BIRCH BARK
Needle-Case or Penwiper (Squares of chamois skin or flannel, sewing-silk, paint)
Cut bark into circles, squares, oblongs, etc. Decorate with gold lettering or borders of gold. Make several leaves of flannel or chamois skin and sew the bark on to these as a cover. The flannel may be scalloped. An appropriate sentiment to write upon penwiper cover is "Extracts from the pen of—" putting in the name of the recipient. The leaves and cover may be sewed together with a cross-stitch.
Handkerchief-Box (Punch, several strands of raffia)
Cut two pieces of bark 6 × 6 inches. Cut four others 3 × 6 inches. Along the edge of these punch (with a conductor's punch or one that can be bought at a kindergarten supply place) holes an inch apart and ¼ inch from edge. Sew the four narrow pieces to the square for bottom and sides of box. Sew remaining square more loosely to one side as cover. Sew with strands of raffia, sewing through the holes already made. If desired to give a more finished appearance punch more holes along edge of box and lid, making them ¼ inch apart. Then hold a fine basket reed or piece of raffia along the edges and overcast. If lavender or sweet grass is obtainable, that will be even better than reed or raffia for the edge, lending its fragrance to the gift. The box can be still further finished by lining with dainty silk. Make glove box in same way, but longer in proportion to width.
Pencil and Paint-Brush Box (Bark, raffia, needle or crochet hook)
This is cylindrical. Cut a piece of bark 5 × 8 inches. Punch in it a series of holes ¾ of an inch apart, and ½ inch from edge of each short side. Place these so that one edge overlaps the other and the holes coincide with one another. Then sew together with raffia. Use a short needle or none at all. Raffia can be drawn through holes with a crochet-hook. Punch holes in the lower end of this cylinder and cut a circle of same size as diameter of cylinder out of cardboard. Punch corresponding holes in this and sew the bottom in. Strengthen top by overcasting over a twist of raffia, sweet grass or sweet clover.
Canoe (Bark, pencil, thread, paper, paraffine)
Fold strong piece of bark and cut an outline of a canoe, rounding the ends. Sew the ends closely together with stout thread, overcasting the edges with same. Make watertight by lining with paper dipped in melted paraffine. Paraffine may be bought at grocer's.
Fan, modeled after East Indian pattern (Bark, kindling wood, dye, gold paint)
Cut two stiff pieces of bark into hatchet-shaped trapezoid. Punch row of holes in the narrowest side, whittle a handle of pinewood, and sew it to the narrow edge of bark over and over through the holes.
The handle may be stained with some natural dye and fan decorated with gold paint.
Picture-Frame (Bark, punch, sweet grass)
Cut two pieces of bark 4 × 5 inches, one of smooth bark, one of the outer bark with pleasing markings. Punch holes around the edges of each ¾ inches apart. In the rough outside piece cut an oval 2½ × 3 inches. Around this inner oval punch holes near together and bind this around with sweet grass overcast with fine raffia. Now sew the two pieces of bark together, first cutting into the back piece a slit near the bottom into which to slide the photograph.
In using sweet grass as binding it is well to wind the bunch first with thread to hold the pieces together, and after the grass is firmly sewed the temporary thread can be cut away. The bunch of grass thus used may be about as thick as half the little finger.
Punch may be bought at kindergarten store, or conductor's punch will do.