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diff --git a/43720-8.txt b/43720-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0dc69ec..0000000 --- a/43720-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4403 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Child's Rainy Day Book, by Mary White - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Child's Rainy Day Book - -Author: Mary White - -Illustrator: Mary White - -Release Date: September 14, 2013 [EBook #43720] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHILD'S RAINY DAY BOOK *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jane Robins and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - +--------------------------------------------------------------+ - | | - | 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 THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHILD'S RAINY DAY BOOK *** - -***** This file should be named 43720-8.txt or 43720-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/7/2/43720/ - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jane Robins and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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