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diff --git a/43720-0.txt b/43720-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..14bb4ef --- /dev/null +++ b/43720-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4008 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43720 *** + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Note: | + | | + | Tags that surround words =Materials Required:= indicate | + | bold. Tags that surround the words _A Hurdle Race_ indicate | + | italics. | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +The Child's Rainy Day Book + + + + +_Other Books by Mary White_ + + + HOW TO MAKE POTTERY + HOW TO DO BEADWORK + HOW TO MAKE BASKETS + MORE BASKETS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM + +[Illustration: Building a piece of pottery with coils of clay--as the +Indians do] + + + + + THE CHILD'S + RAINY DAY BOOK + + BY + MARY WHITE + + ILLUSTRATED BY + THE AUTHOR + + [Illustration] + + NEW YORK + DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY + 1905 + + + + + Copyright, 1905, by + Doubleday, Page & Company + + Published, October, 1905 + + _All rights reserved, + including that of translation into foreign languages + including the Scandinavian._ + + + + + TO MY SISTER + Anna White Sherman + AND HER CHILDREN + Roger, Herbert, Elizabeth, Rosamond and Anna + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. A FOREWORD TO MOTHERS 1 + + II. SIMPLE HOME-MADE TOYS AND GAMES 5 + + III. BASKET WEAVING 35 + + IV. KNOTS WITH RAFFIA AND CORD 53 + + V. WHAT A CHILD CAN DO WITH BEADS 73 + + VI. CLAY WORKING 103 + + VII. INDOOR GARDENING 125 + + VIII. GIFTS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 143 + + IX. PAPER FLOWERS AND TOYS 173 + + X. GAMES FOR TWO OR THREE TO PLAY 201 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Building a Piece of Pottery with Coils of Clay--as + the Indians do _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + + Playing the Bean Bag Game 8 + + Planning a Book House 12 + + Basket Weaving 42 + + Knots with Raffia and Cord: + + 1. The beginning of a ping pong net. 2. A Turk's-head + knot. 3. Raffia work bag. 4. Doll's hammock. + 5. A rattan napkin ring 68 + + A Little Garden for a Little Girl 136 + + Making a Chrysanthemum 198 + + A Ball-and-Fan Race 208 + + + + +LIST OF FIGURES + + + FIGURE PAGE + + 1 9 + + Rattan Ring 9 + + 2 14 + + 3 15 + + 4 17 + + 5 19 + + 6 20 + + 7 21 + + 8 22 + + 9 23 + + 10 24 + + 11 26 + + 12 A 29 + + 12 B 29 + + 12 C 30 + + 13 30 + + 14 31 + + 15 38 + + 16 39 + + 17 40 + + 18 41 + + 19 43 + + 20 49 + + 21 55 + + 22 56 + + 23 58 + + 24 59 + + 25 60 + + 26 6l + + 27 62 + + 28 62 + + 29 63 + + 30 63 + + 31 64 + + 32 65 + + 33 66 + + 34 67 + + 35 67 + + 36 68 + + 37 70 + + 38 70 + + 38 A 79 + + 39 80 + + 40 81 + + 41 82 + + 42 84 + + 43 87 + + 44 90 + + 45 91 + + 46 91 + + 47 92 + + 48 92 + + 49 94 + + 50 94 + + 51 95 + + 52 96 + + 53 97 + + 54 97 + + 55 99 + + 56 100 + + 57 107 + + 58 108 + + 59 109 + + 60 110 + + 61 110 + + 62 111 + + 63 112 + + 64 116 + + 65 117 + + 66 119 + + 67 132 + + 68 135 + + 69 138 + + 70 148 + + 71 148 + + 72 149 + + 73 151 + + 74 151 + + 75 156 + + 76 158 + + 77 160 + + 78 162 + + 79 163 + + Leather Tag Case 166 + + 80 169 + + 81 171 + + 82 171 + + 83 175 + + 84 176 + + 85 180 + + 86 181 + + 87 182 + + 88 183 + + 89 184 + + 90 185 + + 91 187 + + 92 188 + + 93 188 + + 94 189 + + 95 191 + + 96 192 + + 97 193 + + 98 193 + + 99 194 + + 100 195 + + 101 195 + + 102 198 + + 103 206 + + 104 213 + + + + + A Foreword to Mothers + + + + +CHILD'S RAINY DAY BOOK + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A FOREWORD TO MOTHERS + + +How shall we answer the ever recurring rainy day question, "What shall I +do?" We hear it wherever children are kept indoors--from whatever cause. +All of us are concerned with the answer--mothers, fathers, teachers, big +brothers and sisters--even maiden aunts. We all know what is coming when +Jack turns from the rain-splashed window with a listless face and +Dorothy, none too gently, thrusts her favourite doll into the corner +with its face to the wall. + +One might suppose that, with the hosts of mechanical toys, of costly +French dolls, each with a wardrobe as much in keeping with fashion as +that of a society woman, the small sons and daughters would be content +for a year of rainy days. But that proves how little one knows about it. +Such toys are too perfect, too complete, and very soon they are pushed +into the background. + +The boy's real treasures are the willow whistle that Uncle Tom taught +him to make last summer, the boat that he is building and the game he +invented--a favourite one with all the children. Bedtime and getting-up +time for the French doll may come and go, while she lies forgotten in +the corner, for is there not a dress to be made for the clothespin doll? + +We need only to look back about twenty years to realise how natural all +this is. What do we remember? Not the toys that were brought us when +father and mother went on a journey. They are very hazy--these visions +of a doll in silk and lace, and a donkey with real hair and a nodding +head. What became of them afterward? We forget. But the games we "made +up," the paper dolls we cut from fashion papers, the target we laboured +to make of coiled straw--these are as fresh in our memories as if we had +played with them yesterday. + +Shall we not answer the question by giving the children something to do, +not by entertaining them but by helping them to entertain themselves. + + + + + Simple Home Made Toys and + Games + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SIMPLE HOME MADE TOYS AND GAMES + + +_A Bean Bag Game_ + + =Materials Required:= 1/2 yard each of blue, red, yellow and + green gingham, + 3 quarts of small white beans, + A length of No. 6 rattan, + A bunch of red raffia, + A tapestry needle, + 3 screw eyes, + 2 1/2 yards of strong twine, + A spool of No. 40 white cotton, + A needle, + Scissors. + +Very many good games can be played with bean bags. The following is a +simple one to prepare. + +Cut from blue gingham three pieces, each five inches wide by twelve +long. Other pieces of the same size are cut from red, yellow and green +gingham--three of each colour. These pieces are made up into bags by +doubling them and stitching up the sides with strong thread; leaving +one end of each open. This will give a small girl something to do for +more than one rainy day. + +When they have all been stitched, fill each bag half full of small, +white beans, turn in the edges of the open end and sew it up, over and +over, with strong thread. Be very careful to sew the seams securely, for +if you do you will have a good, durable bag instead of one from which +the beans are always dropping. + +The other part of the game is a large ring of rattan ten inches across, +which is made as follows: + +Soak a piece of No. 6 rattan in water for a few minutes. While you are +waiting for it to get pliable thread a tapestry or darning needle with +red raffia. Whittle an end of the rattan into a long point. Next coil +the rattan into a ring, ten inches across; lay the end of your raffia, +with its tip turned to the right, on the rattan ring and bring the +needle, threaded with raffia, around and over the ring. The raffia is +then brought under the long end of rattan, around it and down under the +ring, binding the second coil of rattan to the first with what is called +a "Figure Eight" stitch (see Fig. 1). Hold the ring firmly in your left +hand while you sew with the right. First under and around the lower +coil, then up, under and around the upper one. It is pretty work, +besides making such a firm, light ring. + +[Illustration: Playing the bean-bag game] + +[Illustration: FIG. 1] + +When you have bound the second coil to the first almost all the way +round the ring, cut the rattan so that it will overlap the beginning of +the ring about an inch, and whittle it to a long, flat point. Continue +the Figure Eight stitch as far as you can, then bind the raffia round +and round the ring, and sew back and forth through the raffia covering +till it is secure. You can then cut it close to the ring. + +[Illustration: RATTAN RING] + +Fasten a screw eye at the top of the frame of the playroom door and one +on each side of the doorway, on the edge of the frame, four feet and a +half from the floor. + +Tie a piece of strong twine, about a yard long, at the top of the ring +and another, three-quarters of a yard, on each side. Fasten the upper +string to the screw eye above the doorway so that the ring will hang +with its lower edge about four feet from the floor. Tie the other +strings through the screw eyes to right and left of the doorway. The +game is now complete. From two to four children can play it. Each has +three bean bags of one colour and takes his turn at throwing them +through the ring, standing on a mark eight feet from the doorway. One +player keeps the score, and whenever a bean bag is sent through the ring +the child who threw it is credited with five points. The one who first +succeeds in making fifty points is the winner. + + +_A Book House for Paper Dolls_ + + =Materials Required:= A large blank book with a stiff cover, + and preferably with unruled pages, + A number of old magazines, + Some pieces of wall paper the size + of the book's pages, + Several pieces of lace or other fancy + paper, + A tube of paste, + Scissors. + +Any little girl who is looking for a home for a family of paper dolls +will find a book the very best kind of a house for them. And then such +fun as it will be to furnish it! First comes the house hunting. A large +new blank book with unruled pages would be best of all, and that is what +we want if we can get it, but of course all doll families cannot live in +such luxury. An old account book with most of its pages unused will make +an excellent house. I have even known a family of dolls to be cheerful +and happy in an old city directory. + +It will be easy to find furniture in the advertising pages of magazines, +rugs can be cut from pictures in the same magazines and bits of wall +paper are used for the walls of the book house. Tissue paper of +different colours and papers with a lace edge make charming window +curtains, while thicker fancy papers may be used for portieres. On the +cover of the book a picture of the house, or just the doorway, may be +pasted. The first two pages are of course the hall. For this you will +need a broad staircase, hall seat, hardwood floor and rugs, with perhaps +an open fireplace or a cushioned window seat to make it look hospitable. +Try to find furniture all about the same size, or if you cannot do this +put the smaller pieces at the back of the room and the larger ones +toward the front. + +Next there will be the drawing room to furnish, then the library, the +dining room and pantry, not forgetting the kitchen and laundry. Use two +pages for each room, leaving several between the different rooms, so +that the book shall not be too full at the front and empty at the back. +If it does not close easily remove some of the blank pages. Cut out the +different pieces of furniture as carefully as possible, paste them in as +neatly as you can, and you will have a book house to be proud of. + +Flowered papers will be the best for the bedrooms, or plain wall papers +in light colours; and with brass bedsteads, pretty little dressing +tables and curtains made of thin white tissue paper (which looks so like +white muslin), they will be as dainty as can be. Now and then through +the book it is interesting to have a page with just a bay window and a +broad window seat with cushions and pillows--as if it were a part of a +long hall. Hang curtains of coloured or figured paper in front of it so +that they will have to be lifted if anyone wants to peep in. When you +have finished the bathroom, playroom, maids' rooms and attic there will +still be the piazza, the garden, the stables and the golf course +(covering several pages), to arrange. If you have a paint box and can +colour tastefully you will be able to make your book house even more +attractive than it is already. + +[Illustration: Planning a book house] + + +_United States Mail_ + + =Materials Required:= A pasteboard box, about 3 by 6 + inches, + Some old white pasteboard boxes + with a glossy finish, + A box of paints, + 3 unused postal cards, + A tube of paste, + Pen and ink, + Scissors. + +This is a fine game for rainy days. Any boy can make it and if he likes +to use pencil and paint brush he will find it as interesting to make as +to play with. Get a small pasteboard box about six inches long by three +wide and an inch deep--such as spools of cotton come in. Cover it with +white paper, pasting it neatly and securely. Then draw and colour on the +lid a mail bag, which should almost cover it--either a brown leather +sack or a white canvas one with "United States Mail" on it in large blue +letters. Do not forget to draw the holes at the top of the bag and the +rope which passes through them to close it. You have now something to +hold the counters for the game. These are made to look like letters and +postal cards. To make the letters, rule a set of lines three-quarters of +an inch apart, across a box or cover of shiny white cardboard. Then +another set, crossing the others at right angles. These should be an +inch and a quarter apart. The postal cards are ruled in the same way (on +real, unused postal cards), so as to make oblong spaces. Cut these out +with a sharp pair of scissors. There should be thirty cardboard pieces +and at least twenty-five of the postal cards. Now draw on the cards, +with a fine pen and black ink, marks like those on a postal card--the +stamp in the corner, the lettering and the address. Make pen lines on +all of the pasteboard letters like Fig. 2 and paint a tiny red dot on +each to look like sealing-wax. On the reverse side of one write +something to look like an address, and paint in large letters "D.L.O.," +(to stand for Dead Letter Office) in the corner. Six other letters are +also addressed in the same way, but have instead of "D.L.O." a red stamp +and a blue one, the latter wider than it is high, to represent a Special +Delivery stamp. Nine pieces should also be cut from brown cardboard in +the shape shown in Fig. 3 to represent packages. Paint three red stamps +in the corner of each of these. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2] + + +_Rules for Playing United States Mail_ + +[Illustration: FIG. 3] + +Two or more persons can play this game. When the pieces are equally +divided among the players, the one on the right of the dealer throws a +piece on the table, saying as he does so, "I send a letter to B----," +for example, and then counts five, not running the numbers in together, +but as deliberately as a clock ticks. Before he has stopped counting, +the player on his right must name a city or town beginning with B. If +he succeeds in doing this he wins the piece, otherwise it goes to the +player who threw it. When all the pieces have been played each player +counts his score. + +The value of the pieces is as follows: Each postal card counts one, each +letter two, each package six. The Special Delivery letters are worth ten +points each, and the person who is so unfortunate as to have the letter +with "D.L.O." upon it loses ten points from his score. + + +_Flying Rings_ + + =Materials Required:= A flour-barrel top, + 3/4 yard of yellow cheesecloth, + 5 large wire nails, + 3 lengths of No. 4 rattan, + A bunch of red raffia, + A bunch of green raffia, + A bunch of yellow raffia, + A tapestry needle, + Some small tacks, + A hammer, + A tube of glue, + A sheet of note paper. + +Boys and girls will enjoy this game, and both can help in making it. The +materials are simple and easily obtained, which is also an advantage. +First of all we shall need a flour-barrel top. This should be covered +with yellow cheesecloth drawn smooth and tight and tacked in place along +the outer edge. Measure with a rule to find the exact centre and make a +pencil mark on the cheesecloth at that point. Another mark is made above +this one, half way between it and the edge. A third mark is placed at +the right of the middle one and half way between it and the edge, as +well as one to the left and one below it at the same distance from the +centre. A large nail is driven into the barrel top at each of the five +marks (see Fig. 4). Two screw eyes are then put in at the top, about a +foot apart, so that it can be easily hung. Next draw on note paper that +is not too stiff the figures 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50. Make them about an +inch high and quite thick and go over them with ink. With a small pair +of scissors cut out these numbers and paste each under a nail, as shown +in Fig. 4. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4] + +Next there are the rings to be made. Follow the directions given on +pages 6 and 7, using No. 4 rattan instead of No. 6, and these rings +should only be two and a half inches across. Make three rings of each +colour, green, red and yellow, and the game is complete. + + +_To Play It_: + +Hang the barrel top on the wall or against a screen and see who can +throw the most rings on the nails standing six feet away. Each player +has three rings of a different colour, and each in turn throws his rings +at the mark. When he succeeds in tossing a ring on one of the nails he +scores as many points as the number under the nail indicates. + + +_How to Make a Cork Castle_ + + =Materials Required:= A number of old corks, the larger the + better, + A tube of glue, + A penknife, + A piece of pasteboard a foot square, + A sheet of dull green tissue paper. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5] + +Such fascinating castles can be made from old corks--or if you live near +a cork factory you can get plenty of odds and ends of cork bark that +will be even better for the purpose. With a penknife cut small bricks, +half an inch long by quarter of an inch wide and an eighth of an inch +thick. If you are planning a round tower, such as is shown in Fig. 5, +make the bricks in the wedge shape shown in Fig. 6. Cut them as nearly +alike as possible, but it will do no harm if they are not perfectly +regular; the castle will only look more ancient and interesting. It is +wonderful how much the bits of cork look like stone. + +When you have a good supply of bricks ready you may begin to build. Use +glue to stick the blocks together; the kind that comes in a tube is the +easiest and cleanest to handle. Leave spaces for doors and windows, and +for the roof use a large flat cork from a preserve jar. Mark it off into +battlements such as are shown in Fig. 5, and cut them out carefully. +Then glue the roof securely on the walls of the castle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6] + +Where shall we place it now that it is made? A green mountain side is a +good location for a castle, and it can be made quite easily. Bend a +piece of pasteboard about a foot square (an old box cover will do) into +dents that will almost break it, these look quite like hills and valleys +and sharp crags, especially when they have been covered with green +tissue paper. To do this spread a layer of paste or glue all over the +pasteboard and then press the paper upon it. If it wrinkles, so much the +better, for it will look more like grass and growing things. + + +_A Doll's Shaker Bonnet_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of fine straw about 4 x 6 inches, + Some scraps of plain-coloured china silk, + 1/2 yard of straw-coloured ribbon, 1/4 of an inch + wide, + 1/2 yard of narrow ribbon the colour of the china + silk, + A spool of straw-coloured sewing silk. + +[Illustration: FIG. 7] + +The daintiest little Shaker bonnet may be easily made by a little girl +to fit one of her dolls. From the brim of an old leghorn, or other fine +straw hat, cut two pieces, the shapes shown in Figs. 7 and 8. For a doll +six or eight inches long the front piece will need to be about five +inches long by an inch and a half wide. Bind the curved edge of the +front piece with the straw-coloured ribbon, sewing it through and +through with small stitches, using straw-coloured sewing silk. Sew one +edge of a piece of the straw-coloured ribbon close to the curved edge of +the back piece from A to AA (see Fig. 8). Mark, with a pencil, a dot at +the middle of the curved edge of the back portion and one at the middle +of the straight edge of the front part. Pin the two parts together at +these dots and sew the edges together. In doing this you will have to +turn back the ribbon which edges the back portion. Next bring the ribbon +forward to cover the rough edges of the straw where the two parts join +and sew its loose edge along on the front portion. Cut a piece of China +silk seven and three-quarters inches long by an inch and three-quarters +wide. Make a narrow hem all around it. A tiny pencil mark is then made +on the lower edge of the back piece and another at the middle of the +silk strip. Gather the silk just below the hem on the upper edge and sew +it to the lower edge of the bonnet at the back. Stitch a piece of narrow +ribbon eight inches long at each side of the front, for strings, and the +bonnet is done. