Chapter XXXV: Stencil Painting and How to Make the Stencils

YOU need not be an artist to do the painting or to make the stencils. It is all easy enough and, because of the real beauty of the work and the number of purposes to which it may be applied, stencilling is growing more and more popular.

With the stencil you can decorate a window curtain, portière, table cover, bedspread, bureau scarf, screen or the walls of your room. You may even paint the trimmings for a dress if you like; it has been done.

Stencilling is effective on almost any material: silk, cotton, linen and wool. Swiss and cheese-cloth sash curtains are particularly attractive decorated in this way, and swiss bureau and pin-cushion covers are very dainty. The drawing on page 427 is of a white cheese-cloth short sash curtain stencilled in pink and light apple-green. Both dye and oil paints may be used, but for anything washable

=Dyes=

are the best, inasmuch as they are supposed to be fast colors. There is an inexpensive dye now on the market that comes in tubes like oil paint and does not require boiling. This is convenient to handle, as it is merely necessary to dissolve it in water. Tapestry dyes may also be used but are much more expensive. Heavy, non-washable material may be stencilled with oil colors. The color is not used as a paint but as a stain and must be entirely dissolved in turpentine to make it flow easily. Our first drawing shows

=A Portière=

made of heavy unbleached sheeting stencilled in a Persian pattern with dull-red, moss-green, yellow and black. Curtains may also be made of denim, crash, burlap and a number of other materials. The simplest way to

=Make Your Stencil=

if you have no especial ideas of your own to carry out, will be to select a graceful embroidery pattern or one intended for decorative painting and adapt it to your use. With a little practice this becomes quite easy. The principal things to remember are that a good stencil design should be simple, bold and conventional; the unbroken lines must not be too long nor the spaces to be cut out too narrow, between the cut-out parts there must be space wide enough to hold firmly. It is also necessary to break the lines once in a while with little bridges.

Suppose we take the pattern (Fig. 633). To make it into

=A Design for Stencilling=

we must cut off connections and separate it into many parts, at the same time keeping the effect of the long curves. Beginning with the flower we will separate the petals and calyx (A, Fig. 633, and A, Fig. 634), and widen the stem (B, Fig. 633, and B, Fig. 634). Instead of continuing the curve we will break it at C and D, with two little bridges. This divides the stem into three parts, and, to give variety and interest to an otherwise monotonous line, we will widen the first and second parts of the stem at the lower ends, curving the wide end inward and rounding the end of the next section to give the idea of its fitting the joint. The suggestion of the various parts fitting together in stencil designing is the means of carrying the eye over necessary bridges or intervening spaces and conveying the impression of continuous lines. The third section of the stem, where it disappears under the flower in Fig. 633, we will bring to a point in Fig. 634 to indicate its vanishing behind the flower. The buds which fill in the curve of this stem in Fig. 633 we will leave out altogether, for they would crowd the design. We will conventionalize the leaves, dispense with the small stems, broaden the main leaf stem, separate it from the flower stem and curve each end, one to fit the base of the end leaf, the other to follow the curve of the flower stem.

This furnishes one section of the pattern; the rest is but a repetition of the same, which is reversed as the curves alternate.

Now for the making of the stencil.

Fig. 635 is a section of the design, actual size, which you can use immediately, without waiting to develop a design for yourself.

Take a piece of smooth white tissue paper, lay it over the pattern (Fig. 635) and, with a very soft lead pencil, trace the pattern carefully. Fig. 635 is reversed, especially for tracing. Have ready a perfectly smooth piece of heavy Manila wrapping paper seventeen inches long and seven inches wide. With the aid of a ruler draw two straight lines lengthwise across the paper, the first line two and a half inches from the top edge of the paper (E, Fig. 636), the next one and three-eighths inches below the first line (F). One-half of an inch above the first line E draw another line (G), and one-half of an inch below the line F draw another line (H).

