SCARF DRAPERIES

ALL draperies that are not regularly cut and made, according to some design, but depend for their appearance entirely on the way in which the fabric is put up, are classed under the heading scarf draperies. They are at best but an imitation of the cut festoon drapery, and for anything permanent much better satisfaction is obtained by the use of fabric properly cut and made up.

When the decoration is of a transient character, however, such as show-window decoration, festival decoration, or the temporary adornment of a door or window, very good effects can be obtained by practice and the exercise of a little ingenuity without cutting the material, and it is not a rare occurrence to meet men of long experience in the drapery business who employ this method altogether. As a knowledge of the methods used to obtain various results in this style will doubtless prove useful, we present herewith a number of illustrations which show the versatility of this principle.

Figure [33] (see diagrams on the opposite page) illustrates one treatment of a pair of tapestry, silk or chenille curtains to form a drapery over a six or seven foot opening.

To accomplish this divide the width of the opening into three spaces, the middle one slightly narrower than the others. At point A, Figure [33A], temporarily attach the corner of one curtain and draw the other end of it up and over the pole B, from behind; without twisting the curtain, draw the top (or dotted line) edge Figure [33A] over until the sag between A and B is nearly correct, then adjust the bottom (or broken line) edge, allowing it to sag considerably more than the upper edge to give the necessary depth to festoon 2. Note the stripes of the material in Figure [33A], which illustrates how a straight cross-striped material would look if used in this way.

Fasten the goods temporarily at B with a few tacks and proceed with festoon 3.

Carry the (broken line) top edge, which was the bottom edge in festoon 2, to C, your left outside point, Figures [33] and [33A], allowing it to sag slightly as the top of the festoon.

Hold the material at point C with the right hand, and with the left hand grasp the edge of the goods a short distance farther to the left and raise it above the right hand (at point C) until the edge of the goods between your hands is taut, as illustrated by Figure [33A].

If you have allowed a sufficient distance between your hands, corner E of the curtain should be higher than corner F, as illustrated.

Adjust the position of your left hand until you get the corners to satisfy you, leaving the corner F as low as you desire to have it. With the hands in the positions of Figure [33A] move the left hand over above the right hand, keeping the edge of the material still taut between them, and with the fingers and thumb of the right hand gather up all the goods across the dotted line X——X into small pleats and squeeze this tightly with the right hand as Figure [33B]. Half way between the two hands bend this bunch back, bringing the point held by the left hand under the fingers of the right hand where it is tied securely by a cord passed around the goods gathered there, and attach it to the wall, pole or door frame at point C, Figure [33].

The rosette is formed by spreading out the loop formed by bending back the point for tying. Spread it fan shape, Figure [33C], bringing each side around to form a complete circle, ending by tucking one within the other as Figure [33D].

Pick out the most prominent folds below the rosette to form pleats and form them as far back toward point B as you can follow them, making as many as are necessary to dispose of the fullness of the festoon; form a pipe dropping from the centre of the tied bunch beneath the rosette and pleat the rest of the fullness to form a double tail as illustrated.

Release the goods where they were temporarily tacked at B and form folds over the pole that will be continuations of the pleats radiating from the rosette.

Commence at the side nearest the rosette and tack each one as you form it, allowing the last one to be a nice full pleat, as illustrated in Figure [33E]. The point of the curtain which was attached at A is now drawn up slightly to make a few shallow pleats in festoon 2, and the point thrown back toward the wall, out of sight, where it is fastened to keep the pleats in place.

For festoon 1 spread the curtain out flat, as Figure [33F], and with one hand gather the goods into small pleats across the end on the bias and slightly curved, as dotted line. This is securely tied and thrown over the pole at point A, the short edge uppermost and next to the other curtain (see Figure [33G]), fasten it there and make a festoon rosette and tail with the balance of the curtain, as explained for festoon 3, Figure [33A].

Fig 36A

If you wish the single tail at A, formed by the end of the second curtain, to cascade the reverse way (with long side next to the other curtain), twist it where it is brought up behind the pole, but do not turn the whole curtain over, as you need the longest edge for the bottom of the festoon.