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8] + + +_Leather and String Puzzle_ + + =Materials Required:= A strip of thick leather, 7 inches long + by 2 wide, + A piece of heavy linen string a foot long, + A knife. + +[Illustration: FIG. 9] + +With a sharp knife, a small strip of leather and a bit of strong string +any boy can make this simple puzzle. It is easier to make, however, than +it is to do, as the boy's friends will discover. Fig. 9 will show how it +is made. A strip of leather five and a half inches long, an inch and a +quarter wide at one end and five-eighths of an inch at the other, is +first cut. Then, starting at about five-eighths of an inch from the +narrow end, cut with a sharp knife two slits down the middle of the +piece three-eighths of an inch apart and three inches long. At +three-eighths of an inch from the wide end a small piece, one-quarter of +an inch square, is cut out of the middle of the strip (see Fig. 9). From +the scraps of leather remaining cut two pieces, each one inch long by +five-eighths of an inch wide. Make a hole in the middle of each. Then +pass a piece of stout linen cord eleven inches long back of the long, +open strip in the large piece of leather, leaving the ends of equal +length. Pass both ends down through the square hole and tie each of them +securely through the hole in the middle of one of the small pieces of +leather. This completes it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 10] + +The object is to try to get the string, with the small piece of leather +at either end, off the large piece of leather without cutting or untying +it. The only way to do this is shown in Fig. 10. Holding both ends of +the string, close to where it passes back of the narrow strip in the +middle of the large piece of leather, pull the strip out through the +small square hole. One of the small pieces of leather can then be +slipped through the loop thus formed, releasing the string. + + +_A Bed for a Little Doll_ + + =Materials Required:= An oblong pasteboard box an inch or more + longer than the doll it is to hold, + 1/2 yard of flowered or striped muslin, + 1/4 yard of blue and white seersucker or other + cotton, + Some cotton or wool wadding, + 1/2 yard of thin white cotton cloth, + 1/4 yard of outing flannel, + 1/4 yard of white piqué. + +Almost any little girl who chooses to do so can make this dainty bed for +one of her small dolls. She will only need an oblong pasteboard box with +a cover, and large enough to hold the doll comfortably. If mamma will +let her have some pieces of cotton, flowered, striped and plain and a +little cotton or wool wadding, she will have all the materials she +needs. + +First cut from blue and white striped cotton a bag the length and width +of the box. Stitch it neatly together around three sides, turn it right +side out and fill it with cotton or wool wadding. Turn in the edges on +the fourth side and sew them together over and over. With a darning +needle threaded with blue cotton or silk the mattress can be tufted here +and there. The needle is first run through to the under side, then one +little stitch is taken, bringing the thread back again to the right +side, where the two ends are tied tightly together and cut close to the +knot. If these tufts are made at equal distances, say one inch apart, +all over the mattress it will make it look very "real." + +[Illustration: FIG. 11] + +The pillow is made in the same way as the mattress, except that it is +not tufted. Cut the sheets and pillowcase from thin white cotton, +allowing enough for hems. Make the pillowcase a quarter of an inch +wider and about an inch and a quarter longer than the pillow. Stitch it +around both sides and on one end and hem the other end. Tiny blankets +may be cut from outing flannel, and a spread made from a piece of white +piqué or other thick white wash material. The bed can now be made up, +but it will look very plain. A fluffy canopy and valance (or flounce) of +flowered or striped white muslin will improve it wonderfully. The cover +is set on end and the head of the bedstead is pressed into it (see Fig. +11), making a frame for the canopy. Measure from the front corner of +this frame to the middle of the front and cut a piece of muslin half +again as wide as this measurement and long enough to reach from the top +of the frame to the bottom of the bed. Another piece the same size is +cut, and then both are turned in and gathered at the top, hemmed on the +other edges and sewed into place on the top edge of the canopy frame, so +that the two will meet in the middle. They are both looped back against +the front edge of the frame, see Fig. 11, and sewed there securely. The +valance or flounce around the lower part of the bed is cut wide enough +to allow for hemming at the bottom and to turn in at the top. It should +be long enough to reach once and a half around the bed. Turn in the +upper edge of the valance, gather it to fit the bed and pin it in +position. Then sew it with a strong needle and coarse thread on to the +box through and through. This makes as comfortable and pretty a bed as +dolly could wish. + + +_Floor Baseball_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of white chalk, + A piece of sheet lead, 2 by 2 inches, and as thick + as a fifty-cent piece, + 3 or 4 strands of scarlet raffia, + A tapestry needle, + A gimlet. + +This is a delightful game for a rainy day, and the preparations for it +are very simple. In fact, when you have fashioned the disk of lead with +a raffia covering, there is nothing to provide but a piece of chalk. You +can buy, from almost any plumber or tinsmith, for a few cents, a scrap +of sheet lead two or three inches square and about as thick as a half +dollar. Upon this piece of lead lay a half dollar, draw around it with a +pencil and cut out the circle with a sharp, strong pair of scissors. It +cuts as easily as cardboard of the same thickness. Bore a hole +one-quarter of an inch across through the centre of the disk with a +gimlet or sharp-pointed awl. It is possible to use the disk just as it +is, but it makes less noise if it is covered with raffia. To do this, +thread a worsted (or tapestry) needle with raffia--the grass-like +material that you have seen used for making baskets. Tie the other end +of the raffia through the disk, as shown in Fig. 12 A, put the needle +down through the hole in the centre, up through the loop in the raffia +(see Fig. 12 B) and pull your strand up close to the edge. This will +make a stitch like that shown in Fig. 12 C--what sailors call a half +hitch and mothers a buttonhole stitch. Make more of these stitches +around the disk, until finally it is entirely covered (see Fig. 13). If +the strand of raffia gives out before the disk is covered sew the short +end through the last two or three stitches on the edge of the disk and +start a new piece by bringing the end through the last stitch on the +edge. The short ends of both strands should be covered with the +buttonhole stitches as you go on. + +[Illustration: FIG. 12 A] + +[Illustration: FIG. 12 B] + +[Illustration: FIG. 12 C] + +[Illustration: FIG. 13] + +Now mark the diagram shown in Fig. 14 on the playroom floor with chalk, +making the diamond two feet long by a foot and a half wide. In the +centre of it is a circle, four inches across, which is home. Each player +takes his turn at throwing the disk, standing on a line eight feet away. +If he throws the disk into the space marked 1 he counts that he has a +man on first base; if on 2, that he has one on second; and if on H, a +home run is counted. If by chance with his first and second throws he +puts the disk into 2 and 3 and with the third throw sends it into H he +will have three runs to his credit. Should he throw the disk into F he +loses one point from his score, and when he has thrown the disk outside +the diamond three times he is out. + +[Illustration: FIG. 14] + + +_A Rug for the Doll's House_ + + =Materials Required:= A small wooden frame, + A piece of cream-coloured canvas, + A ball of dull green worsted, + A ball of cream white worsted, + A steel crochet needle, No. 2. + +Hooked rugs such as our grandmothers used to make are great fun to do. +Why should not a little girl make one of finer materials for the floor +of her doll's house? Either an empty slate frame or a wooden frame such +as is sold by dealers in kindergarten supplies for chair caning will do +very well to hold the canvas of which the rug is made. Instead of strips +of woolen we shall use worsted of various colours, and a strong steel +crochet needle will be needed for "hooking." + +When you have decided upon the size of the rug you wish to make cut a +piece of canvas an inch wider and longer than it is to be, and make a +hem a quarter of an inch wide all around it. With a needleful of white +linen thread sew the rug into the frame, taking the stitches through the +edge of the canvas and around the frame until it is securely fastened +in. Suppose a green rug is planned, with a group of white stripes at +each end. It will be well to mark on the canvas where the stripes are to +run before beginning the work. The worsted should be wound into balls. + +Starting with an end of the green worsted, at the lower right side of +the frame, hold it under the rug and hook it up through the canvas with +the crochet needle. Draw up a long enough end so that it can be cut off +when the rug is finished and leave a thick texture. Do not make all the +loops the same height, for if now and then one is left too low to cut +with the others it will make the rug wear better. One after another of +these loops is drawn through the canvas, leaving two threads of canvas +between every two loops, in a straight line across the rug. When the +edge of the rug is reached a row is made above the one just finished, +bringing the worsted from left to right. So it goes on till the rug is +finished, only changing the ball of green worsted for a white one when +it is time to make the stripes. After the hooking is done, the tops of +the longer loops are cut off with a sharp pair of scissors, so as to +make a smooth, soft rug. It will wear better if it is lined. + +When you have completed this rug you may want to make others with +patterns woven into them. Draw the pattern on the canvas with a soft +lead pencil and it will be quite easy to work. + + + + +Basket Weaving + + + + +CHAPTER III + +BASKET WEAVING + + +The rattan of which the baby's go-cart and mother's armchair are woven +came from a far-away forest in India. Troops of monkeys may have swung +upon the very pieces on which your baby brother is bouncing, for the +rattan hung from tree to tree in long festoons. One day some brown +natives cut it down and stripped it of its leaves. It was then packed in +bundles and sent to this country. The hard, shiny bark cut into strips +has been woven into cane seats for chairs, and the inner part or core of +the rattan was cut by a machine into the round strands that you see in +wicker furniture. + +It takes a man's strong hands to weave great armchairs and baby +carriages, but boys and girls can make charming little mats and baskets +as well as tiny chairs and tables for the doll's house, and other +interesting things. Dealers in kindergarten supplies sell the rattan in +different sizes, from No. 00, which is as fine as cord, to No. 7 or No. +8, which is almost as thick as rope. You will only need the medium +sizes, Nos. 2, 3 and 4, for your weaving, with some raffia--the soft but +strong fibre that the gardener uses for tying up his plants. This you +will also find at the kindergarten-supply store. A pair of shears, a +yardstick and an awl are the only tools you will need. + +[Illustration: FIG. 15. TWIST OF RATTAN] + +Rattan comes in long skeins or twists (see Fig. 15). Always draw it out +from the loop end, so that it will not get tangled and break. Two sizes +of rattan are generally used in making a basket, the thicker for the +spokes or ribs and the fine for the weavers. Both must be soaked in warm +water to make them soft and pliable. + +As many spokes as are needed are first cut the required length and tied +together with a piece of raffia. The weavers are then coiled into rings, +so that they also can be soaked. This is done as follows: Starting near +one end of a length of rattan, coil it into a ring. Twist the short end +around this ring once or twice to hold it (see Fig. 16). Coil the rest +of the strand into rings, one above the other, and twist the other end +of the rattan around them all until they are held securely. Have ready a +basin or pail of warm water--not hot--and let the spokes and weaver soak +in it for ten or fifteen minutes. + +[Illustration: FIG. 16] + +Suppose we begin with a mat, which is started, just as the baskets are, +at the centre. + + +_A Mat or Stand for a Teapot_ + + =Materials Required:= 4 12-inch spokes of No. 4 rattan, + 1 7-inch spoke of No. 4 rattan, + 1 weaver of No. 2 rattan. + +Feel the ends of your weavers and you will find that some are stiff +while others are almost as soft and pliable as cord. Choose a soft one +to start the mat. The four spokes arranged in pairs are crossed in the +centre, the vertical ones being above the others, or nearer to you. +Place the short spoke, seven inches long, between the upper parts of +these vertical spokes. They are held in position by the left hand, which +is, as always, the one that holds, while the right is the weaving hand. +An end of the weaver (which has first been unwound) is placed along the +horizontal spokes, back of the vertical ones, with its tip toward the +right. The forefinger of the right hand now presses the weaver across +the vertical spokes and down behind the horizontal ones on the right +(thus binding the end of the weaver securely), next over the lower +vertical spokes and behind the horizontal ones on the left (see Fig. +17). This is repeated, and then, starting with the upper vertical +spokes, the spokes are separated and the weaving begins (see Fig. 18). +If you want to do close, even work, do not pull the rattan as you weave, +but _press_ it with the forefinger, under and over the spokes as close +to the work as possible. The spokes should be very evenly separated, +for upon this much of the beauty and strength of your baskets will +depend. Think of the regular spaces between the spokes of a wheel and +how much trouble one badly placed spoke would make. When there is just +enough weaver left to go around once, the edge is bound off. This is +very much like overcasting. + +[Illustration: FIG. 17] + +[Illustration: FIG. 18] + +After going under one spoke and over another, the weaver is passed under +the last row of weaving just before it reaches the next spoke. It then +goes behind that spoke, in front of the next and under the last row of +weaving before the next spoke. When a row of this binding has been made +around the edge the mat is finished with the following border: Cut the +spokes all the same length, not straight across but slanting, so as to +make a point that can easily be pushed down between the weaving. Then +hold them in water for a few minutes. When they are quite pliable the +first spoke (any one you choose to begin with) is pushed down between +the rows of weaving beside the one to the left of it or spoke No. 2. No. +2 is pushed down beside the next one to the left, No. 3, and so on all +the way around the mat. Take care that at least an inch of each spoke is +pressed below the edge of the mat. + + +_Small Candy Basket_ + + =Materials Required:= 4 14-inch spokes of No. 4 rattan, + 1 8 inch spoke of No. 4 rattan, + 2 weavers of No. 2 rattan. + +This little basket may be woven of rattan in the natural colour and +afterward dyed or gilded, or one can buy the rattan already coloured. + +Weave a bottom like the beginning of the mat, and when it measures two +inches in diameter (that is, from side to side, across the centre), wet +the spokes and turn them up. The spokes should be turned up away from +you, for the side toward the person weaving is always the outside of the +basket and the weaving should go from left to right--as you read. Bend +them over the middle finger so that the sides of the basket will be +curved. + +[Illustration: Basket weaving] + +Place the bottom of the basket on your knee, with the side which in +starting was toward you turned down and the spokes bent upward, and do +the weaving of the sides in that position. In joining a new weaver lay +it across the end of the old one, back of a spoke (see Fig. 19). + +[Illustration: FIG. 19. JOINING WEAVERS] + +The weaver at first should not be drawn too tight, but allowed to go +easily, though it must be pressed closely down upon the row beneath it. +When about three-quarters of an inch has been woven up the sides, the +spokes are drawn gradually closer together by a slight tightening of the +weaver, and this should be continued until an inch more has been woven. +Bind off and finish with this border. The spokes for the border should +measure at least four inches from the last row of weaving to the end of +the spoke. Cut and soak as described in the directions for making a mat. +Spoke No. 1 crosses the next one on the left, or No. 2, and is pushed +down beside the next spoke, No. 3. No. 2 crosses No. 3 and is pushed +down beside No. 4, and so on around the basket. + + +_Doll's Table of Rattan_ + + =Materials Required:= 6 22-inch spokes of No. 3 rattan, + 1 12-inch spoke of No. 3 rattan, + 1 weaver of No. 2 rattan, + A piece of fine wire, 4 or 5 inches long, + Several strands of raffia, + An awl. + +Perhaps you did not think it was as interesting to make a mat as to +weave baskets, but you will be glad you know how to do it when you see +some of the things that can be made with mats. For example, this dear +little wicker table, just the size for a doll's house and the shape for +an afternoon tea. + +Two groups of spokes, one of three and the other of three and a half, +are crossed in the centre. The short spoke should be put between two +others, never on the outside of a group. The mat is woven like the other +mat and basket until it is three and a half inches in diameter, when the +edge is bound off. Bring each spoke across the next one and press it +down beside the next, as in the border of the basket, except that the +long end is not cut off, but brought out between the fourth and fifth +rows of weaving on the under side of the mat. The loops of the border +are drawn in so that they will not be more than a quarter of an inch +beyond the weaving. The long ends of the spokes (which are to form the +legs of the table) are brought together and bound with a piece of fine +wire just under the centre. Separate them into three groups of four +spokes each. The odd spoke is either cut off or whittled very thin and +bound in with one of the three groups. A strand of raffia is now doubled +around two or three spokes, above the wire binding, and wound tightly +around one of the groups until it has covered two inches, from the +binding down. At the end a half hitch or one buttonhole stitch is made, +to keep the raffia from slipping. It is then wound up again to the top. +The raffia is brought down the second leg as far as the first one was +wound; here it is turned with a half hitch and brought up again in the +same way. The third leg is also wound down and up again, with a half +hitch at the bottom to hold it. After this third leg has been covered +the raffia is brought in and out between the legs, where they separate, +in order to spread them more. It is then tied and the ends are cut +close. Finally the spokes at the end of each leg are cut slanting so +that the table will stand firmly. + + +_Doll's Chair of Rattan_ + + =Materials Required:= 6 20-inch spokes of No. 3 rattan, + 1 11-inch spoke of No. 3 rattan, + 4 10-inch spokes of No. 3 rattan, + 1 piece of No. 3 rattan about 9 inches long, + 2 weavers of No. 2 rattan, + Several strands of raffia, + An awl. + +Would you like to make a tiny high-backed chair to use with the tea +table in the doll's house? It is only a trifle more difficult to make +than the table. + +Two groups of twenty-inch spokes of No. 3 rattan, one having three and +the other three and a half spokes in it, are crossed at the centre, +bound around twice with a weaver of No. 2 rattan and woven into a mat +three inches in diameter. After binding off the edge the following +border is made: Each spoke is brought down beside the next one, as in +the border of the mat, except that the long end is drawn out between the +second and third rows of weaving on the under side of the mat. When all +the spokes have been brought out in this way underneath the mat, or +seat, the four groups of three spokes each which are to form the legs +are so divided that the vertical spokes in the centre of the chair seat +shall run toward the front and back of the seat. The thirteenth spoke is +whittled to a thin point and bound in with one of the other groups, +which are wound with raffia down to the end, turned with a half hitch +and brought up again. A neat way to start the raffia is to thread it +across a row of weaving in the chair seat, just above the group it is to +bind. + +A piece of No. 3 rattan about nine inches long is coiled into a ring and +held within the space enclosed by the legs, about half way down, where +it is wound around with a strand of raffia and bound securely to each +leg. + +The back of the chair is formed by inserting four spokes of No. 3 +rattan, ten inches long, beside those in the seat, at that part of the +seat which has been chosen for the back. To do this push a sharp pointed +awl in between the weaving, beside a spoke, draw it out and you will +have made room for the new spoke to run in. Bend the spokes up and weave +back and forth upon them with a No. 2 weaver, turning on the outside +spokes. Needless to say, the weaver must be very soft and pliable in +order to make these sharp turns. You will find that you can make almost +any kind of a back you choose. + +If you decide to make an oval-shaped back, then when you have woven it +high enough, bring each of the outside spokes over and down beside the +other one, running it in between the weaving. The inner spokes are +crossed at the centre and run down beside the outer spokes. To make an +armchair insert six spokes instead of four at the back of the seat and +weave the outer spokes in with the others for a few rows. They are then +bent over and forward to form the arms. Each is cut to the desired +length and run in beside one of the side spokes in the seat. + + +_A Bird's Nest_ + + =Materials Required:= 8 18-inch spokes of No. 3 rattan, + 1 10-inch spoke of No. 3 rattan, + 1 1/2 weavers of No. 2 rattan, + A bunch of raffia + A tapestry needle, No. 18. + +At the Bird Market in Paris charming little nests are sold, woven of +rushes on spokes of brown twigs, in the shape of an Indian tepee. They +are intended for caged birds, who cannot build their own nests of sticks +and grass and horsehair from the fields and wayside. Some free birds +like them, too--wrens, for example. + +A boy or girl who has made the mat and basket and doll's furniture will +have no difficulty in weaving one of these nests. Then there will be the +delight of hanging it in a tree (not too near the house) and watching to +see what bird will choose it when nesting time comes. + +[Illustration: FIG. 20] + +Let us weave a nest that shall be light and yet firm. Spokes of rattan +will give it strength and weavers of raffia will make it soft and +comfortable. Two groups of spokes, one of four and the other of four and +a half, are crossed at the centre, bound three times with a strand of +raffia and woven into a bottom an inch and a half across. Another weaver +is then added and an inch of pairing is made. Pairing, or _bam tush_, as +the Indians call it, is a simple stitch. Two weavers are started, each +one behind a spoke (see Fig. 20). The one on the left is brought over +the first spoke, under the next and down in front. It is now the turn of +the second weaver, which also passes over the first spoke on its right, +under the next and outside, where it is held down in front while the +other weaver repeats the process. So it goes on around the nest. The +spokes are then wet so that the bottom may be formed into a bowl shape, +with sides rounding up from the very centre. A row of pairing in No. 2 +rattan is next woven to hold the slippery raffia in place. This is +followed by five-eighths of an inch of raffia woven in pairing, the +sides still being flared. Two rows of pairing in No. 2 rattan are then +woven, drawing the spokes in very slightly. At this point, which is the +widest, the nest should measure eleven inches around the top. A row of +under and over weaving is started, and at the place which has been +chosen for the doorway the weaver is doubled back on a spoke and woven +from right to left until it comes to the second spoke to the right of +the one it first doubled