Indoor and outdoor handicraft and recreation for girls

Front matter

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT

HANDICRArX AND PECREATION TOR GIRLS

THE BEARD BOOKS FOR GIRLS

Preface

This book, like a girl's life, is divided into two parts : i ccupation and amusement, or handicraft and recreation.

It is not equally divided, for handicraft is so much more ce play than work, and is so entertaining in itself, we find 'ifiQculty in drawing a distinct line between that and recreation. The one insists upon blending with the other and the book, after all, is a book of entertainment.

With the old handicrafts coming back into favor and new ones constantly being brought forward, a girl's life may be full of delightful employment. To work with joyous enthusiasm and self-reliant energy, as well as to play with light-hearted enjoyment, cannot fail to make her sensible, wholesome, and happy, and it is with this end in view that we have written and illustrated the book. Our wish is to help our girl friends to make the most of their girlhood and to enjoy it to its fullest extent.

We have had practical experience in the actual working out of all the various handicrafts and recreations, and therefore give only that which we know can be well and easily done by the average girl.

Thanks are due to the Delineator, Harper s Bazar, Woman s vi Preface

Home Companion, and Good Housekeeping, for their courtesy in promptly returning for this work the original drawings and material used in their respective magazines.

The Author.

Flushing, August 2, 1904.

Chapter I. Page

The Spinning-Wheel, 4 ; The Spindle, 5 ; The Distaff, 7 ; Thoroughly- Cleaned, 8; The Band, 8; To Adjust the Band, 9; The Flax, 10; Practice, 11 ; How to Spin, 12 ; When the Thread Breaks, 12.

CHAPTER IL Weaving on a Home-made Loom 15

The Pin Loom, 16; The Heddles, 17; The Shuttle, 19; To Adjust the Warp, 19; The Woof, 20; How to Weave a Miniature Navajo Blanket, 20 ; Blankets for Dolls' Beds, 26.

CHAPTER HI.

A Ball of Twine and What May Be Made of It 27

Making a Little Hammock, 27; How to Tie the Twine, 29 ; A School- Bag, 31 ; Twine Curtains, 34.

CHAPTER IV.

An Armful of Shavings, and What to Do with Them 36

Selecting the Shavings, 36; A Soft Little Basket, 36; How to Prepare the Shavings, 37; How to Weave the Shavings, 39; Bind the Edges, 40 ; The Handle, 40 ; A Handkerchief Case, 41.

viii Contents

CHAPTER V. PAGE

Primitive Reed Curtains : 43

The Reeds, 43; Raw Material, 43; The Twine-Stick Weave, 44; The Finished Curtain, 46 ; Curtain-Bee Frolic, 48 ; Door-way Screens, 49.

CHAPTER VI.

Things to Make of Common Grasses 53

A Grasshopper House, 53; A Doll's Hammock, 56; A Bouquet-Holder, 58; Weaving a Napkin- Ring, 59.

CHAPTER VH.

Possibilities of a Clothes Line 62

Adapted to Decoration, 62 ; Rope Wood- Basket, 62 ; Rope Net Fringe, 65 ; The Tassels, 65.

CHAPTER VHL

How to Weave a Splint Basket 68

The Material, 68 ; The Spokes, 68 ; The Weavers, 70 ; ^^'eaving the Basket, 71 ; Binding Off, 71 ; Trimming, 73.

CHAPTER IX.

Modelling in Tissue-Paper 75

Modelling a Chicken, 75; A Turkev, 81; The Sturdv Little Elephant, 83.

CHAPTER X.

Nature Study with Tissue-Paper f 86

All Flowers from Squares and Circles, 86; The Best Models, 86; Material, 87 ; The Carnation, 87 ; How to Cut a Circle, 88 ; The Morning- Glory, 94; The Daffodil, 99.

CHAPTER XL

Dolls of Substance and Form, 103; The Paper, 104; Making the Head, 104; The Arms, 105; The Body, 105; The Legs, 106; The Feet and Shoes, 107; Doll's Hair, 106; The Dress, 108; The Cap, no.

Contents ix

CHAPTER XII. PAGE

An Indian Encampment on a Pastry-Board 1 1 1

The Ground, iii; The Wigwam, 112; Decorating the Wigwam, 114; The Fire, 114; The Doll Indian, 115; The War Head-Dress, 116; A Travois, 118; Pipe of Peace, 119; A Perfect Little Tomahawk, 120; The Chieftain's Shield, 120; Arrow-Heads and Arrows, 122; A Bow That Will Shoot, 124; The Doll Squaw, 125; Squaw's Chamois Gown, 125 ; Primitive Loom and Navajo Blanket, 125 ; Papoose, 130; Cradle for Papoose, 13 J ; Indian Money, 131; Wampum Necklace, 131.