Lay the tracing, pencilled side down, on the wrapping paper, with the upper and lower curves of the flower stem just fitting between the lines G and F (Fig. 637). Transfer the tracing to the wrapping paper by going over the lines of the design with your soft pencil; then turn the tracing over and bottom edge up to reverse it and lay it again on the paper, this time with the curves of the flower stem between the lines E and H, and go over the lines of the design again with your soft pencil. Once more reverse the design and bring the curves of the flower stem between the lines G and F. This last section will finish the pattern. In reversing the tracing always allow one-quarter of an inch space between the tips of the two flower petals I and J (Fig. 637), and the leaf K (Fig. 637).

With a pair of sharp scissors

=Cut Out Your Design=

taking great care to keep within the outlines, for a snip beyond will let in color in the wrong place and spoil your stencil. Remember you are not to cut the paper _away_ from the design but cut _the design out_ leaving the surrounding paper intact. This makes the stencil (Fig. 638). When all of the design is cut out place your stencil flat on a board and give it a coat of white shellac, then lift it and move to another place on the board to prevent its sticking. When quite dry turn the stencil over and shellac the other side. Be sure the edges of the cut-out parts are covered with shellac as well as the rest of the paper. The shellac makes the paper waterproof and durable. Do not use the stencil until it is absolutely dry.

Trace Fig. 639 which is the conventionalized flower, and transfer it to the centre of a four-inch square of the wrapping paper, or make the flower smaller if you prefer to have it the size of the one in the border. Cut out the design and shellac the little stencil as you did the larger one (Fig. 640).

The closer the weave of the cloth the easier is the work of stencilling, but the dye penetrates entirely through thin material, and the effect is so attractive I will describe the

=Cheese-cloth Curtains=

and the process given for stencilling these will answer for any other material.

One width of cheese-cloth for each half of the short Dutch curtains is sufficient for quite a wide window. If the curtain is too full much of the effect of the decoration is lost.

Select the finest quality of cheese-cloth and cut it the required length. Hem the bottom edge and lay the curtain, right side up, smoothly on a lap-board with the hem at the top. Place your stencil on the curtain so that the design will be about one inch and a half from the hem. Slide a new piece of blotter paper under the curtain to absorb the extra moisture, then tack the stencil down with rather small pins. Drive a pin in the centre of each flower, at the point of each petal and at the point of each leaf, between the petals and between the leaves, also in every bridge and along the edges of the design wherever the paper is inclined to lift (Fig. 641). In short, your endeavor must be to keep the stencil perfectly flat on the cloth so that the dye will not penetrate beyond the openings and blur the outlines.

Before tacking the stencil in place

=Make Your Dye Ready=

Buy a tube of olive green dye, one of yellow and one of cardinal red. Squeeze about a teaspoonful of dye into a teacup, add two tablespoonfuls of boiling water, stir until dissolved, then add enough boiling water to give the desired shade. You can test the depth of color by dipping bits of white cloth in the dye. Each dye must be in a separate cup and a little yellow should be added to the green after it is dissolved, but before it is diluted with the extra water. Have ready

=Two Stiff Bristle Brushes,=

such as are used for oil painting, and a piece of old white muslin. With your stencil in place, take the board on your lap, set the dye on a stand at your side and lay the old muslin folded on the board above your curtain. Dip a brush in the dye and rub it on the muslin to remove some of the moisture, for a brush too wet will cause the dye to spread and spoil the outline of the design.

Beginning at the left hand of your stencil, scrub the cheese-cloth in the openings of the design until it becomes the right shade and the dye sinks entirely through the cloth. The flowers must be pink and the leaves green, but you can make the flowers darker at the centre if you wish by applying more color. Use separate brushes for the green and red dye. Hold the brush firmly and in an upright position.

When you have stencilled the entire design

=Pull Out the Pins,=

move the stencil farther along on the curtain, tack it down and continue stencilling until the border is finished; then take the small stencil of the single flower (Fig. 640) and stencil the flower at irregular intervals over the curtain. For

=The Tassels=

which finish the curtains use cheese-cloth colored with the green dye. Cut a strip of cheese-cloth two and a half inches wide, spread it flat on the board and paint it with the dye, using your bristle paint brush for the purpose. When the cloth is dry cut it into pieces four inches long. Dye a number of strands of white linen floss, or use green linen or silk floss for tying the tassels.