A study of the dotted and broken line edges of each illustration will explain how they are manipulated to secure the requisite length for the bottom of the festoon, how the surplus from the top of one festoon is used to increase the length of the next one, and how, by using alternate edges of the curtain, it is made to cover a larger space.

Figure [34] is another treatment of a pair of curtains for a similar space.

The right-hand curtain is manipulated much the same as the left-hand curtain in Figure [33], which has been already explained. The left-hand curtain is pleated into the space allowed for it at the top, either tacked over the pole as illustrated, or attached to rings. It is allowed to hang straight from the pole and either caught up with a rosette at the side or is gathered back and confined by a loop.

To make the rosette, allow the curtain to hang perfectly straight either just to the floor or even a half yard longer (if you desire the sweep of the bottom edge nice and full), and grasp the edge, without stretching it, at the point where you wish to make the rosette.

Then with the disengaged hand, Figure [34A], catch the edge again lower down and raise it until the longest point of the curtain clears the floor or is as much higher as you want it to be when finished, gather across dotted line, Figure [34A], and form the surplus into a rosette, as explained for Figure [33].

Pick out the fullness of the curtain into pleats, form a pipe depending from the centre of the tied part beneath the rosette and pleat the balance into a double tail.

To gather the curtain back with a loop, as Figure [34B], allow it to just nicely clear the floor, and then with both hands gather it into large folds commencing at the outside edge considerably below the position of the loop, and following the sweep indicated by dotted line across curtain in Figure [34B].

Figure [34C] is an illustration of how this can be accomplished neatly without the necessity of pulling the curtain through the loop after it has been caught up; Figure [34D] is a cross section of a curtain while being gathered, illustrating the position of the fingers as they form each successive pleat, the thumbs remaining stationary and the fingers drawing the goods toward them to form each pleat.

Figure [34E] is a back view of the end of the curtain that is pleated over the pole, Figure [34], and shows also the corner of the curtain which forms the middle festoon. For Figure [35], another treatment of a pair of curtains, gather the curtains, one for each side, as explained for festoon 1, Figures [33F] and [33G], and fasten the tied parts together to form the double tail in the centre, twist each curtain where it passes through the ring to bring the short edges to form the outside of the double tail, and form the festoons, rosettes and outside tails, as explained for Figure [33].

Figure [36] is an illustration of a scarf drapery for a six-foot circular top window or archway, made of six yards of fifty-inch material, with a fringe sewn on one side and both ends.

Divide the space for the number of festoons you wish to make, mark the points where the attachments will be fastened, and put them in place, mark X the centre of the space and V the middle of your length of goods on the top or unfringed edge.

Temporarily attach V at point X and carry the edge of the half length to the right or left to A or B, the first point of attachment, allowing a slight sag for the top of the festoon.

With one hand hold the edge of the goods at B, Figure [36A], and move the other hand twelve or eighteen inches farther along the edge, and with a gathering motion of fingers and thumb allow the two hands to follow the shape of the dotted line across the goods, Figure [36A], until they meet at E, which you have judged to be as far from the bottom edge as the length you wish to make the pipe O, formed at B——B, Figure [36].

As the hands meet gather all the goods into one and with the other tie a cord tightly around the gathering, the same as for the rosette, Figures [33A] and [33B]; the surplus above the tying may be formed into a rosette or thrown back through a ring, as illustrated.

The same process is repeated at ring A——A, and the two outer festoons and tails formed as explained for festoon 3, Figure [33]. After all is securely attached pick the fullness into pleats that follow nicely from one point of attachment to the next; form pipes of the surplus bottom edge and fold and pick out the ends until you have a presentable double tail surmounted by a rosette, as illustrated.

As we have already stated, scarf draperies depend for their appearance on the way in which they are put up, and a little time spent in carefully adjusting the pleats and pipes so that they hang gracefully without drawing or twisting will be amply rewarded by the appearance of the finished product.