CHAPTER XIII.

A Toy Colonial Kitchen with Fac-simile Colonial Furnishings.. 133

The Floor, 135; The Fireplace, 138; A Hair-pin Crane, 138; Little Dutch Oven, 139; Two Andirons, 141; The Fire, 142; Iron Pot, 143; The Peel, 144; The Toaster, 144; Pot-Hooks, 145; The Spinning- Wheel, 147; The Little Spinner, 150; The Costume, 150; Flint-Lock Rifle, 151; The Bellows, 153; Colonial Pewter Dish, 154; Grandfather's Clock, 155; Colonial Churn, 160.

CHAPTER XIV.

Little Paper Houses of Japan 162

How the People Live, 162; The House, 162; The Floors, 167; The Fence, 168; The Gateway, 169; Birthday Festivals, 169; The Koi. 171 ; x\ Kago, 172.

CHAPTER XV.

Some Odd Things in Russia 1 75

The Coronation Cathedral, 175; Door- way, 177; Cupolas, 178; A Russian Peasant Doll, 180; A Little Samovar, 182.

CHAPTER XVL

Pottery Without a Potter's Wheel 185

Primitive Pottery, 185; The Clay, 187; Moulded on Baskets, 187; The Table, 188; The Roll, 189; To Coil the Clay, 189.

X Contents

CHAPTER XVII. PAGE

Baby Alligators and Other Things of Clay 193

The Head, 195; The Body, 196; The Tail, 196; Coat of Armor, 197; The Legs and Feet, 198 ; A Banana, 201 ; A Little Bust of Washington, 202.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Funny Little Apple Toys 206

The Porcupine, 206; Sally Walker's Head, 208; Sally's Curls, 208; The Indian, 209; A Comical Little Jap, 211 ; An Apple Tower, 214.

CHAPTER XIX.

Marvel Pictures 215

Mary, 215; Her Dress, 217; Sun-Bonnet, 218; How to Draw the Lamb, 219; How to Make the Wool Grow, 219 ; How to Draw the Goose, 221 ; How to Feather the Goose, 223.

Part II Recreation Chapter XX

Lifting for Pasch Eggs 227

How to Prepare the Egg-Shells, 227 ; Hanging the Eggs, 228 ; The Players, 22S ; The Lifting, 229 ; The Egg Dance, 230 ; Placing the Eggs, 230 ; Dividing the Players, 230 ; The Dance, 230 ; The Reward, 231 ; Easter Angling, 231 ; Materials for the Game, 231 ; Fishpoles, 231 : Eggs, 232;. Rules of the Game, 234; Table Egg-Rolling, 235-

Contents xi

CHAPTER XXI. PAGE

How the May King and Queen Are Chosen, 237; Archery, 237; The Bows, 238 ; Arrows, 238 ; Floral Target, 240 ; Keeping Score, 243 ; May Baskets and Spring Flowers, 246; How to Erect the Pole, 249; Dressing the May-Pole, 250 ; The Balls, 252 ; The Game, 252.

CHAPTER XXII.

Hallowe'en Revels 254

Gold Nuggets, 254; The Mine, 255; The Miners, 255; The Apple Witch, 256; Witche's Hair, 257; Hat, 257; Broom, 258; Ghost Writing, 259; Four-Leaved Clover, 260; Apple-seed Fortune Telling; 261 ; Fortune Bags, 262.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Magic Cloth and What It Will Do 264

Magic in India, 264; A Jumping Frog, 264; The Hungry Birds, 267; To make the Children Talk, 268 ; Moving Peaces, 269 ; The High Note, 270.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Finger Plays for Little Folk 273

The Teeter, 273; Church, 275; Steeple, 275; Open Door, 276; The People, 276; The Preacher, 277; Man Chopping Wood, 277; My Mother's Knives and Forks, 279 ; My Father's Table, 280 ; My Sister's Looking-Glass, 280; The Little Black Birds, 280; The Baby's Cradle, 281 ; Chin Chopper Chin, 282 ; Build the Tower, 282 ; The Five Little Pigs, 285 ; Little Heads for Little Fingers, 285.

CHAPTER XXV.