Fold one piece of the dyed cheese-cloth crosswise through the centre and crease it (Fig. 642). Thread a coarse needle with a strand of the floss and run it through the crease, leaving several inches of the floss at each end (Fig. 643). Draw the material into gathers and tie securely (Fig. 644). Then bring the two ends together. Make a loop of the floss about one inch long (Fig. 645), and fasten by taking one or two stitches in the gathers. Open the fold, bring the ends of the floss on the underside of the tassel, tie close to the gathers and cut off the ends. Run another gathering thread across each half of the tassel, half an inch below the gathers at the top (Fig. 646). Draw the thread tight, wrap it around several times to form the neck (Fig. 647), and fasten with several stitches. Cut the floss close to the wrapping and with the scissors trim off the bottom of the tassel until it is perfectly even (Fig. 648). Sew the tassels several inches apart on the bottom edge of the curtains, as shown in illustration. When the curtains are

=To be Laundered=

soak them for an hour or more in a strong solution of salt and water, then wash carefully in the suds of a pure white soap and rinse thoroughly. Do not rub the soap on the material, and before putting the curtain in water shake and brush out all loose dust. Dry in the shade.

INDEX

A
Airships, fairy, 70
Alexandria, Pharos of, 245
Amytis, 279
Animal circus, 15
Apollo, Statue of, 233
Apple, Hallowe’en, 60
Apple games, 85
Ascension, balloon, 11

B
Baby, Punch and Judy, 52
Baby porcupine, 68
Babylon, hanging gardens of, 279
Babylonians, 283
Backyard camp, 194
Ball, tether, 207
Balloon ascension, 11
Banana canoe, 401
Basket, hanging, 372
Bathing place, 341
Bayberry candle, 326
Bead door knobs, 317
Bean bag test, 66
Bells, Easter, 364
Berries, holly, 307
Blackbirds, girls’ fair, 181
Blarney stone game, 71
Blind mice, three, 144
Bloodroot, 363
Board, weaving, 349
Boat, backyard camp, 202
Boot, Santa Claus, 169
Bouquet, 147
Bowls and cups, 59
Bowsprit, 408
Box, Pandora, 12
Bricks, Babylonian, 286
Broad-fronted bulls, 293
Brook, crossing the, 133
Bud, tulip, 361
Bulls, Babylonian, 293
Bushes, bayberry, 326
Butterfly game, 42

C
Camels, Egyptian, 228
Camp, backyard, 194
Camp-fire, backyard, 201
Camping outfit, 194
Candle, bayberry, 326
Candle-moulds, 331
Candlesticks, home-made, 385
Candlewicks, 334
Canoe, banana, 401
Card, Easter egg, 363
Card, tally, 159
Cardboard Pharos, 244
Cards, Easter, 358
Caria, 257
Cassiopeia, 421
Castor, 423
Cats, black, 56
Cella, 271
Chair, doll’s, 370
“Chapeau Bras,” 377
Charades, Pantomime, 6
Chares, 233
Charm, lava, 67
Cheops, 219
Chephren, King, 224
Chick, good-morning, 381
Chicks, Easter, 143
Christmas, decorations, 303
Christmas tree, living, 173
Circus, home, 15
Claus, jolly little Santa, 163
Clay candlesticks, 386
Cnidus, Sostratus, 253
Coat, Santa Claus’, 169
Coloring pottery, 396
Colossus of Rhodes, 233
Columbus, paper, 405
Columbus, to make, 414
Columns, temple, 269
Coracle, orange skin, 400
Costume, Puritan man’s, 98
Costume, Titania’s, 82
Costumes, Charades, 7
Cotton, stuffing, 237
Country picnic, 132
Court, pumpkin game, 90
Court, tether-ball, 211
Cow jumped over the moon, to make, 139
Cradle, doll’s, 372
Cross, to make, 360
Crossing the brook, 133
Crow’s-nest, 412
Crystal, Japanese, 68
Cupid’s door, 108
Cups and bowls, 59
Cups, Santa Claus’, 170
Curtains, tissue paper, 324