around. It is brought around this spoke, thus +making the beginning of a doorway, which has an unused spoke in the +centre of it. The weaver then returns to the spoke it first doubled +around, where it doubles back again. This is repeated until the doorway +is an inch and a quarter high. Two rows of pairing in No. 2 rattan are +then woven all the way around, forming a firm top for the doorway, where +they cross it. The spokes are drawn in closer and closer with rows of +pairing in raffia, until, when an inch and a half has been woven, they +meet at the top. The ends of the spokes are left uneven lengths and +bound around with a strand of raffia threaded through a tapestry needle. + +A loop to hang it by is made of two strands of raffia, five and a half +inches long, covered close with buttonhole stitch in raffia. The spoke +in the centre of the doorway should be cut at the lower part of the +opening, just above the weaving, and after it has been wet until quite +pliable it is bent and pressed up between the weaving beside the upper +part of the same spoke. + + + + +Knots with Raffia and Cord + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +KNOTS WITH RAFFIA AND CORD + + +Sailors' knots are of course fascinating to boys, but why should not +girls enjoy making them, too? Think of the dolls' hammocks, the work +bags and twine ball nets one can make, and think of being able to tie a +good, square knot--one that will hold--instead of the "granny knots" +that brothers and boy cousins laugh at! + +[Illustration: FIG. 21] + +Of course you know how to tie the simplest knot of all--the one shown in +Fig. 21. Let us call it the loop knot, for it is made by tying the ends +of a strand together to form a loop. You have used it often for that +purpose, I am sure, and sometimes to tie two pieces of string together. +You can make a pretty and useful sponge bag of raffia in the natural +colour with this knot. The wet sponge will not hurt the raffia, and in +such an open bag the air soon dries it. + + +_Knotted Sponge Bag_ + + =Materials Required:= 25 strands of raffia, + A length of No. 5 rattan, + A tapestry needle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 22] + +Roll a length of No. 5 rattan into a ring, as described on page 38, so +that it can be soaked in warm water till it is pliable. Cut it into +three pieces, each forty-seven inches long. Tie an end of one of these +pieces into a ring seven inches in diameter and twist the long end in +and out once around this (see Fig. 22). At the end of this row the ends, +where they meet, should overlap an inch. If they are longer, cut them +off with a slanting cut and tie them tightly together with a piece of +raffia. Two more rings, the same size as the first one, are made with +the other pieces of rattan. Hang one of the rings where you can reach it +easily, on a low bedpost, for example. Double a strand of raffia and tie +it through the ring as shown in Fig. 21, drawing the knot up quite +close. Twenty-two strands are knotted on in this way. Space them along +the ring about an inch apart, and, beginning with any pair of strands, +tie the right-hand one with the nearest strand of the next pair on the +right, making an even mesh at an inch from the first row of knots. +Continue this all around the ring, when you will have made one row. Ten +more rows are knotted in this way. Then bring the ends of all the +strands straight down together and tie them below the centre of the ring +with a piece of raffia. The ends are cut off evenly at about two inches +and a half from where they were tied, to form a tassel. + +The two other rings are used for the handles of the bag. Lay one of them +against the ring at the top of the bag so that the places where the +rings are tied will come together. Thread a tapestry needle with raffia +and bind the rings together with buttonhole stitch for an inch. Then sew +through and through the binding to make it secure and cut the end close +to the ring. The other ring handle is bound to the opposite side of the +top ring in the same way. + + +_A Doll's Hammock_ + + =Materials Required:= 14 strands of raffia, + A tapestry needle. + +Even simpler to make than the sponge bag is a doll's hammock of raffia. +It is knotted in just the same way. + +[Illustration: FIG. 23] + +Lay twelve strands of raffia evenly together. Bend them to find the +middle, or "middle them," as the sailors say. Lay the short end of +another piece of raffia on the middle of the twelve strands, with its +tip turning toward the left, and wind the long end round and round from +right to left, binding them together for two and three-quarter inches. +Bring the two ends of this binding together to form a loop, wind a +strand of raffia tightly around them (see Fig. 23), and tie the ends +securely. You will then have twenty-four ends to knot together, two and +two, as the knots in the bag were made. Pin the loop on the cushion of a +chair or tie it to a low hook or to the doorknob, so that you can pull +the strands taut. The first row of knots is tied about two inches from +the loop and after that the rows are only an inch apart. The finishing +of the edge of the hammock is of course different from the bag. + +[Illustration: FIG. 24] + +It is done in this way: In starting the second row of knots the left +strand in the first pair is of course left untied, and, after knotting +the row across, the right strand of the last pair is also left free. +When the third row is started the loose strand on the left side of the +hammock is knotted in with the left one in the first pair of strands in +this row (see Fig. 24). In other words, the strands which are left +untied at each side of the hammock when the second, fourth, sixth and +all the even numbered rows have been knotted, are tied in with the +outside strands in the next uneven numbered row. To make a hammock for a +little doll thirteen rows of knotting will be enough. When the last row +has been tied bring the ends of the strands together, start a new strand +at two inches from the last row of knots, and bind the ends together +tightly for two and three-quarter inches to make a loop like the one at +the other end. After the loop is finished cut the ends close to the +binding, and with a tapestry needle threaded in the end of the binding +strand sew it through and through, to secure it, and cut its end close +to the binding. + + +_How to Tie a Square or Reef Knot_ + +[Illustration: FIG. 25] + +Once upon a time a little girl was carrying a bundle of cookies by the +string, when suddenly the knot slipped and the cookies rolled in every +direction, over the sidewalk and into the street. If the baker's wife +had known how to tie a square knot instead of that useless "granny," the +accident would never have happened. I wonder if you have ever had an +experience of this kind. If so, I am sure you will like to learn how to +tie the ends of a piece of string together so that they cannot slip. + +[Illustration: FIG. 26] + +Take the ends of a piece of string, one in each hand. Cross them and +bring the upper end down under the long end of the other piece (see Fig. +25). Now turn it back in the opposite direction above the first part of +the knot, to make a loop, and pass the other end down through it (see +Fig. 26). In this way each end of the string will come out beside its +own beginning. + + +_Two Hitches_ + +There is no simple knot that you will find more useful than the half +hitch. It is described in the directions for making the game of Floor +Baseball in Chapter II. Two of these half hitches, side by side, are +called by sailors a "clove hitch." In making nets this clove hitch is +used to attach the first row of meshes to the top line or head rope, as +it is called. + +[Illustration: FIG. 27] + +Another use for the half hitch is in the process that sailors call +"kackling" (see Fig. 27). This is used to prevent two ropes from rubbing +against one another, or chafing. A beautiful handle for a basket or bag +may be made with this knot. + +[Illustration: FIG. 28] + +[Illustration: FIG. 29] + +[Illustration: FIG. 30] + +Take two pieces of rope and some light cord, or, if it is to be the +handle of a basket, two pieces of heavy rattan, No. 5, and some No. 00 +rattan with which to do the knotting. If you use the rattan be sure to +soak it for ten minutes in warm water and choose a soft piece of the +fine rattan for knotting. Hold the heavy pieces of rattan side by side, +lay an end of the fine rattan upon them at the middle (see Fig. 28), +with its tip turning toward the left, and hold it there with the left +hand, while with the right you bring the long end up and around both of +the large pieces of rattan up and under the short end of the fine piece. +It is then brought down and around the two large pieces of rattan and +the end is passed down through the loop made in starting the hitch (see +Fig. 29). Draw the tying strand up tight and bring the long end up and +around the large pieces of rattan and up under the loop it left in +starting (see Fig. 30). Take care to keep the fine rattan wet so that it +will be very pliable; if it dries it will surely crack as you tie it. + + +_Net Making_ + +If you would like to make a ping-pong net or a net for crabbing, you +will find it quite easy to do and very interesting. After you have made +these small nets you may feel like trying a tennis net if you have +plenty of time and patience. + +[Illustration: FIG. 31] + +At a hardware store you can buy tightly twisted cord of the size you +wish to use in making your net. It is generally sold by weight. If you +are planning to make a ping-pong or tennis net you will also need a +heavy piece of cord for the head rope. A crab net would of course be +netted on to an iron ring attached to a long wooden handle. A needle +such as is shown in Fig. 31 may be made quite easily by any boy who can +whittle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 32] + +When you have wound your cord on the needle, stretch the head rope taut +between two convenient points, the backs of two chairs, for example, and +begin at the left by tying one end of the cord to it. Make a loop the +size you wish the mesh to be and fasten the cord to the head rope with a +clove hitch, or two half hitches (see Fig. 32). When you have worked as +far as you wish, get on the other side of the net and work back again. +This row of meshes and all that follow after are made by fastening them +to the upper row with a sheet bend (see Fig. 32). After the second row +is finished come around to the other side again and knot the third row. +When the net is wide enough knot it to a piece of rope the size of the +head rope with a row of clove hitches. + + +_The Weaver's Knot_ + +[Illustration: FIG. 33] + +In weaving bead chains on a loom, and in doing other things, you will +often need to tie a new piece of thread or cord to a very short end. The +weavers have a knot they use for this purpose, and as it is a simple one +perhaps you would like to learn it. Hold the old end in a vertical +position (that is, as if it were standing up), lay the new piece back of +it, its short end turning toward the left and reaching an inch or more +beyond the vertical thread. Bring the long end around in front of the +vertical thread, up back of its own short end on the left and across in +front of the vertical thread (see Fig. 33). All these threads are held +in position by the fingers and thumbs of the left hand, while the right +hand brings the thread around. The vertical or old end is now turned +down through the loop in front of it and there held by the thumb, while +with the fingers of both hands the long and short ends of the new +thread are pulled up tight. + + +_Turk's Head_ + +There is a beautiful knot called by sailors a "Turk's head." Girls will +find that they can make the prettiest buttons imaginable with it, using +silk cord of any colour, and both boys and girls will enjoy making +napkin rings of rattan with a more open arrangement of the same knot. + +[Illustration: FIG. 34] + +[Illustration: FIG. 35] + +To make a button take a yard of cord, and at about four inches from one +end bend it into a loop (like the one shown in Fig. 34), about half an +inch across. The long end should come above the short one. Next make a +second loop lying above and to the left of the first one (see Fig. 35), +bringing the long end under the short one left in starting. The long +end is then brought over the left side of the second loop, under the +left side of the first loop, over the right side of the second loop, +under the right side of the first and around to the beginning, inside of +the short end (see Fig. 36). This makes one row, or the beginning of the +button. If you have a bodkin with a large eye, the long end of the cord +can be threaded into it and this will make the work easier. The next row +follows the first one exactly--close to it and always on the inside. +When the cord has followed in this way four times, to complete four rows +(keeping the button form always in mind and moulding the cord into that +shape), a firm little button will have been made. + +[Illustration: FIG. 36] + + +_Napkin Ring_ + + =Material Required:= 1 length of No. 4 rattan. + +[Illustration: At the top of the plate is the beginning of a ping-pong +net. Below it at the right is the Turk's-head knot. Still lower the +knotted raffia work bag hangs. On the left is swung a doll's hammock of +knotted raffia and above it a rattan napkin ring, made with the +Turk's-head knot] + +With a piece of rattan in the natural colour or a length of coloured +rattan you can make a useful and very pretty napkin ring by following +the directions just given, with only one change. In beginning the second +row (shown in Fig. 36), the long end is brought to the left or outside +of the short end and continues around on that side. Five rows may be +made instead of four. Keep the ring form in mind all the time, have the +rattan wet and pliable and mould it into the shape of a ring, keeping +the top and bottom as nearly the same size as possible. + + +_Green Raffia Work Bag_ + + =Materials Required:= A bunch of green raffia, + A length of No. 5 green rattan, + A tapestry needle. + + +_A Tapestry Needle_ + +When your mother was a little girl her mother used to make with linen +twine a kind of coarse, heavy lace called macramé. One of the knots she +used was called "Solomon's knot," and that is the one you will use if +you decide to make this work bag. A length of No. 4 rattan and a bunch +of raffia, both in a soft shade of green, will be needed. These you can +buy of a dealer in basket materials for a few cents. Twist three rings +like those for the upper edge and handles of the sponge bag described +in the first part of this chapter. Hang one of these rings on a low +bedpost or on a hook placed so that you can reach it easily when seated. +Take two strands of raffia, double them around the ring, and with the +four ends thus made tie a Solomon's knot as follows: Hold the two upper +strands straight and taut. Bend the under strand on the left across them +to the right (see Fig. 37), and bring the under strand on the right over +the end of the left strand, back of the middle strands and through the +loop made by the left strand in starting. Another pair of strands is +knotted on in the same way, and another, until there are twenty-two +groups around the ring. Starting anywhere on the ring, the two strands +on the right of a group are brought beside the two on the left of the +next group to the right. The middle pair of these four strands are held +straight down, while the strands on the right and left are tied upon +them in a Solomon's knot. This knot should be half an inch from those in +the first row. Make a double knot this time as follows: After tying the +knot (shown in Fig. 37), take the end which is on the right after the +first knot has tied, bring it over to the left, above the middle +strands, and bring the one on the left down over the end of the strand +which was on the right, back of the two middle strands and up through +the loop left in starting the right strand (see Fig. 38). The whole row +is made in this way. Ten rows are knotted, each one about half an inch +from the row above. The bag is finished in the same way as the sponge +bag, with a tassel and two handles. If you choose you can line it with +silk of the same colour as the raffia, or, if it is to be used for a +duster bag or to hold grandmother's knitting, it will not need a lining. + +[Illustration: FIG. 37] + +[Illustration: FIG. 38] + + + + +What a Child Can Do with Beads + + + + +CHAPTER V + +WHAT A CHILD CAN DO WITH BEADS + + +Long, long ago when the world was young, the child who wished for a gay +and pretty necklace for her little brown throat strung berries and seeds +or pieces of shell and bone that her father ground smooth by hand and +pierced for stringing. For thread there were grasses and fibres of +plants or sinews of deer. + +Indian children sometimes used beads of clay, and so did the little +Egyptians, for the fine clay by the river Nile made beautiful beads, as +well as pottery. The children of the North--the little Esquimaux--had +beads of amber, and the Indian tribes farther south strung shells that +look so much like the teeth of animals one can hardly believe they are +anything else. Look for them at the Natural History Museum and you will +see that this is so. + +Nowadays there are of course many more kinds of beads--beads of glass, +china, gold and silver, and even of semi-precious stones. After all, +though, the child who lives in the country or by the sea can gather the +most interesting kind of all--such as were strung by those children who +lived so long ago--seeds, berries, shells and seaweed. Gather them on a +sunshiny day and store them away for use in the dull hours when you are +obliged to be indoors. + +The seeds of muskmelons are soft enough to pierce; watermelon seeds will +take more effort and a stronger needle. Then there are the orange +berries of bittersweet and the red ones of holly. Haws or hawthorn +berries are a beautiful red, too, and perhaps you will find in a +neighbour's garden a bush of Job's tears--gray, white or brown. The +grape-like seaweed which bursts with a pop when you step on it makes +very pretty beads. Cut each one close to the bulb, yet far enough to +leave a short piece of the stem on each side of the bead. Pierce the +bulbs while they are still wet, and after they have dried for a few days +they will be ready to string. Apple and flax seeds, beans and peas +before they have dried, make excellent beads. A few of the small glass +beads which come in bunches may be used with these natural beads, and +will set them off wonderfully. Although they are usually sold in +bunches, eight skeins to a bunch, the skeins can sometimes be bought +separately. Olive-green crystal beads of the size that dealers call No. +3-0 are beautiful with red berries, and what could be prettier to string +with brown seeds or Job's tears than gold-lined crystal beads? Let us +use them in making a chain for a muff or fan. + + +_Muff Chain in Brown and Gold_ + + =Materials Required:= 12 brown seeds or Job's tears, + A bunch of gold-lined crystal beads, No. 3-0, + A spool of No. 60 white linen thread, + A No. 5 needle. + +Have you ever seen any Job's tears--the interesting tear-shaped seeds of +an East Indian grass? It grows very well in this climate, and you may +like to raise it yourself. Think of being able to pick beads from a +plant of your own! + +Be careful to boil these beads before stringing, for a little grub +sometimes lives in them, and he may appear when you least expect him or +may even make a meal of the thread on which the beads are strung. If you +have not the Job's tears, apple seeds will look almost as well, or you +can buy at the grocer's whole allspice. Use a No. 5 needle and a piece +of No. 60 white linen thread four inches longer than you wish the chain +to be when it is finished; two yards and a quarter is a good length. + +String a seed and draw it down to the middle of the thread, then string +some of the gold-lined crystal beads for about three-quarters of an +inch. A seed is next threaded on, and then quarter of an inch of +gold-lined beads. Keep on in this way, first threading a seed and then +quarter of an inch of gold-lined beads, until there are only two inches +of the thread left. Tie this end through a bead to keep the others from +slipping off. Thread your needle with the other end of the strand and +start by stringing three-quarters of an inch of the gold-lined beads, +then a seed and quarter of an inch of gold-lined beads. When this end of +the strand has been strung--just as the other was--to within two inches +of the tip, tie the two ends together and the chain is finished. + + +_Raffia and Bead Chain_ + + =Materials Required:= 2 strands of rose-pink raffia, + A bunch of large rose-pink crystal beads, + 2 fine darning needles. + +[Illustration: FIG. 38A] + +Another pretty and simple chain is made of large rose-pink crystal beads +strung on pink raffia; or you can use seeds or berries instead of the +crystal beads, in which case the raffia will have to be split. Tie the +strands of raffia together at one end, and on each of the other ends +thread a fine darning needle. String one bead, then pass both needles +through a single bead and through another and another (see Fig. 38a). +Two beads are then slipped on each strand (see Fig. 38a). Next both +needles pass through three beads, and so on to the end of the chain. Tie +the ends securely. + + +_Double Chain of Seeds and Beads_ + + =Materials Required:= A bunch of crystal beads, letter E, + 25 large beads of a deeper shade or the same + number of seeds or berries, + A spool of No. 60 white linen thread, + A No. 5 needle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 39] + +A double chain like the one shown in Fig 39 may be made of crystal E +beads strung with seeds or larger beads of a deeper shade. Measure off a +piece of white linen thread, No. 60, double the length you wish the +chain to be. Three yards twenty-two inches will make a chain sixty-five +inches long, which is a good size. In one end of it thread a No. 5 +needle and string one large bead, or seed, which should be pushed down +to the middle of the strand. Here it may be tied, to hold it in place. +Next string two inches and a half of E beads, then another large bead, +or seed, and so on to the end of the strand, where the tip is tied +through the last bead. The other end of the strand is then threaded and +two inches and a half of the E beads are strung, the needle passes +through the next large bead on the end first strung (see Fig 39), and +two and a half inches more of the E beads are threaded. So it goes on to +the end of the chain--the needle always passing through the next large +bead on the strand already strung, after two inches and a half of E +beads have been threaded. + + +_Braided Raffia Chain_ + + =Materials Required:= 3 strands of pale green raffia, + 66 darker green crystal beads, No. 0. + +[Illustration: FIG 40.] + +A braided