Some materials require an infinite amount of coaxing, particularly for scarf draperies, but patience and perseverance will usually conquer the most contrary fabric.

Figure [37] is a scarf drapery made with one reverse where it passes through the ring. By reverse we mean that the fringe instead of being all sewn on one side of the goods is for some distance transferred to the other side of the goods and sewn to the opposite edge.

If the material is reversible (finished alike on both sides) the fringe can be reversed, as Figure [37A], without cutting the goods, and the fringe, instead of ending with the two ends opposite one another, is allowed to pass or overlap to about the position indicated by the extremities of the dotted A——A.

If the material is not reversible, as is supposedly the case in Figure [37A], the goods are cut (in this case one-third the distance from one end) and sewn together at A1——A1, with the long end the reverse side up. Gather the goods across the broken line A1——A1 and draw through the ring until the seam is concealed; draw over the hook B, leaving the necessary sag to the bottom edge and allowing the top edge only a slight droop; gather and tie at the outside corner D, and then go over both the festoons and coax the pleats into shape.

You will find that the goods have become considerably biased where they pass over the hook B, and for that reason do not fasten them at C until the centre festoon is finished to your satisfaction. When this is accomplished proceed to finish the left festoon after the manner of festoon 3, Figure [33A].

The top edge between B and C will be found quite full, and the surplus must be disposed of in the rosette at C. This is one of the most popular styles of small scarf draperies, and if nicely carried out in soft fabrics can be made to look quite neat. Before cutting the goods for reversing, we would advise the temporary draping of the goods, as hereafter explained for Figure [38].

Figure [38] is an elaborate festoon scarf drapery, with the fringe reversed in four places.

To accomplish this successfully it is almost imperative that we use a reversible material that will permit of each side being alternately presented to view in the festoons without perceptible difference.

To calculate for reversing scarf draperies the best plan is to mark off on your drapery board the dimensions of your space or opening, and attach to it at requisite points ornaments, rings or poles similar to those you intend to attach it to when finished.

Cut off your material, allowing one yard of material to each foot in width of space, and temporarily attach the centre of one edge of your goods to the middle of your space; then bring it through or over the next attachment, drawing to about the desired proportion of the festoon, and repeat at the next point, and so on to the end rosette; bring the goods over and over each time without twisting it, as you would bind a bandage round a limb. When all temporarily attached go back over each festoon and be sure that it is correctly adjusted, and then tie up the ends to form rosettes. You can now readily see where fringe will be needed; mark it as it hangs, using safety curtain pins, placing a pin at the extremities of the bottom line of each festoon, the points toward the bottom of the festoon. (See Figure [38B], points D and G.)

The bottom line of the next festoon runs up behind this one, consequently you must reach up underneath the first festoon and place the pins in the face side of the under festoon, points downward, as dotted out lines, E and F, Figure [38B]. Put a pin also in the outside corner of each tail, pointing toward the lower point of the tail. When all pinned take down and sew the fringe on the side from which each pair of pins was inserted, and from point to point of each pair. This will bring the fringe alternately first on one side and edge and then on the other side and edge, as Figure [38A], which represents the fringe between points A——B, D——G and H——J, as being on the top side of the goods as it lies spread out, and that between points C——E and F——I, on the under side.

Figure [38B] shows a variation from the style of Figure [38], in that the festoon does not form a wind round the pole, but is as a loop dropped over it, both ends of the festoon showing in front of the pole. It is seldom employed more than once or twice in a large drapery, and then in the centre or at equal distances on each side of it.

In scarf draperies, as in cut draperies, study to produce a symmetrical and well-balanced effect, and at the same time avoid having each side the exact duplicate of the other. Figure [38], for example, is an illustration of this thought.

If for architectural reasons it is necessary that both sides be alike, as Figure [35], then plan to have them as exact as possible, but, as a general rule, a slight variation adds character to the decoration.

Avoid, also, too many rosettes, two being quite sufficient in almost any drapery that is not of a temporary character.