How to Arrange Fresh Flowers 289

Selecting the Flowers, 289 ; A Number of Nasturtiums, 290 ; Do not Crowd the Flowers, 290 ; Green Leaves with Flowers, 291 ; Color Schemes, 291 ; The Vases, 292 ; Colorless Transparent Vases, 292 ; Arrangement, 293 ; Flower Lifter, 294 ; Symmetry, 295 ; Wild Flowers, 295.

xii Contents

CHAPTER XXVI. page

Open Air Play-Houses 298

A Florida Play-House, 298 ; Palm Decorations, 298 ; Other Decorations, 298; An Umbrella Play-House, 299; A Real Teepee, 302; An African Hut, 306; The Floral Tent, 307.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Keeping Stoke 308

The Counter, 308; The Scales, 309; Groceries, 312; Vegetables, 312; Candy, 313; Wrapping Paper, 313 ; Money, 314; Paper Pocket-Books, 314; Keeping Accounts, 316 ; Bars of Soap, 319; Butter Clay, 319.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A Frolic with the Roses 320

Beauty of the Rose, 320; Rose Petal Fleet, 321; Green Leaf- Boats, 322 ; The Lake, 323 ; A Little Rose Girl, 325 ; A Garden, 325 ; A Peach-blow Vase, 327; Candied Rose Petals, 327; Rose Petal Cap, 328; Conventional Designs, 330; A Wreath of Roses, 332; A Rose Book, 332.

CHAPTER XXIX.

A Straw Ride Picnic 333

The Season, 333 ; Games for the Wagon, "^1,2, ; Simon Says, 335 ; Bird Wish, 337; Lines to Be Recited Rapidly, 337; At the Grounds, 338; Chasing the Deer, 338 ; The Swing, 338 ; Teeter-Tarter, 338 ; The Dinner, 339 ; Dishes, 339 ; Camp-Fire, 342 ; After Luncheon, 342 ; Telling Stories, 343 ; Game of Menagerie, 343.

CHAPTER XXX.

A Paper Chase 345

The Hares and Hounds, 345 ; The Start, 347 ; False Scents, 347 ; The Finish, 348 ; How to Dress, 348.

PART I HANDICRAFT

The spinning-wheel shall buzz and whirr.

CHAPTER I

HERE is so much poetry, romance, and history as- '^t^ sociated with the distaff and spindle, and later with the old spinning-wheel, that we have looked upon them with a feeling almost of awe, certainly with a reverence for the gentle hands that spun so industriously generations ago. But it has now occurred to us that we too may set the wheel a-humming, taking up with enthusiastic eagerness the work laid down by our greatgrandmothers so many years ago. The song of even the athletic girl will soon be like Martha's when she sings in the market-place :

"I can spin, sir,"

and the wheel will no longer be set aside as a relic of an industry past and gone.

All the old handicrafts are coming back again, and ere long we shall be as proud as the maids in Revolutionary times of our hand-spun and hand-woven fabrics. To be able to spin and weave is to be accomplished in the newest as well as the oldest of household arts.

Is the old spinning-wheel in the attic, neglected and covered \vitii dust, or in the parlor, decked in all its bravery of blue ribbons and snowy flax? Bring it out, wherever it may be, and for the first time in many years it shall buzz and whirr, whive a girl's slender fingers part the flax and a girl's light foot rests upon the treadle. Look well to

The Wheel

and see that none of its parts are missing. There must be the bench, of course, with its treadle and wheel, then the slender rod which is tied loosely at the lower end to the cross-piece of the treadle (Fig. i), and caught at the looped

Fig. I. — The slender rod tied at the lower end.

Fig. 2. — The looped upper end of the rod.

upper end to the little, curved-metal crank that extends at right angles from one end of the wheel's axle (Fig. 2).

The tw() slanting uprights which hold the wheel in place are slotted at the upper ends, and in these slots rests the axle. A little peg, slipped through two holes in one of the

Fig. 3. — A little peg slipped through two holes.

uprights, keeps the axle from slipping out of place (Fig. 3). The frame that holds

The Spindle

belongs in the position shown in the illustration of the spinning-wheel. By turning the handle that extends out from the upper end of the bench this frame may be moved slightly forward or backward when it is necessary to loosen or tighten the band on the wheel.

In the two uprights of the spindle-frame there must be leather rings like Fig. 4, one ring in each upright. The narrow strip extending outward from the ring is pushed

through the hole in

the upright, and the

edge of the ring fitted

into the little grooves

just above and below

one of the holes (Fig.