raffia chain with a cluster of three crystal beads every few +inches is so simple that any little girl can make it. Choose pale green +raffia and beads of a deeper shade, and it will look like clover leaves +on their stems. String twenty-two of the green crystal beads, No. 0 +size, on a strand of split raffia. On two other strands thread the same +number of beads. Tie the thin end of each piece around the last bead, so +that it cannot slip off. The other ends are all tied together. Now pin +the knot securely to a cushion, or tie it to a hook at a convenient +height and braid the three strands together closely and evenly for about +two inches. Then slip a bead from each piece up close to the work and +braid it in as shown in Fig. 40. This will make a clover leaf. After +braiding two inches more slip another bead on each strand up close to +the work and make another leaf. When it is finished tie the ends +together securely. + + +_A Daisy Chain_ + + =Materials Required:= Half a bunch of olive green opaque beads, + No. 3-0, + Half a bunch of milk white beads, No. 0, + 1 skein yellow crystal E beads, + A spool of No. 60 white linen thread, + A No. 5 needle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 41] + +Next best to making a daisy chain out-of-doors is to string one of +beads. And this rainy-day chain will last as many months as the real +chain would hours. First string sixteen green beads, then eight white +ones. Run the needle down through the first white bead and string a +yellow one. Next pass the needle through the fifth white bead (see Fig. +41) and draw the thread up tightly. This makes a daisy. String another +stem of sixteen green beads and make a daisy as you did the first one. +The whole chain is strung in this way. + + +_Chain of Watermelon Seeds Strung With Beads_ + + =Materials Required:= 120 fresh watermelon seeds, + A bunch of pink crystal E beads, + A spool of No. 60 white linen thread, + A No. 5 needle. + +A chain that is very pretty and effective may be made with watermelon +seeds and pink crystal E beads, the colour of the inside of a +watermelon. The seeds can be pierced quite easily with a No. 5 needle. +Take two pieces of white linen thread, well waxed, the length you wish +the chain to be, and two needles. Tie an E bead on the end of each piece +of thread. Lay them side by side and string four more E beads on the +strand at the right. Pass the needle on the left up through the three +middle beads of the five on the right strand (see Fig. 42), and string +one more E bead. Next thread a seed on each strand and string the E +beads in the same way. So it goes on for the whole length of the chain. + +[Illustration: FIG. 42] + +If you are fond of playing Indian and have no Indian costume, you ought +to be happy. That seems a strange thing to say, but the reason is this: +You can have all the fun of making a costume yourself, you can learn how +to do it in the Indian way, and after it is finished it will be far more +like the dress worn by Western Indians than those that are sold ready +made. + +Suppose we begin with the belt. + +It is woven on a loom--not an Indian loom, which, as perhaps you know, +was a bow strung with several strings which served as the warp threads +for the belt or chain. Possibly you have a loom of your own and know +how to use it; but if not you can either buy one for twenty-five or +fifty cents, or, what is still better, make one yourself. A simple, good +loom may be made from a cigar box. + + +_A Home Made Bead Loom_ + + =Materials Required:= An oblong cigar box, about 2 1/2 inches + deep, + 4 small sticks of wood 2 1/2 inches long and + 1/2-inch square, + 16 1/2-inch screws, + 6 small screw eyes, + 6 tacks, + A sharp knife, + A screw driver, + A hammer, + Sand paper. + +Choose a good strong cigar box, one that is quite shallow, and remove +the cover. Rule a line one inch from the bottom of the box on each long +side and draw a sharp knife across the line several times until the +upper part separates easily from the lower without injuring it. Smooth +the tops of the sides with sandpaper. Fasten each of the small sticks of +wood inside a corner of the box, to strengthen it. This is how it is +done. Drive one of the half-inch screws up from the bottom into the end +of the stick, another into it through the side, and two, one near the +top and one lower down through the end of the box, into the stick. On +the outside of the box at one end six round-headed tacks are driven in a +row an inch and a half from the top and about three-quarters of an inch +apart. Drive six screw eyes in the same position on the opposite side. +Cut a row of notches on the top of each end of the loom, about +one-sixteenth of an inch apart, and deep enough to hold a thread. The +loom is then ready for weaving. Chalk-white beads are much used by the +bead-weaving Indians like the Sioux and Winnebagos, especially for the +ground-work of their belts. Let us choose them for the background of the +belt and weave the design in Indian red and blue. + + +_Indian Bead Belt_ + + =Materials Required:= 1 bunch chalk white beads, No. 3-0, + 4 skeins each Indian red and dark blue beads, + No. 3-0, + 1 spool No. 60 white linen thread, + 1 spool No. 90 white linen thread, + A No. 12 needle, + A piece of wax. + +[Illustration: FIG. 43] + +Cut twenty-two pieces of No. 60 linen thread about six inches longer +than you wish your belt to be. Tie a loop at one end of each piece and +slip it over the round-headed tacks at one end of the loom. Bring the +long ends one at a time through twenty-two of the notches at the top of +the loom and stretch them across to the notches in the opposite end. +Draw them taut and tie them through the screw eyes. These make the warp +threads for the belt. As you will see by the pattern, the belt is +twenty-one beads wide and you have twenty-two threads. This is so that +there will be a thread on each side of every bead. Thread the needle +with No. 90 white linen thread. Tie one end of it to the warp thread on +the left (as you hold the loom with the end on which are the screw eyes +toward you). Bring the needle out to the right below the warp strands, +string twenty-one white beads and press them up between the warp +strands, so that one bead will come between every two threads. Run the +needle back from right to left through the beads, making sure that it +goes _above_ the warp threads. This makes one row. The whole belt is +woven in the same way, except that when the figure begins the beads +should be strung according to the pattern. For example, in making the +first row of the pattern shown in Fig. 43, you will string nine white +beads, three Indian-red ones and nine more of the white. The next two +rows will be the same, and then you will string six white beads, three +Indian-red, three blue, three Indian-red, and six white. Wax the thread +you weave with, so that the sharp-edged beads will not cut it. In +joining new needlefuls use the weaver's knot shown on p. 66. Armlets are +woven in the same way, but much wider--about forty beads wide and long +enough to go around the upper part of the arm. Tie them together with +strips of chamois, knotted in with the ends of the warp strands. Head +bands, bracelets and chains are also woven in this way. + + +_Bead Wrought Indian Shirt_ + + =Materials Required:= 1 large chamois skin, + 2 smaller chamois skins, + 1 spool white linen thread, No. 90, + A No. 11 needle, + 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch Indian red beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, No. 4-0, + 28 large Indian red opaque beads. + +[Illustration: FIG. 44] + +Although this shirt and the moccasins and leggings that go with it are +so simple to make, you are almost sure to need the help of your mother +or governess in planning and cutting them. The shirt is the size for a +child of seven or eight, but it can easily be enlarged so as to fit a +boy of twelve or fourteen. It is made by the pattern shown in Fig. 44, +which is drawn on the scale of one inch to a foot. One large chamois +skin and two of medium size will be needed. Double the large skin +lengthwise to cut the upper part of the shirt. This should be ten inches +deep and a yard wide. Cut at the centre a slit about nine inches long +for the neck. The ends form the sleeves. Lay the two smaller skins +together and cut from them the lower portion of the shirt. The back and +front are alike, each measuring nineteen inches wide at the top, +twenty-two inches at the bottom, and fifteen inches deep. Make a pencil +mark at the centre of each lower edge of the upper part and one at the +middle of the top of both of the lower pieces. Turn up an inch at each +lower edge of the upper part of the shirt and baste the doubled edge of +one side against the top of one of the lower parts, keeping the pencil +marks at the middle of each together. Sew the edges together over and +over with No. 90 white linen thread. Join the other side in the same +way. The overlapping edges of the upper part of the shirt should be +kept on the right side. Sew the sides of the shirt together with a row +of backstitching, four inches from the edge. The edges are cut into a +fringe four and a half inches deep at the ends of the sleeves and three +inches on the sides and bottom of the shirt. The edges of the upper part +which hangs over the lower are also cut into a short fringe. Work two +narrow bands of bead embroidery round the neck, and if you like you can +also work a band half way down the lower part of the shirt and one near +the lower edge just above the fringe. They are made in this way: Thread +a No. 11 needle with white linen thread and make a knot at the other +end. Start at the right of the neck close to the edge. Bring the needle +through to the outside of the shirt. String four beads, press them down +close to the shirt and bring the needle through to the inside. This +makes a stitch which runs up and down at right angles with the neck +opening. Bring the needle out again on a line with the place where it +went in and close beside it, string four more beads, bring it up and run +it in again just at the left of where the work began (see Fig. 45). This +simple stitch is the one that is most used by the Indians in +embroidering their buckskin shirts, leggings and moccasins. String +different colours, according to the pattern. Several designs for this +work are shown in Figs. 46, 47 and 48. If you wish to decorate the shirt +still more, cut strips of chamois about a quarter of an inch wide and +five inches long, pierce a row of holes, two together, at intervals of +an inch and three-quarters across the shirt (see Fig. 44), bring the +strips of chamois through them and tie them once. String a large +Indian-red bead on each end and tie a knot to keep it from falling off. + +[Illustration: FIG. 45] + +[Illustration: FIG. 46] + +[Illustration: FIG. 47] + +[Illustration: FIG. 48] + + +_Indian Leggings_ + + =Materials Required:= 2 small chamois skins, + 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch Indian red beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, No. 4-0, + A spool of No. 90 white linen thread, + A No. 11 needle. + +[Illustration: FIG. 49] + +[Illustration: FIG. 50] + +Nothing could be easier to make than Indian leggings, and you can put as +much work or as little as you choose into the embroidery. Cut from two +small chamois skins two pieces in the shape shown in Fig. 49. They +should each be eight and three-quarters inches at the lower edge, twelve +inches at the top and twelve high. The design shown in Fig. 50 will be +simple and effective, and narrow bands like those in Fig. 51 may be +worked along the edge that laps over and across the bottom. Six strands +of chamois about eight inches long are brought through the leggings on +each side at an inch from the edge. These form the fastenings. + +[Illustration: FIG. 51] + + +_Beaded Moccasins_ + + =Materials Required:= 1 medium-sized chamois skin, + 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch Indian red beads, No. 4-0, + 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, No. 4-0, + 1 spool No. 25 white linen thread, + A No. 3 needle, + 1 spool No. 90 white linen thread, + A No. 11 needle. + +To make the pattern for these moccasins you need only stand on a sheet +of brown paper and draw with a pencil around your bare foot so as to get +its exact size and natural form. Cut the pattern out and take it to a +shoemaker, who will cut from it a pair of leather soles. The uppers you +can cut from a paper pattern copied from the shape shown in Fig. 52. It +will not be difficult to plan them to fit the soles, for you have only +to measure the distance around the outer edge of the soles and make the +uppers measure about an inch more along the outer edge, to allow for the +seam at the back and for a little fulness across the toe. Work them in +some simple design, like the one shown in Fig. 53. A pretty beaded edge +is made with a stitch which is very like the one used in working the +bands. Thread a needle with No. 90 white linen thread and bring it +through the top of the moccasin close to the edge. Fasten the end by +taking two or three small stitches. String six beads of a colour used in +working the bands and bring the needle through the edge from the inside +of the moccasin out, about a quarter of an inch from the beginning, +making the stitch shown in Fig. 54. Before starting the next stitch +pass the needle under the first one. Work the whole upper edge of the +moccasin in this way, then stitch it together up the back, making a seam +a quarter of an inch wide. It should be stitched on the inside and then +turned right side out. The uppers are stitched on to the soles with a +No. 3 needle and a well-waxed piece of white linen thread, No. 25. +Should this prove too hard work for small fingers the moccasins may be +taken to a shoemaker to finish. + +[Illustration: FIG. 52] + +[Illustration: FIG. 53] + +[Illustration: FIG. 54] + + +_Bead Wrought Silk Bag_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of silk or ribbon, 5 inches wide by + 7 3/4 inches long, + 1 bunch of crystal beads, No. 4-0, the same colour + as the silk, + 1 skein of No. 4-0 beads of a contrasting colour, + A spool of letter A sewing silk of the same colour + as the silk, + A No. 11 needle, + A yard of inch-wide ribbon the colour of the silk. + +[Illustration: FIG. 55] + +The daintiest little silk bag may be made by any small daughter for +mamma or a dearly-loved aunt to carry a bit of lace work or some other +treasure. A piece of soft ribbon five inches wide and seven and +three-quarters inches long in a pale shade of lavender makes a charming +bag. A network of lavender crystal beads of the same shade, with a pearl +or gold-lined crystal bead at the point of each diamond-shaped mesh, +gives the finishing touch of daintiness (see Fig. 55). Start by +threading a fine needle with a piece of sewing silk the colour of the +bag. Fasten the end by taking one or two small stitches near the left +side of the strip of silk at about two inches from the lower edge. +String six lavender beads, one pearl and seven lavender beads, and take +a stitch a quarter of an inch from the beginning and on a line with it. +Now run the needle down through the last bead strung (see Fig. 56), and +string six more lavender beads, one pearl and seven lavender. Another +stitch is made a quarter of an inch from the last one, the needle is run +down through the last bead, and it goes on in this way until a row has +been made across the piece of silk. The bag is then stitched up the +sides and around the bottom on the wrong side and turned right side out. +Bring the needle attached to the beadwork down through the six lavender +beads and one pearl one, at the left side of the first half diamond +made, and string six lavender, one pearl and six lavender beads. Pass +the needle through the next pearl bead on the right in the row above and +string another six lavender, one pearl and six lavender beads to make +another half diamond. So it goes on around the bag. This row and all the +other ones are only attached to the row above, not to the silk. The last +row of netting should reach a little below the bottom of the bag. A +twisted fringe is then made as follows: Run the needle down through the +beads on the left side of the first mesh in the row just finished, +through the pearl bead at the point, and also pass it through the pearl +bead on the back of the bag which lies just beneath it. String thirty +lavender beads and pass the needle up through the beads on the right +side of the first mesh and down again through those on the left side of +the second mesh. It runs through the pearl bead at the point of the mesh +and the one under it at the back of the bag. String thirty more beads +and twist the thread on which they are strung once around the right side +of the loop just made. The next loop is made in the same way--passing +the needle up through the beads in the right side of the second mesh, +down through those in the left side of the third one, and through the +pearl bead at the point of the mesh at the front and the one below it at +the back. Thirty more beads are then strung. When you have made this +fringe all across the bottom of the bag, fasten the end of the silk by +sewing it two or three times through the bottom of the bag. Finish the +top of the bag with drawing strings as follows: Turn in a hem +three-quarters of an inch wide at the top of the bag and baste it. Hem +it around neatly with the lavender sewing silk and make a casing for the +drawing strings to run through, by putting a row of backstitching a +little over a quarter of an inch above the bottom of the hem. There +should be two little holes made on each side of the bag on the outside +of the hem between the stitched seam and the bottom of the hem. They are +put there so that the ribbon drawing strings can run into the casing. +You can make them with an ivory or metal piercer called a stiletto, or +any other tool that has a sharp round point. The neatest way to finish +these holes is to sew the edges over and over with a needleful of sewing +silk. Half a yard of narrow ribbon should be allowed for each drawing +string. Thread it in a bodkin, or ribbon needle, which is run into one +of the holes at the side of the bag, through the casing at the lower +part of the hem, all around the bag and out of the hole beside the one +where it went in. Now tie the ends of this drawing string together, +thread the other one through the bodkin and run it into a hole on the +opposite side of the bag, through the casing all around the bag and out +of the little hole beside the one where it went in. The ends of this +piece are also tied, and then the bag is done. + +[Illustration: FIG. 56] + + + + +Clay Working + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CLAY WORKING + + +Have you ever noticed how, when it rains, one road will dry at once, and +on another your footprints will hold the water like a cup for hours? Do +you know the reason for it? The first road is sandy, and so the water +filters through the coarse particles and soon disappears. The other is +mostly of clay, which is close and fine, and after your foot made that +little hollow it was doubtless half baked by the sun so that it became +like natural pottery. You probably know all this, and have felt with +your own fingers the difference between the sand, in which you have +built forts and dug with your shovel in the summer and played with on +the kindergarten sand table in winter, and the soft, smooth clay that +you have formed into bird's nests, eggs and other things in +kindergarten. + +Years and years ago, before our great-great-great-grandfathers were even +thought of, some man noticed the same thing that you do--that one part +of the earth held water for hours, while it disappeared so quickly from +other parts--and it set him thinking. Why not make a bowl in which he +could carry water when he was travelling or hunting in dry places? This +is the way, some wise men think, the making of pottery began. Cups and +small vessels could easily be moulded from small lumps of clay, but +large pieces--great bowls and jars--it was soon found would have to be +formed in a mould. Shallow baskets, pieces of gourd or fruit rind, were +the moulds in which these large pots were started. + +In beginning the bottom, either a small piece of clay was patted flat +into a form like a cookie and fitted into the bottom of the mould, or +else a strip of clay was coiled round and round into a mat shape, +working the coils together with the fingers. The sides were almost +always built up with coils of clay, then, with the fingers and some rude +tools--smooth stones, bits of shell or pieces of gourd--they were +smoothed and polished. Soon the potters began to decorate their vessels +with patterns cut or pressed into the damp clay and even painted them +with coloured clay, ground fine and mixed with a liquid. The clay +objects you enjoyed making in kindergarten were not very strong. A bowl +or cup that is moulded from such clay will not hold water for very long +either. It will soon soften and fall to pieces. That is what happened to +the first clay bowls and cups. + +If clay is baked in the sun it becomes a little harder and more +useful--but not much--so the first clay workers found that they must +bake their clay pots more thoroughly if they were to be really strong. +Some of the old potters--like the Catawba Indians--baked their vessels +before the fire, and as the clay they used was very good they found it +made them hard enough. In other tribes the potters made a bed of bark, +set fire to it and baked the pot until when it came out it was red hot. +At first the clay workers used the clay just as they found it, but when +they began to make large pots and cauldrons to cook in they found that +powdered shell or sand mixed with the clay made them stronger and less +liable to crack in baking. + +[Illustration: FIG. 57] + +The cooking vessels had almost always rounded bottoms, because in those +days the floors of houses were of sand or soft earth into which the +rounded bottoms would set and hold the pots upright. These pots were set +directly over the fire and kept in position by stones or sticks of wood. +Some that had handles or flaring rims could be hung over the fire by +cords or vines. + +[Illustration: FIG. 58] + +The Indians moulded all sorts of things out of clay besides these +utensils. Drums were made by stretching buckskin over the tops of +earthen pots. Then there were whistles and rattles, trowels, modelling +tools, figures of men and animals, and many toys like those shown in +Figs. 57, 58 and 59. Beads were also made of clay, and so were tobacco +pipes in many shapes. One would have the face of a man on the bowl, +another a goat with open mouth, or a bird with its neck outstretched and +bill parted, and on another the bowl would be formed by a +natural-looking snake coiled up for a spring. + +[Illustration: FIG. 59] + +In time men learned more about clays and how to mix and form and bake +them, until