We do not advocate the use of scarf draperies for permanent treatments, but the knowledge and skill acquired by practice in this style of decoration is a valuable possession.

BUNTING DECORATIONS

RED WHITE BLUE

ENGLAND

NETHERLANDS

PARAGUAY

WHITE BLUE RED

RUSSIA

BLUE WHITE RED

UNITED STATES

FRANCE

FESTIVAL · DECORATIONS
PART I.

During certain seasons of the year the decorator is called upon to furnish decorations for national demonstrations, society functions and the enrichment of halls, lawns, booths, etc. These decorations demand something more than the usual exhibition of a few flags and bunting, that may signify anything from a national victory to the opening of a saloon, and this branch of work is gradually becoming more important in the decorative business.

To successfully handle it to any extent it is necessary to carry on hand a quantity of the different decorative materials, such as flags, bunting, shields, banners, etc., and for quick and effective display a few of the following suggestions might be profitably adopted.

The natural advantages peculiar to each building frequently suggest the basis for a decorative scheme, and in planning an exterior trim it is best to first make a careful study of the building and jot down what particular features strike you as offering advantage or difficulty in their decoration. Note also the accessibility of the prominent places, and plan your trim accordingly.

Too much stress cannot be laid on the importance of this preliminary survey, for plans might be suggested which would have to be considerably modified in execution, to the disappointment of your customer.

After notes are taken, secure, if possible, a cut of the building from the stationery or advertising matter of the tenants or owners, and with these as a basis project your scheme of decoration. If a sketch must be made, adhere rigidly to the architectural proportions of the building, and be careful not to show streamers or festoons where your workmen would require wings to place them and glue to stick them in position.

The methods of disposing decorations for exterior work differ according to taste, and no hard and fast rule can be laid down as to what is and is not proper. We illustrate in Figure [39], on the opposite page, a few of the different designs which are most frequently used.

This building possesses most decided natural advantages, and the whole decoration could be carried out completely in any one of the different styles suggested in the illustration.

On the ground floor elevation we illustrate a number of columns resting on a square base and surmounted by an illuminated globe. The plinth (see detail Figure [40]) is a square box covered with cotton stretched smoothly and tacked on the back or bottom to conceal the tacks.

The torus is a circular piece of board a little less in diameter than the top surface of the plinth, covered with cotton, also drawn tightly and tacked underneath.

FESTIVAL DECORATIONS

FIGURE 39. SEE TEXT ON OPPOSITE PAGE.

The framework of the shaft is made as Figure [40A]. Two pieces of board are nailed together V-shape, and finished at each end with a circular piece of board the diameter you desire your shaft to be; this frame is covered with cotton pleated from end to end, as figure 40B.

This requires considerable practice to do it nicely, but when neatly covered with bleached white cotton, with pleats about one and one-half inches wide, it makes a very pleasing column.

The astragal, neck, ovolo and abacus (see detail) are covered circles of graduated diameters, all securely fastened together; the globe which surmounts the capital is a hollow shell made on a frame similar to Figure [41], and covered with alternate colors of cotton, the joins tacked together on the ribs and concealed by the puffing explained a little later.

When completed, the whole forms a light and neat semblance of a heavy fluted column, and gives a dignified appearance to a trim. If desired they can be made half round or half square and used as pilasters, made and finished in the same way. While not quite as effective, they require less time and material.

Fig. 40

Fig. 40A Fig. 40B

Fig. 41

Fig. 42

A, B, C

Fig. 43

Fig. 47

Fig. 47A

Fig. 44

Fig. 45

Fig. 46

Fig. 48

Fig. 49

The corner doorway of Figure [39] shows a round top shirred in with cotton or bunting trimmed with a couple of flags and a drapery of two alternate colors.

If the sweep of the arch is a semi-circle, take a piece of material a little more than half the diameter in width and as long as twice the diameter (or bottom measurement) and gather one edge into small pleats, tie it tightly and attach it to the centre of the bottom frame.