D
Dainty bloodroot, 363
Dais, upper, 264
Daisy Valentine, 110
Dance of the dolls, 145
Dance, of Titania, 75
Date palm, 227
Daylight fireworks, 11
Deck, forward, 409
Deck-fence, 410
Decorations, living Christmas tree, 177
Diana, temple of, 269
Disks, gilt paper, 36
Doll house, 315
Doll’s chair, 370
Dolls, dance of the, 145
Door, Cupid’s, 108
Doorknobs, bead, 317
Drama, Punch and Judy, 53
Dress, Punch’s, 50
Dress, Puritan woman’s, 98
Dye kettle, magic, 43

E
Easter bells, 364
Easter cards, 358
Easter chicks, 143
Easter egg cards, 363
Easter party, 33
Egg card, 363
Egg tennis, 33
Eggs, to prepare for tennis, 34
Egypt, pyramids of, 219
Elephant, 20
Empress Josephine, 379
Entertainment, Valentine, 103
Ephesus, temple of Diana at, 269
Euphrates, 279
Evergreen ropes, 312
Express office, girls’ fair, 186

F
Fair, girls’, 179
Fairy airships, 70
Fairy lamp, 403
Fairy waters, life in, 141
Fence, picnic, 132
Fire, backyard, 201
Firecracker invitations, 4
Fireworks, daylight, 11
Flag, 412
Flags, flower beds, 157
Footstool, Zeus, 265
Forfeits, 95
Fortune jingle, 71
Fortune telling, novel, 55
Fourth of July lawn frolic, 3
Frieze, doll house, 322
Frolic, Fourth of July, 3

G
Game, Blarney Stone, 71
Game, butterfly, 42
Game of egg tennis, 39
Games, new Easter, 33
Garden, plant your, 151
Garden planting game, 159
Gardens, hanging, 279
Giant firecracker invitation, 4
Gilt paper disks, 36
Girl, sun-bonnet, 149
Girls’ fair, 179
Glazing candlesticks, 395
Goddess Diana, 272
Good-night chick, 384
Grass, invitation rings of, 55

H
Half candle, 391
Halicarnassus, Mausoleum of, 245
Hallowe’en apple, 60
Hallowe’en merrymaking, 55
Handle, candle, 393
Hanging basket, 372
Hanging gardens, 279
Harmless serpent, 69
Hat, peaked, 174
Head, Judy’s, 51
Heart, Valentine, 109
Heavier rug, 357
Holly, 304
Holly berries, 307
Hollyhocks, paper, 129
Home circus, 15
Home-made candlesticks, 385
Horse, Rosebud’s, 18
House, doll, 315
Hurling the lance, 10

I
Impromptu moving pictures, 97
Inlaying Zeus’ throne, 267
Invitation, giant firecrackers, 4

J
Japanese crystal, 68
Japanese tag, 134
Jigger sail, 413
Jingle, fortune, 71
Jolly little Santa Claus, 163
Josephine, 379
Judy’s head, 51

K
Kettle, magic dye, 43

L
Lamp, fairy, 403
Lance, hurling the, 10
Lantern, pumpkin, 93
Lava charm, 67
Lawn frolic, Fourth of July, 3
Leaves, bayberry, 326
Leo, 422
Life rope, toy, 340
Lighthouse, first, 245
Living Christmas tree, 173
Loom, to weave without, 349
Love’s palette, 111
Lumberman, 344

M
Mademoiselle Rosebud, 16
Magic dye kettle, 43
Magic peep show, 137
Mainmast, 411
Mainsail, 413
Main topsail, 412
Man, Puritan, 98
Marble steps, 252
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, 245
Media, 279
Mermaid, 142
Mermaid, 345
Merrymaking Hallowe’en, 55
Mice, three blind, 144
Mikado, 374
Mistletoe, 310
Mizzenmast, 408
Modelling tools, 387
Moon, cow that jumped over, 141
Moulds, candle, 331
Moving animal circus, 15
Moving pictures, impromptu, 97
Myth, 12

N
Napoleon, 375
Nebuchadnezzar, 279
Nest, bird’s, 373
Northern crown, 423
Novel Easter party, 33
Novel fortune telling, 55