now, as you know, pottery that is beautiful and serviceable +is made all over the world, and in great factories china and porcelain +made of the finest clays are moulded, decorated and fired for our use. +It will be interesting to you sometime to see one of the factories where +such ware is made, but although it is so fine and smooth and perfect and +so useful to us, I doubt if the workmen who make it have half the +pleasure in their task that the first potters had in moulding their +rough cooking utensils and clay pipes. So I am glad to think that +although you may never be able to make china, you can work in clay as +the Indians used to do, for that you will enjoy far more. + +[Illustration: FIG. 60] + +[Illustration: FIG. 61] + +Of course you would like to make something that you can use, something +that will not crumble and break like the things you modelled in +kindergarten. To do this you will need to get a clay which can be +baked--or fired, as potters express it--and you must have a clay that is +so mixed or arranged as to bake well in the kiln (or pottery oven) to +which you are going to send it. If you live near a pottery where flower +pots or gray stoneware are made you can probably arrange to buy your +clay there, and after your pottery is finished have it baked at the +same place. The clay that is used at a stoneware pottery is arranged so +as to fire at a much greater heat than the flower-pot clay, and so the +ware is stronger, but the flower-pot ware will be strong enough for the +things you will make. Although this clay is gray before it is baked, it +comes from the kiln a beautiful Indian red. + +[Illustration: FIG. 62] + +You will not need many tools beside your own fingers and thumbs. One +boxwood modelling tool the shape shown in Fig. 60, and another with more +flattened and rounded ends (see Fig. 61) will be enough to begin with. +These you can buy at a kindergarten-supply store. Later you may need +the sheet-steel tools shown in Figs. 62 and 63. Dealers in hardware sell +the sheet steel, and these tools can easily be cut from it--doubtless +the dealer will do it for you. + +[Illustration: FIG. 63] + +Buy fifteen or twenty pounds of clay at a time, ready mixed if possible. +If it comes to you in the dry state--in rock-like pieces--you must first +pound it to a powder. This you can do out of doors by spreading the +lumps of clay on a paper laid on flat stone and pounding them with a +smaller stone, or, if it must be done in the house, spread the clay on a +strong bench or table and pound it with an old flatiron. It is now ready +for soaking. Put a little water in an earthen crock and add the powdered +clay to it, mixing it with your hand and adding clay until it is the +right consistency to mould. If you find you have too much water, pour +off some after the clay is well mixed, and if it is still too moist, +spread it on a board in the air until it has dried out sufficiently. + +Keep the clay in an earthen crock with a cover. Pour a little water into +it first, just enough to moisten the bottom of the crock, and then put +in the clay. When it is to be left over night or a longer time, make +deep holes in the clay with your thumb and pour water into them. Lay a +damp cloth over it and cover with the earthen top. If at any time it +dries out so that it cannot be easily moulded, let it dry entirely, +pound it to powder again and mix as already described. + +If you live in the country the place to work with clay will be in an +outbuilding, a woodshed, barn or workshop where there is a good strong +table or bench. The best place for a city child to work is a playroom +where there is a wooden floor, an old table and nothing valuable to be +harmed with clay or water; or a light, dry cellar. A girl should wear a +long-sleeved apron and a boy a pair of overalls. In such a workshop and +costume you need not give a thought to clothes or carpets. + +Have a pitcher of water and a small bowl for the "slip"--or clay thinned +with water until it is about as thick as cream--which is almost as +important as the clay itself. + +When you are ready to begin work, take a lump of clay about as large as +a grape fruit; pound and knead it on the table. Next draw a strong wire +through it, dividing it into halves. Press the two outer surfaces +together and knead out the air-holes which you will see on the inner +surfaces. Repeat this process several times, and all these air bubbles +will finally be expelled. Suppose you begin with something simple--some +tiny red building bricks which will delight your small brother--perhaps +even you may not feel to old to enjoy playing with such a "real" toy. + + +_Building Bricks_ + + =Materials Required:= About 3 pounds of clay, + 2 level boards, 15 by 20 inches, + 1/2 yard of white cheesecloth, + A rolling pin, + A foot rule, + A strong, sharp knife. + +The clay of which these bricks are made should be well kneaded, and it +should also have a great deal of what potters call "grog" mixed through +it. "Grog" is baked clay pounded into small pieces--an old flower pot +will do if you are using flower-pot clay. Mixed with the unbaked clay +it tempers it, that is, it makes it less likely to shrink and crack in +baking. + +Cover a level board with a piece of wet white cheesecloth and tack it +securely upon it. Mould the lump of clay into a square, by hand, lay it +on the board and pound it with the thick part of your hand into an +irregular square cake, then roll it with a rolling pin till it is about +three-eighths of an inch thick. Have ready another board the same size +and covered with wet cheesecloth, lay it on top of the clay sheet and +reverse it so that the clay shall be transferred to this second board. +Roll it again till quite smooth and set it away overnight. The next day +take a foot rule and a sharp pencil and mark the clay sheet into bricks, +two inches long by an inch wide. Cut them out with a strong, sharp +knife, but do not lift them until they are thoroughly dry, which will be +in three or four days. They should then be carefully packed and sent to +the pottery to be fired. + + +_A Clay Whistle_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of clay about the size of a lemon, + The wooden modelling tools, + A bowl of slip, + A pen knife. + +[Illustration: FIG. 64] + +The Mexicans mould tiny whistles of clay, which are as simple as +possible to make and very fascinating to own. If you would like to make +some for yourself and your friends this is the way to do it: Mould a +small piece of clay into a cup shape about an inch across and +three-eighths of an inch high. Put it in the air to dry for ten minutes. +Now roll a piece of clay, about the same size, on the table with the +palms of both hands (near the base of the thumb), lightly, yet so as to +make the clay roll entirely around with each push. If the roll flattens +from too hard pressure, pat it till it is round again and roll it until +it is of even thickness--about quarter of an inch in diameter. It is +then flattened evenly by patting it with the fingers, one end is cut +into a long point and the coil is started on edge with the narrow side +up on the top of the cup of clay, whose rim must first be wet with slip. +Bend the upper edge of the roll of clay in quite a little, to follow the +shape shown in Fig. 64. Hold the long end of the clay strip with the +left hand, while, with the thumb and middle finger of the right hand +held on each side of the coil to support it, the forefinger presses it +down firmly on the top of the little cup. When the coil has gone all the +way around cut the end into a flat point, which will fit evenly in with +the one at the beginning, and press the edges together with the flat +part of the nail of your forefinger. Do this where the edges of the coil +come against the rim of the cup. Make quick and firm yet short strokes +of the nail up and down, inside the cup and out. Then let it dry for a +short time, about ten or fifteen minutes. Roll another coil in the same +way and attach it, after brushing the top edge of the clay cup with +slip, bending the top edge of the coil in very decidedly so as to leave +only a small opening at the top. The third coil is made in the same way, +but put on so as to make the sides go straight up like the neck of a +bottle or vase. One more straight coil completes the neck, and a piece +of clay is then put across the top, closing it. After the whistle has +dried for an hour or more a triangular hole is cut with a knife in the +lower part (see Fig. 65), and a slit in the top. A hole is also made in +the bottom. It should then be thoroughly dried for several days before +sending it to be fired. Not every one of these whistles makes a good +clear sound, but they are so easy to mould that you will not mind one or +two unsuccessful attempts when you finally make one that blows clear and +shrill. + +[Illustration: FIG. 65] + + +_Clay Rattle_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of clay about the size of an + orange, + A bowl of slip, + The modelling tools. + +The Indians used to make clay rattles like the one shown in Fig. 66. It +is formed like the whistle except that the cup-shaped piece which is +made in starting should be an inch and three-quarters across and +three-eighths of an inch high. + +Roll the strips of clay as already described and brush the edge of the +cup-shaped piece with slip before attaching each coil. The handle +should be about three inches long. Before closing the end of it drop in +four or five clay pellets, about the size of small peas, which have been +well dried in the sun. Then seal it with a piece of clay, let it dry for +several days and send it to the pottery to be fired. + +[Illustration: FIG. 66] + + +_Birds' Drinking Dish_ + + =Materials Required:= About 2 1/2 pounds of clay, + The wooden modelling tools, + The oval tools of sheet steel, + A bowl of slip, + A low wide bowl, + A small sponge, + A knife, + A ground glass slab about a foot square, + A cloth in which some ground flint is tied. + +One of the best ways to attract the birds is to have a drinking dish, +wide and generous, always ready for them on the lawn. This is of course +taking for granted that you live at least a part of the year in the +country. Isn't it delightful to think that you can make such a dish with +your own hands? It is a little more difficult than the other things you +have made, but what of that--it will be worth the trouble if you can +give a lawn party to the birds every day! As this is to be quite a large +dish, you will need to have a mould to form it in, or at least to +support the sides in starting. Choose some low, wide bowl or dish, one +about two inches high and ten inches across the top. Have ready some +powdered flint tied up in a piece of cotton cloth--you can buy it of +dealers in potters' supplies or possibly at the pottery where your clay +work is fired. This is to dust over the inside of the mould to prevent +the clay from sticking to it. Take a lump of clay, about two and a half +pounds, knead and pound it until all the air bubbles are worked out. A +small piece of the clay is then patted out with the hands on a table or +board and rolled smooth with a rolling pin until it is three-eighths of +an inch thick and about two inches wider than the bottom of the bowl +you have chosen. Lay it in the bottom of the mould, which has first been +dusted with ground flint. Press the clay lightly but carefully against +the bottom and sides, making sure that it fits close against them. Then +cut the top edge even with one of the wooden modelling tools. With the +same tool cut crisscross strokes in this upper edge and wet it with +slip, to prepare it for the first coil of clay, which is made and +attached like those used in forming the whistle. These coils should, +however, be larger--about an inch wide and long enough to go all around +the bowl once. Join every coil in the same way, taking care to press +each one against the sides of the mould as well as upon the coil +beneath, and to smooth the inside of the bowl with your fingers and the +modelling tools. After attaching a coil, let the bowl dry for ten or +fifteen minutes--in the air, unless it is a cold day. Be careful never +to let your clay work freeze or it will be spoiled. When the bowl is +about two inches and a half high set it away overnight to dry. In the +morning it will have shrunk so that it will slip easily out of the +mould. Turn it bottom up on a table and wet the cracks between the coils +with slip, then fill them in carefully with clay of the same stiffness +as that of which the bowl is made. Never put water or wet clay on a +piece of clay work that is almost dry, or it will crack. After it has +been set away for a few hours to harden, make it smooth and even as +follows: First take the oval tool of sheet steel with rough edges, hold +it in your right hand, not straight but bent to fit the curves of the +outside of the bowl; with it scrape the large humps away from the sides +of the bowl, making quick, light and short strokes in every +direction--up, down, across and diagonally. When the largest humps have +been removed, go over the bowl in the same way with the smooth-edged +oval tool. Then take a damp sponge, one from which the water has all +been squeezed, and pass it lightly over the bowl, smoothing it with the +fingers. Make it as even and perfect as you can. + +Next the bottom is to be finished. Draw with a pencil a circle on the +bottom of the bowl, about an inch in from the edge all around, and +scrape, with the sharpest wooden tool, a layer of clay out of the bottom +within the circle, so that the outside ring shall form a ridge about +one-sixteenth of an inch above it. Now cut the top edge of the bowl as +even as you can by eye, using a knife. Then make it perfectly even in +this way: Pour a little water on the ground-glass slab, hold the bowl +bottom up and move it firmly yet quickly round and round on the wet +surface and then quickly slide it off at the edge of the slab, before it +has a chance to cling to the glass. If the bowl seems too heavy for you +to hold securely in moving it about so quickly, it will be wise to let +an older person do this for you. Then there will be nothing more to do +but let it dry for a few days and send it to the pottery to be fired. + + + + +Indoor Gardening + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +INDOOR GARDENING + + +_A Rainy Day in October_ + +All summer long the out-of-door gardens kept us busy, planting, weeding +and watering. When we had had a week or two of sunshiny weather we began +to wish a cloud would sail over the blue sky and bring the rain our +thirsty flowers needed. We could see the reason for rainy days in +summer-time. Now, however, it is different; a rainy day in autumn is so +cold and disagreeable. It settles down to work in a business-like +way--not like a summer shower, which has, all through, a hint of the sun +behind the clouds. No, an autumn rain is chilly and gray and lasting, +and the best way to forget it is to find something interesting to do +indoors. + +Suppose we plan an indoor garden. There are the plants that were brought +in from the garden the other day--geraniums, heliotropes, lobelias and +begonias--all need our care and attention. A boy with a taste for +woodworking can make a shelf and put up brackets in a window where the +sun will reach them. Even a plant table may not prove too difficult for +him. + +There is one particularly interesting thing that both boys and girls can +do, and that is to plan Christmas gifts of budded or blossoming plants +for their family and friends. How is it to be done? Why, by planting +bulbs in October. You have seen bulbs, of course, at the florists; they +are mostly dingy brown or yellow and look like onions. If anyone in the +family had a garden last summer there will be sure to be catalogues of +seeds and bulbs in the house, and you can begin by making a list of the +bulbs you wish to send for. Such a number as you have to choose +from--tulips, crocuses, lilies, hyacinths, narcissus, daffodils, and +plenty more. They are not costly either. Hyacinths can be bought for +from six to fifteen cents each; these are the ordinary ones. Roman +hyacinths, which have beautiful white flowers, cost only four or five +cents. Chinese lily bulbs are more expensive; one can be bought for ten +cents or three for twenty-five cents, but they are large and the +blossoms are so fragrant and beautiful that they are well worth it. +These are grown among pebbles in a dish of water. They will look well in +a glass dish or in a shallow pottery bowl--such as you can buy for ten +or fifteen cents at a Japanese store. For hyacinths, tall, slender +glasses are to be had at the florist's for fifteen cents. They come in +several colours, but the dark green is best--and that reminds me that +there is a case you can make of rattan and raffia around one of these +glasses to enable you to hang it beside a window. This you can do some +other rainy day. + +The Chinese lily bulbs are put into a dishful of tepid water which has a +few small pieces of charcoal in it. A number of small stones are fitted +around the bulbs to keep them upright and steady, and then they are put +near a window where the sun comes. Hyacinths may be grown in the glasses +or in flower pots, just as one chooses. A mixture of good soil from the +garden and sand is best if they are to be grown in pots. Be careful in +taking the garden soil to sift it through your fingers, making sure that +no worms are lurking in it, to trouble the bulbs later on. Put stones +for drainage and some pieces of charcoal at the bottom of each pot. The +bulb is planted so that about one-third of it is left above the earth. +If it is to be grown in water, use rain water and fill the glass so that +the base of the bulb will just touch it. However they are planted, in +pots or in glasses, they should be left in a dark, cool place like an +airy cellar, until they are rooted. This will take about two weeks for +those in glasses and six for the potted hyacinths. If it is possible, +bury the pots in the open ground about six inches deep, or cover them +with soil, for about five weeks. They can then be put into the window +garden. Consult the bulb catalogues for suggestions as to the care of +your plants. + + +_Basket Case for a Hyacinth Glass_ + + =Materials Required:= A dark green hyacinth glass, + 2 weavers of No. 2 rattan, + 2 weavers of No. 2 black rattan, + A bunch of copper red raffia, + A tapestry needle, No. 19. + +After you have bought your hyacinth glasses, and before the bulbs are +put into them, you may like to make for each a simple case of basket +work by which it can be hung against the window frame. + +It is made of rattan rings bound together with raffia of some colour +that will look well with the hyacinth blossoms. A dark green glass with +a covering of black and the natural-coloured rattan bound with +copper-coloured raffia is a good combination, if the hyacinth is to be +white. + +Make two rings of black rattan like those described in the directions +for making a sponge bag (see Chapter IV). One should be large enough to +slip over the glass, down to about half an inch from the bottom of it, +the other to three inches from the bottom. This second ring must be made +on the glass, as the flaring top will not allow so small a ring to slip +over it. This will not be difficult to do. Tie the rattan around the +glass just below where you wish it to be placed (about two and +three-quarters inches from the bottom), then slip it up where the glass +is narrower and twist the ends around this foundation ring twice, as +shown in Fig. 22. This makes a ring of three circuits, the foundation +ring counting as one. Make four rings of the natural-coloured rattan, +each measuring two inches and a quarter in diameter on the inside. These +are made with two circuits; that is, after tying the foundation ring the +ends are twisted all the way around it once, instead of twice as the +black ones were, and are cut just so that they will lap. Bind these +four rings together in a hollow square with bindings five-eighths of an +inch long of raffia in buttonhole stitch (see Fig. 67). Fasten the ends +of the rings by making the binding come over them. Slip this square over +the top of the glass and down between the two black rattan rings. Here +each of the four light rings is bound with raffia in buttonhole stitch +to the black ring above it, as well as to the one below. To make a loop +to hang it by, tie a ring of black rattan around the neck of the glass, +twist its ends twice around it, and then without cutting the ends tie +them into another ring an inch and a quarter in diameter, inside +measurement, which stands out from the glass and forms a loop. This ring +is made with two circuits. + +[Illustration: FIG. 67] + + +_Growing Plants in Fibre_ + +Later on, in November and December, there may come days when you are +kept indoors, and then perhaps you will like to do some more gardening +with bulbs. Shall we begin with the spring bulbs--tulips, crocuses and +daffodils? It is wonderful, isn't it, to think of being able to plant +them when out of doors the earth is covered thick with snow? This is how +it is done: Buy from a florist or seedsman a fibre mixture which they +sell for this purpose. Take a large tub or pail and put some fibre into +it, add plenty of water and stir the fibre thoroughly with a stick. Let +it remain in the water for two days, stirring it from time to time so +that it shall get water soaked. It will then be ready for use. If you +plan to give the plants away when they are in bud they should be started +in jars or bowls that can be included in the gift. Japanese or Spanish +pottery bowls can be bought for from ten to twenty-five cents each, and +one of these with a daffodil or narcissus growing in it will make a +delightful birthday gift for someone you love. If you are not planning +to give them away, of course you will be able to collect about the house +enough bowls and jars of china and pottery to hold them. Put a few +pieces of charcoal at the bottom of each dish--these are to keep the +water pure and the fibre wet. Put into each bowl some of the wetted +fibre until it is about two or three inches deep, depending on the +depth of the bowl. Place the bulbs on the fibre so that they just touch +and fill all in with the wet fibre. Put more fibre over them and press +it gently down and around them--not too hard. Fill the dish in until it +is nearly solid. Now put the bowls away in a cellar or any dark but airy +room where they will not get frostbitten and watch them day by day to +see that the fibre does not get dry; it must be kept moist but not +soaking wet. Be especially careful that the bulbs do not get dry. When +they are all rooted and have grown perhaps an inch, bring the bulbs into +a lighter room and let them have plenty of air. Put them on the window +sill or even in the garden in the middle of the day, if it is not too +cold, and as they begin to show some buds water regularly and often. + + +_Planting Indoors in February_ + +As