Commence in the centre of the top edge of the fabric and fasten it to the middle of the top frame, and, working from this each way, stretch the material smoothly into pleats radiating from the tied edge, and tack it all around the sweep of the frame, cover the bottom edge with a couple of flags draped as Figure [42 A, B and C], minus the sticks, and finish the outside of the circle with a puffing.

To make the puffing, fold a width of material (about 30 inch) into pleats about two inches wide, and tack one end of it to the point where the puffing is to finish. Leave a loop of the pleated material about three inches high, and with a single tack attach the goods three inches from your first tack; follow this out to where the puffing ends, and then go back over it and open each loop out nice and round, taking a selvage each way, as illustrated in Figure [43].

The sprays of flags between the columns are made as explained by Figure [44]; the flags for these and the windows of the second story, manipulated as Figure [42 A, B and C], to produce the full-draped effect.

The double drapery of alternate light and dark festoons below the second story windows are gathered as Figure [45], the hands gathering down from the top edge till they meet at the bottom edge, as explained for Figure [36A], in chapter on scarf draperies.

The banners on the second and third stories may be made of bunting, joining the different colors together, or of cotton, with the colors and patterns painted on them. The draperies on the third and fourth stories are gathered as Figure [46], the hands gathering the goods as dotted line, and meeting about one-third of the distance from the top.

With an assistant to handle one piece of the goods, the alternate effect can be easily produced by making first a festoon of one color then a festoon of the other color, crossing the goods each time a festoon is made.

If you desire to use three colors, stretch one, preferably the lighter, straight along the back as a background and drape the others over it.

The wreaths and festooning on the third story are made of tissue paper or of cedar twigs tied together, and are quite effective in contrast with other decorations.

To secure the effect illustrated at the windows of this floor, the end of the material is tied into a bunch and attached at the bottom corner of the window (Figure [47]), and then stretched up and spread along the top of the frame and tacked; treat the other side of the window the same, and finish the top with an inverted fan.

To make the fan, allow about three times as much material as the width of the space, and pleat one edge into small pleats; attach this to the centre of the top of the frame, and then carry the two outside bottom corners of the material up to the corners of the window frame, and gather each into a rosette, as Figure [47A].

The drapery on the top floor of the illustration is made as a scarf drapery. Gather the high points, allowing the hands to describe two sides of an equilateral triangle (Figure [48]), and form the surplus into rosettes, the lower points gather as Figure [46]; tie in position, form rosettes and carry the goods on up to the next point, as illustrated. Do not tie rosettes where the shields will be placed, but allow the goods to fall in a deep festoon. The shields or trophies are a quick and effective decoration, usually made of sheets of tin or heavy cardboard, mounted on a frame, as illustrated Figure [49], and painted with emblematic devices or coats of arms; flags are inserted at the top to form a spray.

The Venetian masts shown on the top of the building are very largely employed in out-door decorations, usually in the form of a colonnade, to line the sides of a street or walk, or to flank the entrance and approach of public buildings during a demonstration. A quick way to erect them when they cannot be driven into the ground is to stand them in barrels; fasten them upright and fill the barrels with sand or stones.

They may be any height, and placed as far apart as you wish, but do not put them nearer than a mast length apart to obtain the best effect.

The small triangular banners are suspended from the mast top by ropes attached at each corner of the wide end of the banner, a rod being hemmed in the banner for this purpose.

Festoons of wreathing or small flags and code signal flags may be strung from mast to mast with good effect. The decorator can easily arrange a variety of treatments embodying some or all of these ideas, and by following out the architectural suggestions of each building will obtain sufficient variety to avoid repetition.

Two things are to be carefully considered in decorations of this character. The danger of fire from contact with electric wires, and the changes which may be occasioned by the weather.

To avoid disaster and disappointment, use only fast colored materials, drive every nail and tie every knot to stay under the strongest wind.

Various schemes have been used to keep bunting draperies from flapping in the wind and lodging upon ledges or other projections, thereby destroying the effect of the decoration.

We have discarded all methods of weighting or tying the bottom edges, because these methods only serve to hold the wind, as does a close-hauled sail, and increase the danger of tearing away the decoration.