5). These two leather

rings hold the ends of

the spindle, which

can be easily taken

out and put in by bending one of the rings backward or slightly turning one of the uprights. Fig. 6 shows the spindle with the spool, or bobbin, and the small, double-grooved wheel. The spindle proper is simply the metal rod and horseshoe-shaped piece of wood with its two rows of

Fig. 4. — The leather rings.

Fig. 5. — One ring in each upright.

Fig. 6. — The spindle.

little hooks or teeth. Besides the wheel and spindle there must be

The Distaff

and the arm that holds it. The arm is an upright with a rod extending out at right angles from the upper end. The lower end of the upright is slipped into a hole at one corner of the highest part of the bench.

The distaff, which the mountaineers of Kentucky call the " rock," is a thing you can make for yourself if your wheel happens to have lost its own. Many are cut from the

Fig. 7. — The tip of your Christmas tree for a distaff.

Fig. 8. — Bring the four branches up and tie at the top. , top points of pine-trees which grow like Fig. 7, and dogwood also is sometimes used. The tip of your Christmas tree will be just the thing. Strip off the bark, bring the four branches up, and tie at the top to the middle stem (Fig. 8). Let the lower end of the stem extend about four inches below the branches and whittle it down to fit in the hole in the distaff-arm.

These are all the parts of the spinning-wheel, but before you can "see the wheels go round" every piece of metal must be

Thoroughly Cleaned

and freed from rust. Rub first with kerosene oil and then with the finest emery paper. Be very careful in polishing the teeth that you do not bend or break them, as it will not be easy to have them replaced. In fact, it is difficult to replace an}- part of the wheel, and though it has lasted several generations, careless handling may put it past

repair.

When the cleaning is finished, grease with lard the parts where there is any friction. The slots that hold the axle, the spindlestem, and the metal arm, where the treadle-rod rests upon it, all need lubricating.

The best

Band for the Wheel is hand spun, but at present it is possible to obtain them only of old-fashioned spinners who make their own bands. You can, however,make a band of cotton cord, such as is

Fig. 9 The length of cord for a wheel measuring eighteen

and a half inches in diameter is about ten feet five inches.

This allows for a lap of one inch at the joint. Sew together

Fig. 9.

-Proper size of cord for wheel band.

used for cording dresses, gives the exact size.

with silk, wrapping and sewing until the joint is almost invisible.

To Adjust the Band

loop it together, making it double (Fig. 10), lift the wheel from the sockets, and slip the band over it. Fit one part of the band into one of the grooves of the wheel, the other part into the other groove, allowing it to cross at the bottom (Letter B, Fig. 11). Take the spindle from its frame

Fig. lo. — Make a double loop.

and fit the bands into the

Fig. II. — The band will cross at the bottom.

groove in the end of the bobbin (Letter C, Fig. 6) and into the first groove in the small wheel (Letter D, Fig. 6).

lO

The Flax

may be obtained from any linen-thread factory and can be bought by the pound or half-pound. It is graded by color, the darkest being- the cheapest and the whitest the most

The spinning-wheel.

expensive. For practice-work the cheapest is as g-ood as the more expensive. When you have learned to spin a fine, even thread you may choose the color in reference to the article you intend to make.

Open your hank of flax, take part of it, and spread thinly over the distaff, wrapping- it around and around. Put on several layers, each almost as thin as a spider-web, extending it out widely and smoothly each time.

You may think the ribbon tied on the distaff of your parlor wheel is merely for ornament, but it is not. The bands hold the flax in place while it is being spun, and a crisp, dainty, pretty-colored ribbon is just as useful for the purpose as one that is old and faded, and it is far prettier to look upon. Wrap the ribbon around the flax on the distaff, beginning at the bottom, cross it, and tie as shown in illustration of the spinning-wheel.

Though everything is ready, before attempting to spin,

Practice,

simply working the treadle until you can manage that part of the work mechanically and give your whole attention to your hands.

It seems a simple thing to work the treadle, but you will find that without previous practice you will forget to make your foot go in the absorbing interest of getting the flax ready to run on the spindle. Curb your impatience a little while therefore, and resolutely turn the distaff, with its pretty load, away from you. Place one foot on the treadle, give the large wheel a turn to the right, or away from the spindle, and try to keep a steady, even motion with your foot. The jerks caused by uneven pedalling will always break the thread, so you must learn to make the wheel turn smoothly and easily, without hurry and without stopping. Some spinners place only the toe of the foot on the treadle, others rest on it the heel also ; it matters little which method you adopt so long as the wheel turns evenly. When you are quite satisfied that you can keep the wheel going without giving it a thought you may begin

To Spin.