early as February you can begin to plan your out-of-door flower +garden and start some seeds indoors. Tuberous begonias, Canterbury +bells, verbenas, single dahlias, scarlet sage or salvia, tufted pansies +and cosmos can all be started now. First of all you will need some +flats or low wooden boxes--they should be about three inches deep and +not too large to handle. If it is possible to get such shallow boxes at +your grocer's so much the better, otherwise you can have a soap box or +two sawed down to the required height. If they have no cracks or holes +for drainage, bore some and partly cover them with pieces of an old +flower pot, rounded side up. Put pebbles or other rough material in the +bottom of the box. Now you are ready for the soil. Get good, rich loam +from the garden and sift it into the boxes. You can then begin planting. +The large seeds should be planted about half an inch deep, medium sized +ones as deep as four times their own width; the very small ones are just +pressed into the earth, and the smallest should have a piece of glass +placed over the box so that they will not dry out entirely. Wet the soil +until it is quite moist and press it with a level board after planting. +Set the boxes in a sunny window, one that faces south or southeast, and +keep them moist, but not wet, with a bulb sprinkler (see Fig. 68). + +[Illustration: FIG. 68] + + +_March Planting_ + +This blustery month of bad weather out of doors you can have a +delightful time with your indoor garden. The bulbs you started in fibre +should be in bloom by this time, and while you are enjoying them you can +start some flower seeds for your out-of-door garden. + +This is the time to plant what are called annuals--that is, plants that +live just a year--like batchelor's-buttons, sweet peas, nasturtiums, +four-o'clocks, marigolds and zinnias. Use flats or shallow wooden boxes, +like those already described, to plant in. Choose good garden soil and, +before filling the boxes, heat it in the oven, very hot--this will kill +the weed seeds. Sow the seeds in rows an inch and a half apart and +three-quarters of an inch apart in the row. When all the seeds are up, +thin the little plants out so that they will be an inch and a half apart +in the row. Put them in a sunny window as close to the glass as possible +and keep the shades rolled high. If you do not give them enough sun they +will become thin and spindly--like children who never go out. Turn +the boxes now and then so that all sides will get the sunlight. You will +need to put some labels into each box, bearing the names of the seeds +that are planted there. The best ones are made from the covers of old +grape baskets. Cut them into strips, write on each the name of the seed +and the date, and stick it into the earth. + +[Illustration: A little garden for a little girl] + +Gradually as the weather gets warmer you can give the little plants more +air by opening the windows, and later by putting them out of doors in +some sheltered but sunny spot. When there is no longer any danger from +frost, the boxes can be set out of doors day and night, only taking them +in in case of a severe storm. + +The seedlings may need to be separated and transplanted indoors before +it is warm enough to set them in the out-of-door garden. Common grape +baskets do very well for this purpose and hold about a dozen little +plants--flats may also be used. Allow as much space between the +seedlings as possible, for if they are too close the roots will twine +about each other and make it very hard to transplant them later on. When +they are large enough to be transplanted put them into a basin of +lukewarm water and plant them in their new box one at a time. Do not +put them in the sun for a few days, but keep them shaded until they have +taken root. + + +_Starting Gourd Vines in the Indoor Garden_ + +Of course you have seen gourds, perhaps not growing, but surely you know +how they look when dried. Hard, smooth-shelled things of a beautiful +golden brown colour, they grow in the strangest shapes. Some are round +or oval with a queer twisted stem (see Fig. 69). They have many uses--to +hold the stockings open and smooth (so that grandma can darn them +easily), as bird houses, match holders, and even for drinking cups. + +[Illustration: FIG. 69] + +They are the fruit of a vine which would be charming to train on a +trellis or arbour in your out-of-door garden, and then when harvest time +came you would have the interesting gourds to dry and use as you chose. + +If you would like to raise them, sow the seeds in shallow wooden boxes +indoors in March. Plant them a quarter of an inch deep, and when the +little plants crowd one another and are strong enough to transplant +remove them to larger boxes and plant them six inches apart. When +planting the vines out of doors in May or June put plenty of manure +about them and give them ample space. If the vines bear many gourds, and +all small ones, pinch off some and the others will develop better. Do +not pick the gourds until they are quite ripe; that is, when they begin +to look slightly yellow. They need plenty of hot sun in order to come to +perfection. Leave them as long as possible on the vines, only being +careful that they are not touched with frost. In the South they are +sometimes left on the vines all winter. + +After picking them, hang them in an airy place in the house or out of +doors. Leave a little of the vine on each one and they can then be hung +by strings tied to these handles. If you follow these few rules your +gourds should dry smooth and hard. + + +_How to Start Lavender Indoors_ + +Do you know the smell of lavender--that sweet, refreshing perfume that +clings to some of grandmother's treasures of linen and embroidery? One +catches a whiff of it in old gardens sometimes, and it is always +welcome. You can buy the seed from a florist or seedsman--_Lavandula +vera_ is what the true English lavender is called, and that is best. If +it cannot be had, _Lavandula spica_ is next best. It takes time to raise +either, but it will be such an addition to your out-of-door garden that +you will not regret the time spent. About the first of March the +lavender seed should be sown, in window boxes or flats. Make shallow +drills with your finger, drop the seed in and cover lightly. Sprinkle +them every day with your bulb sprinkler until they come up. When the +little plants each have four leaves they may be transplanted. Before +starting to transplant them they should be thoroughly wet. Set them five +inches apart. In the winter protect the plants with litter--leaves, +straw, etc.--six inches deep. The next year, in March, they should be +set in rows three feet apart. + +When the plants are in full bloom the sprigs are cut, and then dried in +a cool, darkened room or closet. Lay them on paper so as to save all the +blossoms. The lavender flowers may be made into the daintiest of sachets +by filling with them sheer linen bags or pale lavender silk ones. + +The sprigs that are left after the blossoms have fallen may be used like +Chinese incense to sweeten a room, by lighting the blossom end of a +single piece and letting it burn in a vase or incense holder. + + + + +Gifts and How to Make Them + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +GIFTS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM + + +It is wonderful what your head and hands can do when you begin to plan +gifts for family and friends at Christmas, birthdays and the in-between +times when "un-birthday presents"--as "Alice in Wonderland" called +them--are so welcome. But I am sure you know the breathless feeling of +having to make or buy a long list of Christmas presents with only two +weeks or so in which to accomplish it. Why not keep a gift box or +drawer, where you can pack away the pretty things you take such pleasure +in making on dull days all the year round? There are ever so many +things--games, toys, baskets and beadwork--which you will find in other +chapters--that will help to fill this gift box, and I am going to tell +you about some others. + +There are several things to think of in planning a gift. It should be +something that will be within your means, something that is worth +giving, however small--not "trash"; but what is most important of all +is that it shall really please the one who receives it. If it can be a +lasting pleasure so much the better. + +Suppose you try keeping a notebook; begin it now, and write down the +little things that you hear the family wish for during the year--tiny +things, maybe, but just what they want. For instance, Aunt Helen, who +writes, never has enough pencils--her nieces and nephews know why. +Father is unable to find an express tag when he wants one, because he +has no case to hang close beside his desk. Joe says he wishes someone +would make him a chamois cover for his new knife--it is getting +scratched already; and mamma cannot find that recipe for potted pigeons +that she cut from the paper Saturday evening. What a number of entries +you will be able to make in your gift book! See how it reads: + + Aunt Helen: One dozen pencils. + + Father: Leather tag case and tags. + + Mother: A blank book with her newspaper recipes pasted in. + + Joe: A chamois knife case. + +And this is just a beginning. When you visit your friends you will soon +see or hear what little things will please them. Then you can begin +collecting the materials for your gift box, and when a rainy day comes +what pleasant hours you will spend. + +Let us begin with the + + +_Beaded Knife Case_ + + =Materials Required:= Some scraps of chamois skin in the natural + or another colour, + 1 skein No. 4-0 beads in a colour that will + harmonise with the leather, + 1 E bead of the same colour, + A spool of letter A sewing silk the colour of + the leather, + A No. 11 needle. + +One of the simplest and prettiest gifts you can make is this beaded +knife case. If you have made the Indian costume described in Chapter V. +you will have plenty of scraps of chamois left. Otherwise you can buy a +small chamois skin in the natural colour, or, if you prefer another +colour, skins of beautiful tints may be bought. Red is very effective +and not as costly as some others. In buying a skin, choose a colour that +you will not tire of, for you will be able to make so many small things +of it that it will be well to have a colour you will always like; either +red or green or a soft brown that is not too light will be a good +choice. + +[Illustration: FIG. 70] + +[Illustration: FIG. 71] + +From a piece of cardboard cut the patterns shown in Figs. 70 and 71. If +the case is for a penknife, the larger one (Fig. 70) should measure one +inch wide by four and one-eighth inches long, and the other should be +the same width but two and three-quarters inches long. Cut two pieces of +chamois from these patterns, lay the smaller one against the larger, +with the rounded ends of both together and the edges of the sides fitted +evenly, and baste them so. Now start at the top left-hand edge of the +smaller piece, where it comes against the edge of the larger one, and +sew the edges together with the stitch shown in Fig. 72. This is how it +is done: Thread a No. 11 needle with sewing silk the colour of the +chamois. Fasten the end by sewing through and through the edges of the +case. String three beads and make one over-and-over stitch through both +edges of the case, bringing the needle out at about one-eighth of an +inch from where it started. Run the needle up through the third bead, +string two more, make another stitch, run the needle up through the last +bead strung, and so on. When you have gone all the way around the double +edge, continue the stitch across the top of the smaller piece and around +the rounded top of the larger. Next a loop must be made to fasten the +case. Hold a small pencil at the top of the larger piece of chamois +close to the rounded edge, and, starting about an eighth of an inch from +the centre of this end, fasten an end of a needleful of sewing silk; +take a stitch around the pencil and in at one-eighth of an inch the +other side of the centre. Take six or eight stitches back and forth in +this way. This will make a loop, which should be covered with buttonhole +stitches. Now slip the knife into the case, turn the flap (the rounded +edge of the larger piece) down and mark the place to sew the large bead +over which the loop is to fit, in order to fasten it. Sew an E bead the +colour of the smaller beads at this place, bring the loop over it, and +the case is complete. + +[Illustration: FIG. 72] + + +_Needle Book of Flowered Silk_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of flowered silk or ribbon 5 inches + long by 3 1/2 inches wide, + A piece of plain-coloured ribbon the same size, + A piece of white flannel 10 inches long by 7 + inches wide, + 1/2 yard of narrow ribbon the colour of the silk, + A spool of sewing silk the same colour, + A piece of bristol board 10 by 7 inches. + +The Shakers make needle books of fine straw cloth, that are so dainty +and yet simple that they are well worth copying. Fig. 73 shows the +shape in which the cover of the book is cut. It may be made of two +pieces of bristol board; one covered with flowered silk or ribbon, the +other with plain silk that will harmonise with the flowered. The two are +then basted together and sewed over and over. Two pieces of flannel are +cut the same shape, but about half an inch smaller all the way around. +These are laid inside the cover, which is then bent exactly at its +centre so that both ends will come evenly together. A hole is punched +through both sides of the cover and the flannel at about half an inch in +from the edge and quarter of an inch from the doubled middle of the +cover. Another hole is made on the other side of it and a narrow ribbon +threaded in a bodkin, or ribbon needle, is brought in through one hole, +across the back and out through the other. The ends are then tied in a +pretty bow (see Fig. 74), which finishes it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 73] + +[Illustration: FIG. 74] + + +_Sweet Clover Bags_ + + =Materials Required:= All the white sweet clover that a little + child can gather, + Some pretty cotton cloth, + A needle and thread, + Scissors. + +Did you know that the white sweet clover that grows in long spike-shaped +sprays on low bushes along the wayside is even more fragrant when it is +dried? Gather some this summer, and spread it where it will dry in the +sun, turning it often. Strip the blossoms from the stems, and when a +rainy day comes you can make with them some gifts that will be welcome +wherever they go. Keep the flowers in a covered box till you are ready +to use them, then make linen, or even pretty white cotton, bags about +ten inches long by six wide. Fill them with the dried clover, sew up the +ends securely, and they will be ready to send to grandmothers, aunts and +cousins, to make their linen closets fragrant. A little pillow of white +cotton filled with these flowers, with a pretty outer case of fine +linen, makes a delightful gift for an invalid friend. + + +_Eyeglass Cleaner_ + + =Materials Required:= Several sheets of soft white tissue paper, + A piece of green or brown leather 4 inches wide + by 6 1/2 inches long, + A strip of leather 15 inches long by 1/4 of an + inch wide, + 1 skein No. 3-0 beads, + 2 large beads of the same colour, + An awl or punch. + +One of your friends who wears eyeglasses was told by a wise person that +the best thing with which to clear her glasses was--what do you think? +Not a handkerchief or a piece of chamois, but soft tissue paper. "That +is simple enough, I'm sure," said she; but it wasn't, for whenever she +wanted a piece of tissue paper it didn't happen to be near, so she used +a handkerchief or chamois most of the time. She found the tissue paper +was much better, however, and wondered why children who don't know what +to give to friends who wear eyeglasses or spectacles, don't give them a +pad of tissue paper to hang by the dressing table or some such +convenient place. True, its use would have to be explained, for not many +people know that tissue paper is such a good cleaner of glasses; but +when they have tried it they will be really grateful for the helpful +little gift. + +Cut soft white tissue paper in sheets four inches wide by six and +one-half long, and make a cover of green or brown leather the same size. +Punch two holes at the top of the cover, each about half an inch down +from the top and one inch in from the side. Lay the cover on the pile of +tissue paper sheets and run an awl or punch through the holes in the +cover, making holes in the same places through the tissue paper. Cut a +strip of leather about one-quarter of an inch wide and fifteen inches +long, thread it in a bodkin, run it through the hole on the right of the +cover, through the sheets of tissue paper and out of the hole on the +left of the cover. Here it is tied in a bow, leaving a long loop at the +back to hang it by. A large bead of a colour that will look well with +the leather may be strung on each end of the bow and a knot tied to keep +it from falling off. If you choose, the edges of the cover may be worked +with the bead stitch shown in Fig. 54. + + +_A German Wonder Ball_ + + =Materials Required:= 1 hank of single zephyr worsted of + some pretty colour, + Several tiny gifts. + +One of the most delightful of gifts can be planned by a little girl of +boy for a friend who is learning to knit. This is the wonder ball. It is +one of the many good ideas that come to us from Germany--the land of +knitting. + +Buy a hank of worsted of some pretty colour and a number of tiny +gifts--a thimble, a wee package of chocolate, the smallest of baskets +and any other little things you can think of. Start winding the worsted +around the very choicest gift--so that it shall be at the centre--then +by degrees, as you wind, lay the other gifts on the ball and cover them +with the worsted. Your little friend should be told to knit till all the +presents are found. + + +_Pin Case for Travelling_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of flowered silk or ribbon 8 + inches long by 5 inches wide, + A piece of plain-coloured silk 8 inches long by + 5 1/2 inches wide, + A piece of cotton wadding 7 1/2 inches long by + 4 1/2 inches wide, + 1/2 yard of ribbon 1/2 inch wide, the colour of + the silk, + A spool of sewing silk the same colour. + +The friend who travels will be glad to have a case in which to keep her +pins. It is very simple to make. + +Cut from any pretty piece of silk or velvet a strip five inches wide by +eight long, or a piece of five-inch flowered ribbon the same length will +do even better. Another strip of thin silk--white or some colour that +will look well with the first piece--should be cut the same size, if the +flowered piece is of silk; if it is of ribbon, cut the lining silk half +an inch wider. A piece of the cotton wadding that comes in sheets is cut +half an inch smaller in length and width than the others. Half a yard of +narrow ribbon to match the silk, and a spool of sewing silk will also be +needed, and if you like you can give a still more festive touch to the +case by filling it with fancy pins, those with pearl or gun-metal heads. + +[Illustration: FIG. 75] + +First baste the strip of cotton wadding on the lining silk through the +centre, then turn quarter of an inch of the edge of the silk up over the +wadding and baste it securely around all four sides. Now baste the +flowered silk cover against the other side of the wadding, turning in +all rough edges, and making sure that the edges of the lining and cover +are quite even, one above the other. Sew them together over and over, as +neatly as possible, with the coloured sewing silk, and stitch the ribbon +at its centre to the middle of one end of the case to form strings (see +Fig. 75). After it is filled with the pretty pins and rolled up, bring +the ribbons around it and tie them in a dainty little bow. + + +_A Case for Tape_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of flowered or figured cotton 8 + inches long by 4 1/2 inches wide, + A piece of plain-coloured cotton the same size, + 3/4 yard of 1/2-inch ribbon the colour of the + cotton, + A package of India tape, + A bodkin, + A spool of cotton. + +A case that is made in very much the same way as the one for pins is +used for holding pieces of tape of various widths. It is something that +almost any aunt would be delighted to have for her work basket. + +[Illustration: FIG. 76] + +Packages of what is called India tape are sold at many of the dry goods +shops for five or ten cents. They contain bunches of tape of different +widths, a yard or two in each bunch. Pieces of pretty cotton, one +figured or flowered, the other plain, will do quite as well as silk to +make the case. Then you will need a simple metal or bone bodkin and +three-quarters of a yard of narrow ribbon or silk braid. That is all +except a spool of cotton, needle and scissors. + +Cut a piece of plain-coloured cotton eight inches long by four and a +half wide, and lay the bunches of tape all along it, about an inch +apart. Now lay a piece of half-inch wide ribbon or silk braid along +above the bunches of tape and exactly at the middle of the strip of +cotton, as shown in Fig. 76. Pin the ribbon to the cotton lining at each +side of every piece of tape, making a loop that is large enough for each +bunch to slip through without pulling the cotton lining. A little loop +should also be made just large enough to hold the bodkin. Now take out +the bunches of tape and stitch the ribbon to the lining where it is +pinned. Cut a piece of flowered cotton the same size as the lining, and, +turning in the edges of both pieces for a quarter of an inch all the way +round, lay them together with the raw edges in and baste them evenly one +above the other. Next sew them together over and over all around. Stitch +the middle of a piece of ribbon sixteen inches long to the middle of the +right end of the case, slip the bunches of tape and the bodkin through +their loops, roll the case and tie the ribbon strings around it. It will +then be ready to pop into your gift box. + + +_A Braided Raffia Lamp Mat_ + + =Materials Required:= A bunch of raffia, + A bunch of coloured raffia, + A tapestry needle, No. 19. + +[Illustration: FIG. 77] + +A lamp mat will be a welcome gift to mamma or even to your big brother +for his room at college. The simplest one to make is of braided raffia. +Take six pieces of raffia and tie them together at one end. Fasten this +end to a nail or chair back, at a convenient height. If the raffia is +dampened a little it will work more smoothly. Now braid it into a +three-stranded plait, using two pieces for each strand. When a new piece +is needed lay it above the end of the old one and continue. The ends are +cut close after the braid is finished. You will need a great deal of +this braided raffia--about ten yards of the natural colour and two or +three of the coloured--but do a little at a time and you will find it +pleasant