O
Office, express, girls’ fair, 186
Olympia, statue of Zeus at, 259
Orange games, 85
Orange-skin coracle, 400
Order of entertainment, 6
Original Valentine, 103
Orion, 424
Outdoor fun, 207
Outfit, camping, 194
Oyster, sea treasure, 69

P
Palette, love’s, 111
Palm, date, 227
Pandora box, 12
Pantomime, 102
Pantomime, charades, 6
Paper Columbus, 405
Paper disks, 36
Paper shower, 36
Party, novel Easter, 33
Party, Thanksgiving, 85
Pasteboard doll house, 315
Peaked hat, 174
Peep show, magic, 137
Performers, wild west show, 120
Pharos of Alexandria, 244
Phidias, 259
Picnic, roof, 127
Pig, to make, 367
Pin cushion, 375
Pitch-wood fire, 252
Plant your garden, 151
Plants, Babylonian, 299
Platforms, hanging gardens’, 284
Pole, tether-ball, 207
Pollux, 423
Porcupine, 68
Post-office, 104
Postmaster, girls’ fair, 192
Pottery, coloring, 396
Properties, Thanksgiving stage, 101
Pumpkin games, 85
Punch and Judy show, 45
Punch’s head, 46
Puritan woman, 98
Pyramids, 219

Q
Queen Titania, 75

R
Race, shuffle, 10
Race, wedding, 61
Rackets, egg tennis, 38
Rackets, palm-leaf fan, 158
Rackets, tether-ball, 214
Raft, toy, 341
Rapid-transit story, 92
Reindeer, Santa Claus, 165
Rhodes, Colossus of, 233
Rings of grass, invitation, 55
Rite, vesper, 65
Roof picnic, 127
Ropes, evergreen, 312
Rosebud, mademoiselle, 16
Roses, paper, 130
Rug, doll house, 323
Rules of egg tennis, 41

S
Saddle, camel, 230
Safe, backyard, 199
Sail boat, 373
Sails, Columbus’ ship, 411
Sandpaper for pyramids, 221
Santa Claus, 163
Santa Maria, 411
Saucers, Santa Claus, 171
Screen, witch, 66
Sea treasure, 69
Secret of magic kettle, 43
Serpent, 69
Shelves, 324
Ship, Columbus’, 405
Show, magic peep, 137
Show, Punch and Judy, 45
Show, wild west, 113
Shower of paper, 36
Shrubbery, Babylonian, 297
Shuffle race, 10
Side steps, Diana’s temple, 276
Sides, choice of, 160
Sleigh, Santa Claus, 164
Slides, peep show, 138
Slippers, old, 58
Sostratus, 253
Sphinx, 225
Spool table, 315
Spoon, 368
Spring, tin-pail, 200
Stage, Punch and Judy, 45
Stage, Titania’s, 75
Stamps, Valentine, 107
Statue of Zeus, 259
Statues, Babylonian, 294
Stems, 311
Stencil painting, 426
Stencils, to make, 426
Steps, Diana’s temple, 274
Steps, marble, 252
Story, rapid transit, 92
Strawberry, 371
Sun-bonnet, charade, 7
Sun-bonnet girl, 149
Sunflowers, paper, 127

T
Table, backyard camp, 198
Table, spool, 315
Table, wild west show, 113
Tag, Japanese, 134
Tally card, 159
Taurus, 425
Temple of Diana, 269
Tennis, egg, 33
Tent, backyard, 197
Tent, to make, 123
Test, bean bag, 66
Tether-ball, 207
Thanksgiving party, 85
Three blind mice, 144
Throne of Zeus, 263
Tissue paper glass, 318
Titania’s dance, 75
Tools, clay modelling, 387
Toys, water, 338
Tree, living Christmas, 173
Trousers, Santa Claus, 169
Tulip bed, 361
Turtle, 366