To prevent the drapery from becoming disarranged, make short festoons, and do not allow the top much sag. Use a double alternate drapery, and keep it so far away from projections that it will drop into place again after the gust has passed.

You will find if it hangs free with only its own weight to keep it in position that the wind will to a large extent blow off it, and it will not become unsightly.

Fig. 50.

Under ordinary conditions the colors red and blue used with white present a most attractive combination. For special occasions, however, any desired colors may be employed, bearing in mind the relation of one color to the other and the harmony of the whole.

In different countries the relative position of the three colors in a joined red-white-and-blue bunting drapery is different (Figure at head of page [26]). In Great Britain, Netherlands and Paraguay red has the place of honor at the top; in the United States blue; and both observe the old law of heraldry that color must be separated from color by one of the metals—in this case by white, the emblem of silver. Where two colors only are used in combination better balance is obtained by having the darker band slightly the narrower. As the object sought is brightness, sharp contrasts give best results, always bearing in mind the correct harmony of related colors. Mourning draperies should avoid as far as possible fussy or frivolous tendencies, the festoons taking on the appearance of solemn massiveness, and finished at each extremity with a heavy cascade or tail.

Black, the accepted emblem of mourning, is either used alone or mixed with a small percentage of white in unobtrusive places.

Deep purple, symbolical of extreme grief, is used in conjunction with black as the official emblem of royal mourning.

The weight of the materials used for exterior decorations differs according to the taste of the decorator. We have found our purpose best served by using unbleached factory cotton of a fairly heavy weight, having it specially dyed to the colors in demand, and for white using a soft-finished bleached cotton or a shaker flannel.

Fig. 53.

FESTIVAL · DE · CORATIONS
PART II

When the nation is called on to do honor to one high in the world’s esteem, and State, corporation or society coffers contribute to the erection of a triumphal arch, the experienced decorator, supplementing his knowledge with the advice of the carpenter, plasterer and painter, will submit plans and specifications, and will frequently secure the contract. Figure [50] shows a quadruple arch placed at the intersection of two streets. The frame is built of heavy timbers and lathed into the shape of the arches and moldings. Then two or three heavy coats of plaster, and a smoothing last coat, which is colored dead-white.

The same effect can be produced with bleached cotton stretched tight over wooden frames, the molding being covered separately and attached afterwards.

Electricity is an important decorative feature in nearly all present-day treatments of any size, and serves the two-fold purpose of decoration and illumination. Its unquestioned supremacy after dark is a temptation to place the entire decoration in the hands of the electrician. The result of that is a building pleasing by night, but by daylight exhibiting nothing more attractive than a temporary wiring and stripping.

To produce a satisfactory result the electrical and fabric decorations should be planned together, so that one will aid the other.

Ball and banquet decorations are usually planned in keeping with the nature of the function, and suggest by the symbols and emblems used the nature of the organization under whose auspices it is held. Figure [53] represents a large hall decorated for a yacht club ball. This hall is fortunate in possessing a stage and gallery, which facilitates its decorative arrangement. The stage is planned to represent the upper deck and pilot house of a large yacht, and is arranged for the use of the orchestra. Everything in the yacht’s furnishings is represented, and the effect is of a vessel moored bow on, at the end of the hall.

Flanking this, on each side, are miniature lighthouses, made of wood covered with cotton, and fitted in the upper chamber with electric lights. The roof of the hall is covered in the club colors of blue and white, so interwoven as to form four complete club burgees radiating from the centrepiece, which is a St. Andrew’s cross, made on a frame and drawn up into position.

Fig 54

Fig 55

Fig 55A

Fig 56

Fig 58

shirring thread

The cotton forming the ceiling is first attached to the centrepiece and stretched to the outer edges, one or two men handling each end of the goods so that it can be stretched without showing gaps between. Where there is much overhead work, time is saved by constructing an upright trestle after the manner of Figure [54], which is mounted on large casters, and can be moved about from place to place in the room without the workmen descending. We have used trestles of this kind thirty-five feet high, eight feet square at the base and three feet square at the top, which could be moved about quite easily.