work. When you have enough prepared, thread a No. 19 tapestry +needle with a split strand of raffia and bind the end of it tightly +around the end of the natural-coloured braid, taking a stitch or two +through it to secure the binding. Now cut off the knot (which tied all +six pieces together in starting) close to the binding and coil the braid +into a tiny round centre. Run the needle through this centre back and +forth, then start coiling the second row, bringing the long end of the +braid around with its edge under the outer edge of the centre. The +needle is run in slanting from right to left (see Fig. 77), then out +from right to left, so that the stitches form a V within the coil. The +whole mat is coiled and sewed in this way, except that when the last row +of natural-coloured braid is stitched on, the end is bound as it was at +the beginning and brought gradually in under the mat, where it is sewed +securely. Be sure that you have finished a row before you end it off. +This you can tell by counting the rows, from the centre out, on all +sides of the mat. An end of the coloured braid (which is to form the +border of the mat) is also bound with a split strand of coloured raffia +and sewed against the under side of the mat. It is then sewed around +like the rest of the mat, except that in the first row you will have to +take great care to run the stitches through the natural-coloured braid +so that they will not show. Be sure to finish the border at the part of +the mat where it was started. + + +_Sewed Raffia Lamp Mat_ + + =Materials Required:= 12 or 14 yards of cotton clothesline or + window cord, + A bunch of raffia, + A bunch of coloured raffia, + A No. 19 tapestry needle. + +A soft, thick lamp mat that is beautiful to look at and very useful is +quite simply made as follows: + +[Illustration: FIG. 78] + +Buy twelve or fourteen yards of cotton clothesline. It is white and +smooth, and twisted like the fibre clothesline. Or there is a soft +cotton window cord that is even better, because it is smoother. Thread a +No. 19 tapestry needle with a strand of raffia, putting the thick, or +root, end through the needle. Lay the other end of the raffia on the +rope, with its tip turning toward the long end. Starting at the very end +of the rope, wind the long end of raffia around it (and its own short +end) for an inch or more. Then coil it into the smallest ring you +possibly can, bring the long end of the raffia around, up through the +centre of the ring and around again, taking in two coils--the one of +which the ring was made and a second one made by bringing the long end +of the rope around the ring (see Fig. 78). The first and second coils +are covered in this way with a simple over-and-over stitch, which binds +them together, passing around both and up through the centre. With the +third coil the real stitch begins. It is an Indian one called the Figure +Eight Stitch. The needle passes under the third coil (that is, the long +end of rope which you are coiling around), around, over it, under the +coil below, around, over it and up again, under and around the third +coil--drawing the coils close together. The whole mat is sewed in this +way. If you choose, you can work a design of coloured rings as a border +or a solid border of the coloured raffia. Fig. 79 shows how the new +pieces of raffia are added. Cross the old and new ends on the rope, +bring the needle threaded with the new strand under the lower coil, out +in front, over the lower coil, under and around the upper one, and so +on. + +[Illustration: FIG. 79] + + +_Doll's Hat of Raffia_ + + =Materials Required:= A bunch of raffia, + A tapestry needle, No. 19. + +How would you like to make a doll's raffia hat, as a birthday gift for +one of your special friends--one that will fit her favourite doll? Of +course it is to be a surprise, but you will have plenty of opportunities +to measure the dolly's head. The raffia comes in so many colours that +you will be able to choose one to match a special gown. When you are +ready to begin, make five yards or more of braided raffia as described +in the directions for the braided raffia lamp mat, and start the hat in +the same way as the mat was begun, except that an oval instead of a +round centre is formed. When you have made a large enough top for the +crown, bring the coil of braid around, with its upper edge a little +above the middle of the row just finished, drawing it quite tight, and +in sewing make the stitches run like the twists in the braid--so that +they will show as little as possible. The next row is sewed in the same +way, and the next, until the crown is the height you wish. In starting +the brim flatten the braid and bring it around more loosely. Be sure +that each row of braid is sewed half way under the row to which you are +stitching it. Make the whole brim in this way, keeping the braid always +flat and loose so that it shall not pucker. When it is as large as you +wish, you can make the edge roll slightly by drawing the last two rows +quite tight as you sew them on. Fasten the end of the braid at the back +of the hat by binding it with the raffia in your needle and stitching it +firmly on the under side of the brim. + + +_Leather Tag Case_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of heavy leather 3 1/2 inches wide + by 6 1/2 inches long, + A piece of leather 3 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 + inches long, + Some strips of leather 1/4 inch wide, + Several kindergarten beads of a colour to match + or harmonise with the leather, + A punch to make round holes, + 2 dozen baggage tags, + Scissors, + A bodkin. + +[Illustration: LEATHER TAG CASE] + +One of the best presents a child can give to his father, or a man +friend, is a leather case full of tags. Things made of leather are so +handsome and durable that you cannot do better, in buying material for +your gift box, than to invest in a skin of heavy leather in the natural +colour, red or green. Another useful thing for your gift work will be a +punch with which to make round holes in leather or cardboard. You will +then only need a pair of scissors, a pencil and a few beads in order to +be equipped not only to make this tag case but several other charming +gifts. Measure and mark with pencil on the leather two pieces, one six +inches and one-quarter long by three inches and one-half wide, the other +four and one-half inches long by three and one-half inches wide, and cut +them out carefully. Also cut a number of strips of leather a quarter of +an inch wide and as long as the skin will allow. On each corner of the +smaller piece of leather mark a dot three-sixteenths of an inch in from +the edge. Then make three more dots the same distance from the edge and +about an inch apart on each side, and two near the bottom, the same +distance from the edge and each other. Now with your punch make holes +through these dots. Lay this piece of leather on the larger one, with +the lower edges and sides together, and with a pencil mark through the +holes on the piece below. Dots are also made three-sixteenths of an inch +in from the edge at each of the upper corners of the larger piece of +leather, two about an inch apart at the middle of the top edge, and one +more on either side, half way between the dots at the upper corners and +the upper ones of those already marked from the smaller piece of +leather. All these dots have holes punched through them. Now lay the +pieces together, the smaller one on top, with its lower edge and sides +fitting exactly with the bottom and sides of the larger piece. Starting +at the upper right-hand corner of the smaller piece, bring a bodkin +threaded with a long strip of leather up through the holes in both +pieces, then up through the next hole below in both pieces, lacing them +together all the way around to the other side. Here the bodkin is +slipped off and the end is knotted with another strip of leather. On +this new strip the bodkin is threaded and brought up through each hole +in succession along the left side, the top and down the right side of +the large piece of leather. It stops where the lacing began, and the +ends are there tied together. A large bead is slipped on each of these +ends and one on each of the two ends on the opposite side, and a knot is +made at the tip to keep the bead from falling off. To make a loop to +hang it by, thread the bodkin with a short strip of leather, run it down +through the left of the two middle holes at the top of the case and out +again through the right one. Cut it the length you wish the loop to be +and thread a bead on each end, making a knot at the tip to keep the bead +on. + + +_Beaded Leather Pen Wiper_ + + =Materials Required:= Two circular pieces of leather about 3 1/2 + inches in diameter, + 3 circular pieces of natural-coloured chamois + about 3 inches in diameter, + A strip of leather 1/4 inch wide and 1/4 yard + long, + 1 skein of beads, No. 3-0, + 1 skein of beads, No. 3-0, of another colour. + +[Illustration: FIG. 80] + +A pen wiper is such a usual present that you may think no one would care +for it, but look around and you will surely find a big brother or +sister, or perhaps a friend, who hasn't one. And this is such an +interesting pen wiper to make. It is very simple, just two round pieces +of leather and three of chamois. The top piece of leather has the design +shown in Fig. 80 worked on it in beads of a colour that will look well +with the leather you have chosen. Black and crystal beads will +harmonise with red leather or dark-green crystal and opaque white. If +the leather is not so bright a colour, the beads may be more gay. Work +the design with the stitch described in the directions for making an +Indian beaded shirt in Chapter V., bringing the strings of beads farther +apart at the outer edge of the circle than on the inside. When the +beadwork is done, put the pieces of leather together with the chamois +ones between, mark two dots a quarter of an inch apart at the centre of +the top, punch holes through the dots and then through the other pieces +of chamois and leather. A bodkin threaded with a strip of leather is +then run down through one hole, up through the other, and the ends are +knotted together and cut quite short. + + +_Baby's Worsted Ball_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of thin cardboard a foot square, + Odds and ends of worsted, + A worsted needle, + A piece of string, + Scissors. + +We have not made any plans, as yet, for a gift for the baby. Suppose we +make him a great, fluffy worsted ball. Among your mother's odds and +ends of worsted you will find plenty of gay colours that will be +exactly what you want. Then you will need some thin cardboard, or +bristol board. On this mark two circles, five inches in diameter, and at +the centre of each of these, two smaller circles an inch and a quarter +in diameter. Cut out the two large circles and the small holes within +them. You will then have two circular pieces of cardboard with a round +hole in the centre of each, making it look like a cookie. Take a strong +but slender piece of string about a foot long and lay it around the +hole in the centre of one of the pieces of cardboard, with the ends +coming together below the outer edge (see Fig. 81). Lay the other piece +of cardboard directly over the first one and hold them firmly together +(see Fig. 82) while with a needle threaded with worsted you sew around +and around the cardboard rings, bringing the needle each time through +the hole in the centre and around the outer edge of both rings. When a +needleful of worsted is finished leave the end hanging and start +another. Keep on until the hole in the middle is quite filled up and the +whole thing looks like a puffy cushion. Now take a sharp pair of +scissors and cut the layers of worsted at the outer edge of the +pasteboard rings all the way around. Do this carefully but quickly, and +be sure not to cut the two ends of string, for now is the time to use +them. They are tied together just as tightly as possible, and as close +to the centre. The cardboard rings are then slipped out, leaving a soft, +fluffy ball of many colours. Clip off the uneven ends of worsted here +and there, and the ball will be complete. + +[Illustration: FIG. 81] + +[Illustration: FIG. 82] + +Raffia sewed in the same way over tiny cardboard rings, then tied and +cut, makes fascinating little pompons for a doll's hat. + + + + +Paper Flowers and Toys + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +PAPER FLOWERS AND TOYS + + + +[Illustration: FIG. 83] + +It sometimes seems, on a rainy day, as if there was nothing to do +because you have not the materials that are needed for certain +occupations--but there is always paper. You may not, of course, have all +the things that are used in making tissue-paper flowers, unless you have +been so thrifty as to buy them, looking forward to just such a time as +this. But if you cannot make the flowers at once, you can decide which +ones you wish to do and plan a list of the materials you will need. Then +there are numbers of things that you can fashion from watercolour paper, +or even heavy note paper and cardboard; so let us get out pencil and +paper, paste and scissors, and begin. + + + =Materials Required:= 2 large sheets of linen writing paper + 1 sheet of deep-yellow tissue paper, + 1 sheet of olive-green tissue paper, + A little cotton batting, + A long wire stem, + A tube of paste, + Pen and ink, + Scissors. + +[Illustration: FIG. 84] + +How would you like to make a game of your very own with which you and +your brothers and sisters or some of your friends can play? It is quite +simple--just a great paper daisy with a slip of paper pasted on the +under side of each petal. Upon each slip is written a sort of conundrum, +the answer to which is the name of a plant or flower. If you can get a +real daisy for a model, so much the better. + +Fold a large sheet of linen writing paper diagonally so that you will +have a square eight by eight inches. Bend it over again diagonally, and +then again and again, so that it will have been folded four times in +all. Now draw the outline of a daisy petal upon the folded paper (see +Fig. 83), and cut it out through all the thicknesses. This will give +you a sixteen-petaled daisy. The centre has next to be made. Cut from +deep-yellow tissue paper eight circles three inches across, six circles +two inches, and six an inch across. This is easily done by folding the +paper into as many thicknesses as you wish circles of each size, so that +you can cut through them all at once. Before separating the circles cut +the edges into a fine fringe about three-eighths of an inch deep. Fold a +piece of olive-green tissue paper in the same way as the white paper for +the petals was folded, but once more, and cut it like Fig. 84. This is +for the calyx. Next cut some slips of paper just large enough to be +pasted on the underside of the petals and write on each a number and a +conundrum from the following list: + + 1. A public building in Philadelphia. + 2. A plant that rhymes with pansy. + 3. A foolish wild animal. + 4. A wise man. + 5. Fit for a king. + 6. A girl's name. + 7. A plant for Sundays. + 8. For thirsty folk. + 9. Several droves of sheep. + 10. Part of a pet. + 11. Two girls' names. + 12. Something that we know flies, though no one has ever seen it. + 13. A rosy athlete. + 14. A necessary article of food and a piece of china. + 15. A girl's name and a metal. + 16. An animal and a covering for the hand. + +The following key, or answers to the conundrums, you will of course keep +hidden until after the game has been played: + + 1. Mint + 2. Tay + 3. Dandelion. + 4. Sage. + 5. Goldenrod. + 6. Sumach (Sue Mack). + 7. Jack-in-the-pulpit. + 8. Pitcher-plant. + 9. Phlox (Flocks). + 10. Cattail. + 11. Rosemary. + 12. Thyme. + 13. Scarlet runner. + 14. Buttercup. + 15. Marigold. + 16. Foxglove. + +When the slips have each been pasted on a petal the daisy is put +together in this way: Take a long, stout piece of wire, such as is sold +for paper-flower stems; put the yellow circles all together, the larger +ones at the bottom, then the medium ones and the smallest on top. Bend +one end of the wire into a tiny ring and run the other end down through +the centre of the yellow circles, then through the middle of the white +circle with the petals on its edge, putting a touch of paste between the +centre and the petals. Now paste a thin layer of cotton batting to the +lower side of the petal-edged piece, at the centre, and run the wire +stem through the middle of the green calyx, pasting the paper lightly to +the cotton. Wind the stem with olive-green tissue paper cut in strips +two inches wide, and cut from the same paper some leaves as much as +possible like the little leaves of a daisy plant. The directions for +playing this game are given in chapter X. + + +_How to Make a Country Girl_ + + =Materials Required:= A sheet of brown paper, + A sheet of heavy watercolour paper, 6 by 8 inches, + A pencil, + A box of watercolour paints, + Scissors. + +[Illustration: FIG. 85] + +Little country girls are almost always useful, and though this one is +only made of paper she can be useful too. She will serve as a dinner +card or a penwiper, or even carry courtplaster to those who need it. If +you do not care for any of these things you can play with her, for she +makes a charming paper doll. Fig. 85 shows one side of the little girl, +the other is just the same. She is made as follows: Cut from brown paper +the pattern shown in Fig. 86, making it six and a half inches high by +four and three-eighths inches broad--at the widest point. Take care to +mark the dotted lines exactly where they are in the picture. It will be +better to draw the apron, sunbonnet and little shoes on the pattern, +for then you can copy directly from it instead of from the smaller one +in the book. Lay the pattern on a piece of heavy watercolour paper and +draw around it with a sharp-pointed pencil, marking the dotted lines +exactly. Next the little girl must be cut out. Do this carefully with a +pair of small, sharp scissors. Bend the paper on the dotted lines so +that it will look like Fig. 85. On all the lines except the one down the +front A (see Fig. 86) and the two marked B the paper is bent forward, on +these two it turns back and the flaps on the bottom of the shoes are +turned back. Now for the finishing touches. For these you will need pen +and ink and a box of watercolour paints. The dress, where it peeps out +beyond the white apron, the bands on the sleeves and the dots and edge +of the sunbonnet, should all be painted some pretty colour--pink, red, +blue, green or yellow--whatever you choose. The shoes should be black, +and the outlines of the apron and pockets, the gathers of the sleeves +and sunbonnet are all drawn in black ink. + +[Illustration: FIG. 86] + +[Illustration: FIG. 87] + +The little girl is now complete unless you wish to have her stand by +herself, in which case cut a circular piece of cardboard and glue her +upon it by the flaps on her shoes. If you would like to make her useful, +you can attach two or three tiny sheets of courtplaster between her +skirts or several leaves of flannel, so that she can serve as a +penwiper. + +[Illustration: FIG. 88] + + +_A Paper Santa Claus_ + + =Materials Required:= The same as for the Country Girl. + +[Illustration: FIG. 89] + +Another delightful little paper person made on the plan of the Country +Girl is the Santa Claus shown in Fig. 87. He makes a charming Christmas +card to carry greetings or a gift. The pattern (see Fig. 88) is made +five and one-eighth inches high by five and a quarter inches wide, of +brown paper, in the same way as the pattern of the country girl. Santa +Claus is also cut from watercolour paper and bent according to the +dotted lines. The colouring should be red and white, of course, with a +green holly wreath. It would not do to forget the Saint's pack, which +is cut from the pattern shown in Fig. 89. It is painted brown, with +gaily coloured toys--dolls, drums and Noah's arks--peeping out at the +top. Paste it between the two sides of Santa Claus near his shoulders. + + +_A Seashore Boy_ + + =Materials Required:= The same as for the Country Girl. + +[Illustration: FIG. 90] + +As a companion for the Country Girl you can make, if you like, a +Seashore Boy (see Fig. 90) in just the same way. The pattern given in +Fig. 91 shows where the paper is to be folded. From all the folds the +paper should bend backward except on the lines marked A, from these it +bends forward. The colouring should be mostly blue and white. The great +sun hat will be straw coloured, of course, with a blue band. His short +socks are of white, with brown legs showing above them, and his suit +should be blue, or a white one with a blue tie. The pail may be painted +red. + + +_A Valentine Favour_ + + =Materials Required:= A piece of watercolour paper a foot square, + A box of watercolour paints, + A strip of scarlet china silk 5 inches wide by 1/2 + yard long, + A yard of scarlet baby ribbon, + A spool of scarlet sewing silk, + A bodkin, + A tube of paste, + Scissors. + +A boy or girl with deft fingers can make the most attractive little +valentine favour imaginable in a short time and at very slight expense. +It is a double heart of watercolour paper, painted scarlet and with a +silk puff of the same colour drawn up at the top, making a bag for +bonbons. + +[Illustration: FIG. 91] + +[Illustration: FIG. 92] + +[Illustration: FIG. 93] + +The heart is perhaps the most difficult part, but a child who has +learned in kindergarten to weave with paper will be able to do it +without much trouble. Cut from watercolour paper two pieces in the shape +shown in Fig. 92. The paper should be doubled and the fold laid against +the straight edge at the bottom of the pattern. The size does not +matter very much, though if the heart is to hold anything the pieces +should measure four inches and a quarter from the doubled edge to the +top of the rounded end and two and five-eighths inches across. Rule with +pencil a light line across each piece at two and five-eighths inches +from the straight end. Five lines are also ruled in the other direction, +the first one seven-sixteenths of an inch from one side of each piece of +paper and the others the same distance apart (see Fig. 92). Cut along +these lines with sharp, strong scissors from the double straight edge to +the ruled line near the top of each piece. The lower part of both +pieces will thus be cut into doubled strips. Now take a piece in each +hand, rounded end down, and weave the lower strip of the piece in your +right hand through the strips in the left-hand piece. As the strips are +double, the weaving must be done rather differently than with single +strips of paper. The strip with which you are weaving goes around the +first strip in the left-hand piece, through the next one, around the +next, and so on (see Fig. 93). When it comes to the end it is pushed +down a little way and the next strip on the right is woven above it, +only that this one passes through the