From the lowest ends of the flax draw down several strands and twist them with 3'our fingers into a thread long enough to reach easily the bobbin on the spindle. Pass the end of the thread through the hole in the end of the spindle nearest to you (Letter A, Fig. 6), cai"ry it across and over the upper row of teeth and tie to the bobbin (Fig. 6). Start your wheel going, and, forgetting the action of 3'Our foot, give your undivided attention to drawing out the flax. Hold the strands lightl}' with )^our left hand and with your right keep constantly pulling them down and at the same time twisting them slightly. See illustration on first page. All this time 3'Ou must keep the flax from matting and tangling and the twist from running up into the mass of flax on the distaff. Only practice will make perfect in this work, though the knack may come suddenlv and you will wonder at your first clumsy attempts. The little fluster and excitement one feels in beginning and the hurry to get the flax into shape for the spindle is a drawback that practice will also overcome.

When the Thread Breaks,

as it will again and again at first, thread yovxr spindle as before, tie the new thread to the broken end and begin once more. A better way to mend the thread when you are reallv doing good work is to unwind a little from the bobbin, thread it backward through the spindle, bring

Spimiing 1 3

the end up to meet the end from the distaff, and let the two lap three or four inches ; then moisten your fingers and twist the threads together, making one thread again.

Moistening the Fingers

occasionally is a good thing while twisting, as it makes a smoother thread. In the old days the spinner kept a cocoanut-shell, filled with water, tied to the lower part of the spindle-frame, into which she daintily dipped the tips of her fingers when necessary. A finger-bowl or cup of water near by will answer the same purpose.

The little girl and the little loom.

Chapter II Weaving On A Home- Made Loom

T is easier than sewing- or knitting or crocheting, and comes so natural to many of us that one would almost think we should know how to weave without being taught. Why, even some of the birds do a kind of weaving in their pretty, irregular fashion, and it was probably from the birds and other small, wild creatures that the earliest human mothers took their lessons in weaving, and learned to make the mats for their babies to sleep on and baskets for carrying their food. No one knows how long ago these first baskets and mats were woven, but in the beginning weaving was done without looms. Afterward rude frames were tied together and hung from the limbs of trees, then softer and more flexible material was used and finer fabrics were woven. To this day almost the same kind of looms are used by the Indians in our far Western country, many miles away from the roar and clatter of machinery, and on them are woven the wonderfully beautiful Navajo blankets for which Eastern people are willing to pay such large sums.

If it is natural to weave, it should also be natural to make one's own loom, and i6

The Pin Loom

is simple in both the making and the working, with material usually close at hand. The necessary wood you will find at the nearest carpenter-shop, if not in your own home,

and for the rest, a paper of strong, large-size pins, a yard of colored cord, and one ordinary carpet-tack are all that is needed.

Make the frame for the loom of a smooth piece of soft pine-board, fifteen inches long by nine inches wide (Fig. 12). Make the heddles of two flat sticks, nine inches long, half an inch wide, and one-eighth of an inch thick (Figs. 13 and 14).

From another flat stick of the same thickness, nine inches long by one inch wide, make the shuttle (Fig.

With a pencil and ruler draw

two straight lines aci'oss the board, the first one inch and a half from the top edge, the other two inches and a half from the bottom edge. This will make the lines just eleven inches apart. On these lines, beginning one inch from the side edge of the board, make a

row of dots exactly one-quarter

of an inch apart, twenty-nine 1 , . J

dots on each line, as in Fig. 12.

At each corner of the board,

one inch above the upper line

and one inch below the lower

line, draw a short line, and on Fig. 14.— Heddie.

; 55555557"

Fig. 12- — The frame for the loom.

Fig. 13.— Heddie.

Weaving on a Home- Made Loom 17

each short line, three-quarters of an inch from the side edge, make one dot.

With a small tack-hammer drive a pin in each of the twenty-nine dots on each longline, and in each single dot on / g= the four short lines (Fig. 12).

FJg- 15.— The shuttle.

When driving in the pins let

them all slant evenly outward,

the ones on the top lines slanting toward the upper edge

of the board, those on the lower lines slanting toward

the bottom edge, as in Fig. 16.

XV. ■<#/ ■ Now lay 3'our board aside

where nothing will be placed on Fig. 16. -Let the pins slant outward, top of it, and make your hcddlcs.

