book for girls, by Lina and Adelia Beard, whose previous books
on girls’ sports have become classic, combines a mass of practical
instruction on handicrafts and recreations. No more charming book for
girls could be desired.
“It teaches how to make serviceable and useful things of
all kinds out of every kind of material. It also tells
how to play and how to make things to play with. The
girl who gets this book will not lack for occupation and
pleasure.”—_Chicago Evening Post._
SOME OF THE CHAPTERS
A Home-made Loom
How to Spin Flax
Pottery Without a Wheel
Hallowe’en Revels
The Magic Cloth
A New Race of Dolls
Modeling in Tissue Paper
Open Air Play Houses
May Day Amusements
An Indian Encampment
A Toy Colonial Kitchen
Things Worth Doing
AND HOW TO DO THEM
By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD
Profusely illustrated by the authors. 8vo, $2.00
————
An infinite variety of things worth doing is comprised in the latest
Beard book for girls, which is in every way equal to its widely popular
predecessors, and contains a wealth of absolutely new material. How to
do the various things worth doing is set forth with that simplicity of
direction which has been one of the chief factors in the success of
these authors. The text is supplemented by some six hundred drawings.
The book tells of such things as these: A Wonderful Circus at Home, A
Valentine Entertainment, A Novel Easter Party, Hallowe’en Merrymaking,
How to Get Up a Girls’ Fair.
THE AMERICAN GIRL’S HANDY BOOK
HOW TO AMUSE YOURSELF AND OTHERS
By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD
With nearly 500 Illustrations by the Authors
One volume, square 8vo, $2.00
————
Eight new chapters have been added to the forty-two which have carried
this famous book to the hearts of all the young people since its first
appearance, and everything that the girls of to-day want to know about
their sports, games, and winter afternoon and evening work, is told
clearly and simply in this helpful and entertaining volume. The volume
is fully and handsomely illustrated from drawings by the authors, whose
designs are in the best sense illustrative of the text.
[Illustration]
=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=
First of April—Wild Flowers and Their Preservation—The Walking
Club—Easter-Egg Games—How to Make a Lawn Tennis Net—May-Day
Sports—Midsummer-Eve Games and Sports—Sea-side Cottage Decoration—A
Girl’s Fourth of July—An Impression Album—Picnics, Burgoos,
and Corn-Roasts—Botany as Applied to Art—Quiet Games for Hot
Weather—How to Make a Hammock—Corn-Husk and Flower Dolls—How
to Make Fans—All Hallow Eve—Nature’s Fall Decorations and How
to Use Them—Nutting Parties—How to Draw, Paint in Oil-colors,
and Model in Clay and Wax—China Painting—Christmas Festivities,
and Home-made Christmas Gifts—Amusements and Games for the
Holidays—Golf—Bicycling—Swimming—Physical Culture—Girls’ Clubs—A New
Seashore Game—Apple Target Shooting—Water Fairies.
LOUISA M. ALCOTT wrote: “I have put it in my list of good
and useful books for young people, as I have many requests
for advice from my little friends and their anxious
mothers. I am most happy to commend your very ingenious and
entertaining book.”
GRACE GREENWOOD wrote: “It is a treasure which, once
possessed, no practical girl would willingly part with.
It is an invaluable aid in making a home attractive,
comfortable, artistic, and refined. The book preaches the
gospel of cheerfulness, industry, economy, and comfort.”
THE AMERICAN BOY’S HANDY BOOK
Or, What To Do and How To Do It
By DANIEL C. BEARD
One volume, 8vo, fully Illustrated by the Author, $2.00
————
Mr. Beard’s book tells the active, inventive, and practical American
boy the things he really wants to know; the thousand things he wants to
do, and the ten thousand ways in which he can do them, with the helps
and ingenious contrivances which every boy can either procure or make.
The author divides the book among the sports of the four seasons; and
he has made an almost exhaustive collection of the cleverest modern
devices, besides himself inventing an immense number of capital and
practical ideas.
[Illustration]
=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=
Kite Time—War Kites—Novel Modes of Fishing—Home-made Fishing Tackle—How
to Stock, Make, and Keep a Fresh-water Aquarium—How to Stock and Keep
a Marine Aquarium—Knots, Bends, and Hitches—Dredge, Tangle, and Trawl
Fishing—Home-made Boats—How to Rig and Sail Small Boats—How to Camp Out
Without a Tent—How to Rear Wild Birds—Home-made Hunting Apparatus—Traps
and Trapping—Dogs—Practical Taxidermy for Boys—Snow Houses and
Statuary—Winged Skaters—Winter Fishing—Indoor Amusements—How to Make
a Magic Lantern—Puppet Shows—Home-made Masquerade and Theatrical
Costumes—With many other subjects of a kindred nature.