Immediately below the ceiling is a painted frieze, representing primitive and modern methods of navigation, the figures sketched on white cotton and heavily shadowed to give a relief effect. Separating the figures are shields bearing the principal dates and events in the club’s history.

The space between the bottom of the frieze and the edge of the gallery ceiling is covered with white, over which are suspended banners bearing the club emblem and the names of the different yachts, and in addition to these a double festooning of large white cotton rope, with anchor pendants.

The pillars are pleated from floor to frieze with white cotton, which spreads fan-shape above the electric light bracket; a short board is fastened across the post, just above the bracket, and another of equal length at its base; the cotton is tacked first to the upper block and drawn up to the frieze and tacked there. Then commencing at the upper block again it is drawn to the lower block and secured. It can be done in one piece, but is more easily accomplished by using one piece for the fan and another for the straight lower part.

The spaces between the pillars above and below the gallery are draped with large tri-color banners, gathered as dotted lines, Figures [55] and 55 A, and require about two feet of material to each foot of space. The banners on the faces of the pillars are suspended from boat-hooks, the whole thought being to give things nautical particular prominence.

The drapery on the front of the stage platform, with Figure [56], illustrates another method of manipulating a scarf drapery to secure the necessary fullness for the bottom edge, and take up the excess of the top edge, by forming a double pleat at the top and gathering the material from the bottom. This method is equally applicable to any purpose where the fringe is all on one edge of the material, and not reversed, and will be found particularly useful with narrow material. The back and sides of the stage may either be pleated in with white or covered with marine scenery.

Fig 57

We illustrate, Figure [57], a booth for exhibition purposes which embodies some of the main decorative ideas in use. This is built independent of any pillars or beams of the building in which it may be used, but frequently a booth is so situated that part of the building proper is incorporated in its construction.

AUSTRIAN SHADES. SEE ARTICLE “WINDOW SHADES AND BLINDS” BEGINNING ON PAGE [39].

In all cases where goods are exhibited for commercial purposes, the size, shape and appearance of the materials exhibited should guide in the construction of the booth. Our illustration shows only one exposure of the booth which is repeated on all four sides. The corners are columns made like Figures [40A and 40B], capped with plaster crowns. The roof is made on a shaped frame covered in the same manner as the globe Figure [41]. The arches are curved pieces of wood covered with velvet, and radiating from the corners to the arches are spirals of twisted ribbon or colored crêpe tissue paper. The drapery illustrated is a simple reversed scarf drapery made as explained in the chapter on scarf draperies. The lower portion of the booth shows three methods of paneling. The first one on the left is made of one piece of material with a circular piece taken out of the centre. The piece taken out is equal to about one-quarter of the width of the panel and the material gathered and fastened in the centre as illustrated by Figure [58]. After that it is stretched into pleats to the edges.

The centre panel is a quick and effective method of covering space. The background is first covered plain, then commencing at the floor or bottom of paneling stretch the goods out its full width and tack the end of it at A—B, Figure [57]. Tie a small piece of the goods loosely around this at what will be about the middle when it is pulled up. Then proceed to stretch up the top and tack it along. Draw it out to the same width as the bottom and pull out all the wrinkles, so that it pleats nicely each way from the tied part. After it is tacked in place adjust the tying to the exact middle and proceed the same with the next one.

To make the right hand panel, alternate colors of material are bunched and tacked in the centre of the space and stretched to the outer edge, keeping the dividing lines square and true.

The designs and instructions that we have given are sufficient when variously combined and assembled for almost any decorative requirement. The main things to bear in mind are balance or symmetry, neatness, and color harmony; a proper consideration of these points will result in a satisfactory trim.

For interior work the decorator is limited only by his price in his selection of material; but sometimes the best effects are obtained without the use of more expensive fabrics than those previously mentioned. Next in the order of values are sateen, cashmere, velours, satin and silk, in plain fabrics, and the endless variety of damasks, brocades, etc.