The Heddles

are for lifting the threads of the warp so that the shuttle may be passed through. One heddle is left perfectly plain, like Fig. 13. The other is cut in notches on one edge like Fig. 14.

Along the entire length of one of the sticks rule a line dividing it exactly in the middle (Fig. 17). On this line, beginning three-quarters of an inch from the end of the stick, mark off spaces one-quarter of an inch apart, making thirtyone dots. At the upper edge of the stick mark off the same number of spaces exactly opposite those on the line. Then draw straight lines connecting the upper and lower dots, extending the first and last lines entirely across the stick (Fig. 17.) At a point on the upper edge, exactly

^TWT\j/T

Fig. 17. — The marked-off notches in heddle.

i8 in the middle between the first two lines, start a slanting line and bring it down to meet the second line where it touches the long line. Between the second and third lines draw another slanting line to meet the first at the bottom, forming a V. Leave the third line, and make

another V at the fourth, and so go the length of the heddle, drawing a V at every other short line. At the top between the V's make smaller V's, as in Fig. 17. With a sharp knife cut out these notches, bringing the large ones quite down to the middle line (Fig. 17).

On the end lines just below the middle line bore a hole with a small gimlet or a hatpin heated red-hot at Letter A in Fig. 17.

Indeed the notches, too, may be made wnth a hatpin by la}^- ing the red-hot end across the edge of the stick at the top of the line, and pressing it down while rubbing it back and forth. If you are unused to handling a knife, burning the notches will be the easier way. You can shape and trim them off afterward with the knife.

Of the third flat stick make

The complete pin loom.

Weaving on a Home- Made Loom 19

The Shuttle.

Curve the corners at each end as in Fig. 15, Sharpen one end down to a thin edge and in the other end cut an eye two inches long and one-quarter of an inch wide (Fig. 15). Cut your yard of colored cord in half, pass the end of one piece through one of the holes in the notched heddle, the end of the other piece through the hole in the opposite end of the heddle, and tie each end of the cords to one of the pins at the four corners of the board, drawing the cords taut. This will fasten the heddle in its place across the loom (Fig. 12).

Near the bottom of the board, directly below the last pin at the right on the long line, drive the carpet-tack to serve as a cleat for fastening the end of the warp. All that now remains to be done is

To Adjust the Warp,

and your loom will be ready for weaving. The threads which extend up and down, or from the top to the bottom of the loom, are called the warp. Soft, rather coarse knitting-cotton makes a good warp for almost anything woven on a small loom.

Tie the end of the warp securely to the first pin on the long line at the upper left-hand corner of the loom (Fig. 18). Bring the string down and around the first two pins on the lower line, up again and around the second and third pins on the upper line, and then down and around the third and fourth pins on the lower line. Up Fig. is.-Adjusting the warp.

again, down again, crossing two pins each time, back and forth until the last pin on the lower line has been reached. Wrap the warp around this pin several times, and then around the tack, tying it here so that it cannot slip. The warp must lie flat on the board \vhere it passes around the pins, and in stringing up it must be drawn rather tight, though not with sufficient force to pull the pins out of place. Turn the heddle on edge, the notches up, and slip the threads of the warp into the notches, one thread in each notch. This, you will see, divides the warp into upper and

lower threads, and forms what is called the shed.

While the threads are separated take the other heddle and darn it in and out above the first heddle, taking up the lower threads and bringing the heddle over the upper ones as in Fig. 19.

The Woof

is the thread which crosses

the warp and usually covers

it entirely. The material

to use for wool will depend

upon wdiat you are going

to make. Germantown wool is used for the woof of the

miniature Navajo blanket shown in the illustration. The

warp is knitting-cotton.

This is

The Way to Weave a Navajo

blanket; simpler things you can easily make after this first lesson: Of Germantown wool you will need three colors,

Fig. 19. — Putting in the second heddle.

A Miniature Navajo Blanket.

which are the colors most frequently used by the Indians — red (scarlet), white, and black, about half a hank of each. Take five yards of white wool, fold one end over a two-

Fig. 20.— The threaded shuttle.

yard length, fold again, and push the double end through

the eye of the shuttle (Fig. 20).

Tie the long end of the wool to the first pin at the lower

left-hand corner of the loom, on the long line, making a

tight knot and pushing it down close to the board (Fig. 21).

With the notched heddle on edge push the shuttle through the shed — that is, between the upper and lower threads of the warp. Draw it out on the other side, then turn the heddle down, notched edge toward you, and stand the plain