U
Umbrella, 369
Upper dais, 264
Ursa major, 418
Ursa minor, 420

V
Valentine entertainment, 103
Vesper rite, 65
Victory, winged, 268

W
Warp, 350
Water life, 141
Water toys, 338
Wax, bayberry, 331
Weaving, 349
Wedding race, 61
Wicks, candle, 334
Wig, Santa Claus, 169
Wigwams, 416
Wild west show, 113
Window glass, 318
Winged victory, 268
Wings, Titania’s, 83
Witch screen, 66
World, valentine, 109
Wreaths, 310

Y
Yard, camping in back, 194

Z
Zeus, statue of, 259

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Recreations for Girls

By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD
Profusely illustrated by the authors. 8vo, $2.00
————

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SOME OF THE CHAPTERS

A Home-made Loom
How to Spin Flax
Pottery Without a Wheel
Hallowe’en Revels
The Magic Cloth
A New Race of Dolls
Modeling in Tissue Paper
Open Air Play Houses
May Day Amusements
An Indian Encampment
A Toy Colonial Kitchen

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AND HOW TO DO THEM

By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD
Profusely illustrated by the authors. 8vo, $2.00
————

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HOW TO AMUSE YOURSELF AND OTHERS

By LINA and ADELIA B. BEARD

With nearly 500 Illustrations by the Authors
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————

Eight new chapters have been added to the forty-two which have carried this famous book to the hearts of all the young people since its first appearance, and everything that the girls of to-day want to know about their sports, games, and winter afternoon and evening work, is told clearly and simply in this helpful and entertaining volume. The volume is fully and handsomely illustrated from drawings by the authors, whose designs are in the best sense illustrative of the text.

=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=

First of April—Wild Flowers and Their Preservation—The Walking Club—Easter-Egg Games—How to Make a Lawn Tennis Net—May-Day Sports—Midsummer-Eve Games and Sports—Sea-side Cottage Decoration—A Girl’s Fourth of July—An Impression Album—Picnics, Burgoos, and Corn-Roasts—Botany as Applied to Art—Quiet Games for Hot Weather—How to Make a Hammock—Corn-Husk and Flower Dolls—How to Make Fans—All Hallow Eve—Nature’s Fall Decorations and How to Use Them—Nutting Parties—How to Draw, Paint in Oil-colors, and Model in Clay and Wax—China Painting—Christmas Festivities, and Home-made Christmas Gifts—Amusements and Games for the Holidays—Golf—Bicycling—Swimming—Physical Culture—Girls’ Clubs—A New Seashore Game—Apple Target Shooting—Water Fairies.

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Or, What To Do and How To Do It

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————

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=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=

Kite Time—War Kites—Novel Modes of Fishing—Home-made Fishing Tackle—How to Stock, Make, and Keep a Fresh-water Aquarium—How to Stock and Keep a Marine Aquarium—Knots, Bends, and Hitches—Dredge, Tangle, and Trawl Fishing—Home-made Boats—How to Rig and Sail Small Boats—How to Camp Out Without a Tent—How to Rear Wild Birds—Home-made Hunting Apparatus—Traps and Trapping—Dogs—Practical Taxidermy for Boys—Snow Houses and Statuary—Winged Skaters—Winter Fishing—Indoor Amusements—How to Make a Magic Lantern—Puppet Shows—Home-made Masquerade and Theatrical Costumes—With many other subjects of a kindred nature.

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By DANIEL C. BEARD

With more than 300 Illustrations by the Author. Square 8vo, $2.00
————

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=SUMMARY OF CONTENTS=

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and out of doors, and on land and water. One of the best
things about it is that it furnishes employment for a boy’s
ingenuity and mechanical skill. It seems as if this book
must be destined to an immense popularity.”—_The Advance._

The Jack of All Trades

OR, NEW IDEAS FOR AMERICAN BOYS

By DANIEL C. BEARD

Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, $2.00
————

“Every boy who is handy with tools of any sort will enjoy this book.”—_Youth’s Companion._

“This book is a capital one to give any boy for a present at Christmas, on a birthday, or indeed at any time.”—_The Outlook._

“Full of new ideas for active boys who like to use tools and see interesting things growing under their hands.”—_N. Y. Tribune._

“A perfect treasure-house of things that delight the soul of a boy and keep him happy and busy.”—_The Interior._

CONTENTS