strips that the first one passed +around, and around those that the first one passed through. Weave one +after another until all six of the strips in the right-hand piece are +woven in with those on the left--when it should open to form a +heart-shaped bag, as shown in Fig. 94. + +[Illustration: FIG. 94] + +Colour the heart on both sides with vermilion watercolour paint and it +will then be ready for the silk top. Cut from scarlet China silk a strip +five inches wide by half a yard long. Sew the ends together, hem the top +and make a casing for the ribbon drawstring, as described in the +directions for the beaded silk bag in chapter V. The lower edge is +gathered to fit the inside of the top of the heart and pasted into it on +a straight line, running just below the openings, around both sides of +the heart. If the paste is not very sticky you may need to take a tiny +stitch here and there with scarlet sewing silk, tacking the silk top +more securely to the heart. It will then be ready to line with a lace +paper doily or some waxed paper, and fill with bonbons. + + +_A Frog Jumping Jack_ + + =Materials Required:= A small sheet of 4-ply bristol board, + A box of watercolour paints, + A ball of fine white string, + Pen and ink, + A pair of sharp scissors, + A large, sharp-pointed worsted needle. + +There is a funny frog jumping jack that you can make if you like some +cheerless, rainy day. He brings smiles wherever he goes. + +Take a sheet of heavy four-ply bristol board and draw upon it the pieces +shown in Figs. 95, 96, 97 and 98--the frog's head and body, legs and one +arm. Make them as large as you can. The head and body together should +measure eight inches high by seven wide, from the right side to the end +of the mandolin on the left. The legs should be about six and a half +inches long and the right arm should of course be the size of the left, +which is drawn on the same piece as the body. Colour the body, throat +and legs pale yellow with watercolour paint; the upper part of the head, +the arms and the outer edges of the body and legs are first painted +light green and then marked with irregular spots and dashes of medium +and dark bluish green. A red ribbon with a Maltese cross of the same +colour is painted around his neck, and the mandolin he holds is white +above and black underneath. The eyes should be dark green with very +large whites, and the smiling mouth red, of course. The strings of the +mandolin are drawn with pen and ink, as are the outlines of the whites +of the eyes, the hands and feet. Now Mr. Frog must be put together. Tie +a knot in a piece of fine white string and thread the other end through +a large worsted needle. Run the needle through the frog's body at the +lower right side (where you see the dot on Fig. 95), leaving the knot in +front, pass it through the right leg about half an inch from the top and +fasten it with a knot at the back. The other leg is attached in the same +way, and the right arm is placed in position and fastened to the body as +the legs were. A knot is then made in a piece of white cord and the end +is brought through the right arm (leaving the knot in front) about +three-quarters of an inch below where it is fastened to the body, and +near the outer edge of the arm. The end of the string is brought down at +the back of the frog, quite loosely, to the upper part of the right leg, +where it passes through and is tied to the part of the string that comes +from the arm (see Fig. 99). It is then brought across to the top of the +left leg, where it is tied. A separate string fifteen inches long is +attached to the centre of the piece, which passes from one leg to the +other (this is the one that is pulled to make him jump), and a short +loop of string is fastened at the top of his head by which to hold him. +When the long string is pulled Mr. Frog will dance and play the +mandolin. + +[Illustration: FIG. 95] + +[Illustration: FIG. 96] + +[Illustration: FIG. 97] + +[Illustration: FIG. 98] + +[Illustration: FIG. 99] + + +_Paper Flowers_ + +Have you ever made paper flowers? If not, you have probably seen them +made by the cardboard patterns which dealers in tissue paper sell. How +about making the patterns yourself--for the poppies, daisies and tulips +and all the other flowers. It will be an interesting thing to do and not +difficult. Catch one of the poppy petals as it floats off from the +flower, blown by a summer breeze. Notice that there are only four petals +(if it is a single poppy), the two smaller ones setting across the +larger pair below. Poppies are charming and much simpler than other +flowers to copy in paper. You may have noticed that the petals of the +real ones look almost exactly like silky, crinkled paper. Draw an +outline of the petal a little larger than life on heavy brown paper. +Fold the paper back at the base of the petal and cut it out in the two +thicknesses so that it will look like Fig. 100. The two lower petals +will be cut in the same way but larger. You now have a pattern for as +many poppies as you choose. They can be made in various colours--white, +red, pink, pink and white and yellow. You can buy poppy centres ready to +use, or if you prefer you can make them yourself in this way: For a +poppy four and a half inches across, cut a circle of yellow paper an +inch and a quarter in diameter. Fringe the edge about half an inch. Next +take a wire stem, bend the end into a small circle, cover it with a tiny +ball of cotton batting and over this a piece of olive-green tissue +paper, forming it to look as much as possible like the real poppy centre +(see Fig. 101). Wind the edges of the paper close around the wire stem. +Now run the other end of the stem down through the yellow circle, +brushing it with paste to attach it to the green part of the centre. +Slip the smaller pair of petals on the stem, then the larger pair (with +a little paste between), so that the smaller pair will set directly +across the larger. This completes the poppy. The stem is wound with +strips of olive-green tissue paper, and the leaves are cut from the same +paper by a pattern which you can easily make by laying a poppy leaf on a +sheet of cardboard and drawing around it with a sharp-pointed pencil. + +[Illustration: FIG. 100] + +[Illustration: FIG. 101] + + +_Ox-Eyed Daisies_ + + =Materials Required:= 1 or more sheets of deep-yellow tissue + paper, + A sheet of olive-green tissue paper, + A ball of dark-brown worsted, + Several wire stems, + A tube of paste, + Scissors. + +Ox-eyed daisies are easily fashioned and look so like the real ones that +they are as satisfactory as any paper flowers you can make. Take four +thicknesses of deep-yellow tissue paper. Bend the corner over +diagonally and cut a square four by four inches. Next fold the paper in +the same way as for the petals described in the Daisy Game in this +chapter. Mark on the top of the last fold a petal, as shown in Fig. 83, +and cut it out through all the thicknesses. After it is unfolded you may +have to cut some of the petals up nearer to the centre. Wind some brown +worsted around your thumb about twenty times, take it off and run +through it the end of a wire stem which has been bent into a tiny crook. +Tie the worsted centre just above the wire with a short piece of +worsted, or bind it with fine wire, and cut the loops at the top. Now +run the other end of the stem down through the centre of the petals. +Make a green calyx like the one for the white daisy but much smaller, +not over an inch across. Wind the stem with strips of olive-green tissue +paper, laying in every now and then a daisy leaf cut from the same +dark-green paper. Other single flowers can be as easily made as this, +and you will find that the patterns will not be difficult to make if you +take the natural flowers for your models. + + +_A Curled Chrysanthemum_ + + =Materials Required:= Several sheets of pink or yellow tissue + paper in a light and medium shade, + Several sheets of olive-green tissue paper, + A small piece of cardboard, + Some wire stems, + A tube of paste, + Scissors. + +[Illustration: FIG. 102] + +Chrysanthemums are among the most natural of paper flowers, and +fascinating to make. White ones are pretty, and those that are made of +shades of pink or yellow are even more attractive. Cut the pattern shown +in Fig. 102 from cardboard and lay it on three thicknesses of medium +yellow tissue paper, seven and a half inches square, which have been +folded diagonally three times. Hold the pattern firmly upon it and cut +it out carefully. Then in the same way cut two thicknesses of +light-yellow paper into petals. A piece of olive-green tissue paper is +folded into a smaller square and cut in the same way, to make a calyx. +To curl the petals, put a small sofa cushion on your knee, lay a petal +upon it, and, taking a common hatpin with a smooth, round head, press +it upon the end of each petal up to the centre. This will curl it as if +by magic. Do another and another till the whole piece is finished. Then +curl a second piece and a third in the same way. When they are all done +bend a long wire stem at one end and run the other end through the +centre of the petal-edged pieces, which should be laid one above the +other, the darker ones on top. Put a touch of paste between them, slip +on the green calyx, wind the stem with strips of green tissue paper, +laying in a chrysanthemum leaf from time to time, and the flower is +complete. + +[Illustration: Making a chrysanthemum] + + + + +Games for Two or Three to Play + + + + +CHAPTER X + +GAMES FOR TWO OR THREE TO PLAY + + +On stormy days the children of a family are likely to be alone--unless +they are so fortunate as to have a little visitor in the house, or a +friend who lives near wraps up and comes to play with them. A child who +is alone can read, or find in the other chapters of this book some +absorbing occupation; for a party of children there are always plenty of +games, but it is sometimes difficult to think of a game that two or +three will enjoy. The following are a few suggestions for such an +emergency: + + +_Picture Puzzles_ + + =Materials Required:= As many pieces of cardboard about 6 by 8 + inches as there are children, + As many pairs of scissors as there are children, + One or more tubes of paste, + Several old magazines. + +There is such a fascination about cutting and pasting that a game like +this is one of the best you can choose for a dull day. Each child has +an old magazine, a piece of cardboard and a pair of scissors, while +tubes of paste lie conveniently near. When the children are seated +around a table the game begins. It is played in this way: Each player +cuts from his magazine a picture (which must be smaller than his card), +pastes it upon his piece of cardboard, and when it is dry and firm cuts +it in pieces with six straight cuts of the scissors, so as to make a +puzzle. He then mixes the pieces and passes them to his neighbour on the +right. At a given signal each child tries to put the puzzle which he has +received together as quickly as possible. The one who finishes first +calls out that he is through, and he is of course the winner. + +As a sequel the children will enjoy colouring the puzzles. If they are +pretty and neatly made they may be given to a child's hospital, to amuse +some other little children in the long days of convalescence. + + +_How to Play the Daisy Game_ + +This is a good guessing game for two or more children to play, and if +you will follow the directions given in chapter IX. you will find that +it can be made quite easily. None of the players should have seen the +key, or answers to the conundrum, but if you find that they have seen +it, you can write on the slips of paper, instead of the conundrums, the +names of flowers with the letters mixed for example, sapyn, for pansy. +Each child in turn pulls a petal from the daisy and tries to guess the +name of the flower, which is the answer to the conundrum written on the +under side of the petal. Five minutes is the time allowed, and if the +player has not guessed the flower in that time he must pass the petal to +the child on his left, who also has five minutes in which to guess it. +If he guesses correctly the petal belongs to him, and at the end of the +game the player having the most petals has won. + + +_Horses in the Stable_ + + =Materials Required:= A pasteboard shoe box, + Some marbles, + Pen and ink, + Scissors. + +Although this game is played with marbles, girls as well as boys will +enjoy it, and it is so easily prepared that it can be played at short +notice. Take a long pasteboard box--a shoe box is about the right size. +Remove the cover and turn it upside down. Now, starting at the lower +edge, draw five doorways, like those shown in Fig. 103. The one in the +centre should be an inch across and an inch and a half high, the two on +each side of it an inch and a half wide and two inches high, and the +outer ones each two inches wide and two and a half inches high. Cut out +these doorways with a sharp, strong pair of scissors and mark over the +middle one in pen and ink the number 25. The two on either side of it +have marked above them 10, and the other two each have 5. Stand the box, +or stable, thus prepared, against the wall and place a mark four feet +from it. Each player has three marbles, and in turn tries to roll or +shoot them from the mark through the little doors into the box. If he +succeeds in putting one through the smallest door he makes twenty-five; +if through either of the other doors his score is increased by the +number marked above it. There should be a time limit for the game--half +an hour, for example. The score of each player, which is kept on a sheet +of paper, is added at the end of that time and the one having the most +points has won the game. + +[Illustration: FIG. 103] + + +_Plants and Flowers_ + + =Materials Required:= As many pencils and sheets of paper as + players, + A large sheet of cardboard, + Some seed catalogues, + Pen and ink, + A tube of paste, + Scissors. + +Although a number of children can play this game, two or three will +enjoy it quite as well. Any boy or girl can make it. You will need first +of all a number of seed catalogues. Cut from these eighteen or twenty +pictures of flowers and plants, taking care not to leave the names on +them. Write in pencil, on the back of each, a number (any one from 1 to +18) and the name--this is for your own guidance later on. Now make a +list of the flowers and plants, each with its number before it. This is +the key, to be put away till after the game is played. Take a large +sheet of cardboard, about twenty by twenty-four inches, and paste upon +it the flowers and plants in the order of their numbers, marking the +number of each clearly in pen and ink underneath it. If you like you can +colour the pictures--this will make the game more attractive, of course, +and as you can use it many times it is worth while. A loop of string, by +which to hang it, should be run through the top of the card at the +centre. When you are ready to play the game hang the cardboard sheet +where all can see it; give each player a pencil and a piece of paper, on +the left side of which numbers from 1 to 18 have been marked. Each child +tries in the time allowed--about twenty minutes--to guess the names of +the flowers and plants on the sheet or cardboard, and write each +opposite its number on his piece of paper. The correct names are then +read from the key and the players check off their guesses. The one who +has guessed the greatest number correctly is of course the winner. + + +_A Ball-and-Fan Race_ + + =Materials Required:= 2 Japanese paper balls, + 2 palmleaf fans. + +[Illustration: A ball and fan race] + +Two children will find this race an interesting one for a rainy day. The +best place in which to play it is a large room with very little +furniture in it--a playroom for example. Each player stands at a +corner of the room diagonally opposite the other, three feet out from +the corner, and each has a Japanese paper ball in front of him and a +large fan in his hand. They must face different ways and both count +together "One, two, three, and away!" As they finish counting, the +children begin to fan their balls around the room, close to the wall. +There will be some lively skirmishing when they meet, as they are likely +to do when half way around the room. Then each tries to send his +opponent's ball back and his own forward. When each finally gets his +ball back to the corner where he started, he must try to send it as +quickly as possible to the middle of the room, where a chair is placed. +The ball must be fanned through the legs of this chair and to the goal +of his opponent. The player who first accomplishes this is the winner. + + +_Fun with Popcorn_ + + =Materials Required:= An open fire, + A corn popper, + Several ears of popcorn, + A prize, if desired. + +If the open fire burns brightly in your playroom, no matter how gray and +bleak the day may be outside, you and your brothers and sisters can +keep warm and cheerful over this delightful game. You may provide a +prize for the winner, if you like, but the only things that are +absolutely necessary are the fire, some popcorn and a popper. When the +players are seated in a semicircle around the fire they may all help in +shelling the corn. After this is done, divide the popcorn evenly between +them, so that each shall have a small quantity. The player on the left +side of the fireplace now takes the corn popper and pops his corn. When +it is done, the kernels that are fully popped are counted, also the +unpopped ones, and a record is made of each. The next player pops his +corn and counts the result, and so on until all have finished. The child +having the largest number of fully popped kernels is the winner, and may +receive a prize. Afterward the winner and the defeated players will +equally enjoy eating the fluffy popcorn, or if the cook is particularly +amiable they may be allowed to flock to the kitchen and make popcorn +balls. + + +_Express_ + + =Materials Required:= 12 or 15 articles, large and small, + light and heavy. + +This is a lively game that needs little preparation. All you will have +to provide is a number of articles, toys, pieces of china (not valuable +ones), a glass of water, some very small things and one or more large +ones, something heavy like a dumb-bell or flatiron and something +light--a palmleaf fan, for example. When you have them all collected, on +a table or stand on one side of the room where the game is to be played, +place another table or stand across the room. Then you must have a clock +or a watch, and that is all--except the players. Each child in turn +takes one thing at a time, from the stand where the various articles are +piled, and carries it to the table at the opposite side of the room. It +is done as quickly as possible, for the object is to move everything +from one place to the other in the least possible time. Each player is +timed and his record kept on a piece of paper. If a player drops +anything he must carry it back to the starting point and make another +trip with it. The next player begins at the table to which the first one +took the baggage and carries it, in the same way, back to the first +table. So it goes on until everyone has played expressman. The player +who succeeds in transferring the baggage in the shortest time is, of +course, the winner. + + +_A Hurdle Race_ + + =Materials Required:= A box of tiddledywinks, + A sheet of white cardboard, + A box of watercolour paints, + A pencil, + Scissors, + A ball of white string, + Some pins. + +The next time you are kept indoors by the weather, you and a brother or +sister may enjoy a hurdle race. It is played with tiddledywink chips and +pasteboard hurdles on a large table or on the floor. You can make the +hurdles yourself. They should be cut from cardboard, eight inches wide +and four inches high. Paint some of them with wooden bars and others +green--like high hedges. In making the hurdles, cut the cardboard so +that a strip two inches deep by an inch across will extend below each +lower corner (see Fig. 104). One of these is bent sharply forward at the +place marked by the dotted lines, the other is turned back, forming +stands to keep the hurdles upright. + +The racecourse will have to be laid out on a covered table or carpeted +floor, as the tiddledywinks can only be used on a soft, cushiony +surface. You can make the boundaries with white string, held in place +here and there with pins. An oval course, though more difficult to mark +is rather more exciting than a straight one, but either will do. Have +the course eight inches wide and as long as you please. The hurdles may +be placed where-ever you choose, but be sure to have plenty of them. + +[Illustration: FIG. 104] + +When you are ready to begin, each player takes a large tiddledywink chip +and a small one of the same colour--but different from his +opponent's--and at a signal given by a third person, who acts as umpire, +the race begins. Snap the tiddledywink chip just as you do in playing +the game, only taking great care not to send it out of the course, for +if it goes outside the lines you must set it back three inches. The +umpire follows the race, of course, and settles all disputed questions. + + +_Pictures from Fairy Tales_ + + =Materials Required:= A number of old magazines, + Twice as many sheets of cardboard or heavy brown + paper, 10 by 12 inches, as there are children, + As many pairs of scissors as there are children, + A tube of paste for each child. + +Two or three children who know and love the old fairy tales can spend a +delightful hour playing this game. Each one should have several old +magazines and a sheet of cardboard, as well as scissors and a tube of +paste. The leader, who may be one of the children or an older person, +explains the game as follows: Each child is expected to make a picture +on his sheet of cardboard to illustrate some fairy tale. It is not +necessary to draw it; he can cut from the magazines people and +properties and scenery and paste them upon the card. He must be sure not +to tell anyone the story he has chosen. At the end of half an hour the +pictures should be finished. A bell is rung for everyone to stop work +and the pictures are placed where all can see them. The leader now holds +one up before the children and asks them what story they suppose it +illustrates, and what particular part of the story. The child who +answers first wins the picture. The other pictures are held up, one at a +time, and the children try to see who can guess them first. If they are +ready for another round of the game after this one is finished, they may +find it amusing to vary it by making pictures from "Mother Goose." + + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Transcriber's notes: | + | | + | P.177. 'aesily' perhaps a typo for 'easily', changed. | + | Obvious punctuation errors repaired. | + | | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Child's Rainy Day Book, by Mary White + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43720 *** |