“It is an excellent publication, and is heartily recommended
to parents.”—_The Brooklyn Eagle._
“The book has this great advantage over its predecessors,
that most of the games, tricks, and other amusements
described in it are new. It treats of sports adapted to
all seasons of the year; it is practical, and it is well
illustrated.”—_The New York Tribune._
“It tells boys how to make all kinds of things—boats,
traps, toys, puzzles, aquariums, fishing tackle; how to tie
knots, splice ropes, to make bird calls, sleds, blow guns,
balloons; how to rear wild birds, to train dogs, and do
the thousand and one things that boys take delight in. The
book is illustrated in such a way that no mistake can be
made; and the boy who gets a copy of this book will consider
himself set up in business.”—_The Indianapolis Journal._
The Outdoor Handy Book
FOR PLAYGROUND, FIELD AND FOREST
By DANIEL C. BEARD
With more than 300 Illustrations by the Author. Square 8vo, $2.00
————
“It tells how to play all sorts of games with marbles, how
to make and spin more kinds of tops than most boys ever
heard of, how to make the latest things in plain and fancy
kites, where to dig bait and how to fish, all about boats
and sailing, and a host of other things which can be done
outdoors. The volume is profusely illustrated and will be an
unmixed delight to any boy.”—New York _Tribune_.
[Illustration]
=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=
Marbles—Tops—Latest Things in Kites—Aerial Fish and Dragons—Hoops
and Wheels—How to Make the Sucker—Up in the Air on Stilts—Bait,
Live and Dead—Fishing—Aquatic Sports—Rigs of All Kinds for Small
Boats—Shells and Canoes—Hints for Collectors—Honey-Bee Messengers—A
“Zoo”—Choosing Up and “It”—Counting Out Rhymes—Swimming—Games of Tag—I
Spy—Leap Frog—Various Sports for Hot Days—Tip Cat—Games of Ball—Mumbly
Peg, Hop-Scotch, and Jack Stones—Hints for Bicyclists—Camping
Out—Boy’s Ballista—“Tally-ho!” and Other Cries—Indian Games for
Boys—Football—Golf, Hockey, and Shinny—Turtle Hunting—Skating—Stunning
Muskrats and Fish—Snowball Battle and Snow Tag—Sleds.
From CHARLES DANA GIBSON: “It makes a man of a boy and a boy
of a man.”
“This book is praiseworthy from end to end, and will find
favor even with those who have long since passed to man’s
estate.”—_The Nation._
“It is one of the completest things of the kind ever
written, and with it one can hardly conceive how a boy could
be without pleasant and profitable amusement at any time.
It treats of directions for every season of the year, in
and out of doors, and on land and water. One of the best
things about it is that it furnishes employment for a boy’s
ingenuity and mechanical skill. It seems as if this book
must be destined to an immense popularity.”—_The Advance._
The Jack of All Trades
OR, NEW IDEAS FOR AMERICAN BOYS
By DANIEL C. BEARD
Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, $2.00
————
[Illustration]
“Every boy who is handy with tools of any sort will enjoy this
book.”—_Youth’s Companion._
“This book is a capital one to give any boy for a present at Christmas,
on a birthday, or indeed at any time.”—_The Outlook._
“Full of new ideas for active boys who like to use tools and see
interesting things growing under their hands.”—_N. Y. Tribune._
“A perfect treasure-house of things that delight the soul of a boy and
keep him happy and busy.”—_The Interior._
CONTENTS
Part I. Fair Weather Ideas
Tree-Top Club-Houses—How to Capture and Trap Small Live
Animals—The Back-Yard Zoo—A Back-Yard Fish-Pond—Pigeon
and Bantam Coops—How to Make a Back-Yard Aviary—A
Boy’s Back-Yard Workshop—How to Build an Underground
Club-House—A Boys’ Club-House on the Water—How to Have
Fun on a Picnic—How to Build and How to Furnish a Daniel
Boone Cabin—Flat Boatman’s House—The American Boy’s House
Boat—Back-Yard Switchback—How to Build a Toboggan Slide in
the Back-Yard.
Part II. Rainy Weather Ideas
A Home-Made Circus—Good Games with Toothpicks and
Matches—Fun with Scissors and Pasteboard and Paper—How to
Prepare and Give a Boys’ Chalk Talk—A Christmas Novelty for
Boys—How to Make Two Boys into One Santa Claus—A Circus
in the Attic—A Boys’ Stag Party—A Wild West Show in the
House—How to Have a Panorama Show.
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS, Publishers
153-157 Fifth Avenue, New York
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 129, Fig. 138, “holyhock” changed to “hollyhock” (Paper hollyhock
tied)
Page 165, “pastboard” change to “pasteboard” (stiff pastboard like)
Page 168, text obscurred, word “of” presumed and added (of black muslin)
Page 171, Fig. 220, “sleighs” changed to “sleigh” (ready for the sleigh)
Page 192, “at” changed to “as” (attractive as these)
Page 222, the text references Fig. 295, but the text omits a figure
with that name.
Page 236, “edtire” changed to “entire” (and the entire length)
Page 315, “sitff” changed to “stiff” (three stiff pasteboard)
Page 320, “thes ame” changed to “the same” (do the same with)
Page 435, word “a” added to text (two and a half)