STENCILS.
A dozen or more years ago I saw an advertisement from a Boston firm, of a package, to be had for the small sum of twenty-five cents, which contained several devices for entertaining children. As the advertisement seemed attractive, I sent for the article, and received by return mail a small box, which certainly contained all one could reasonably expect for the money. Many of the smaller things I have forgotten, but the idea of cutting stencils was so good, and gave the children of our family so much pleasure, that I insert a few simple designs, and give directions for cutting, hoping they may amuse the little ones of other families as agreeably as those of ours.
These designs, which require considerable care in the tracing, should be first drawn upon tracing-paper, or some stiff, thin paper, with a sharp-pointed lead-pencil; then, this being securely attached to a piece of thin bristol-board, or a common business-card, carefully cut the design, leaving the edges smooth and even. Particular care should be taken to cut all the useless bits of paper from the pattern. After a little practice, children learn to make designs for themselves, and enjoy it much more than following those given by others. It is, however, necessary that they should use those supplied at first, so as to understand just how the lines are to be cut.
After the design has been carefully cut out, take a smooth piece of white paper, fold it through the middle; now fold again, bringing the ends of the first crease together; fold once more, making the last crease to fall upon the same line as the other two, and your paper will be in shape like the letter V, Fig. 1. Be sure that b, in Fig. 1, forms a perfect point. Now lay the pattern on your folded paper, letting a, Fig. 2, fall upon b, Fig. 1, and taking care that the edges of the pattern fall evenly upon the folds of the paper. Cut the paper out, following the lines of the design. After the black portions have all been cut away, open your folded form, and you will have a very pretty stencil, which can be used in decorating your playthings, or for the various other purposes stencils are so extensively employed. One little friend of mine used to paste all his finest specimens on square pieces of black cloth, and after he had a good-sized collection, he had the pieces sewed together in the form of a book. On the cover he pasted the word “Stencil” and his initials, all cut from white paper; and it was a never-failing source of pleasure to him to show this little work, declaring proudly as he did so, “I did it all myself with my own little pair of scissors.” These stencils could be cut from variously colored papers and then pasted upon ordinary note; the whole being caught together with a piece of ribbon. A book would be the result, which, if not prettier, would be less cumbersome than my little friend’s, and would probably give full as much satisfaction, besides being much easier to make. If you will carefully examine the inside decorations of many of our fine public buildings, you will see that much of the work is put on with stencils; and by looking still more carefully, you can learn just how these stencils are made; and from them gain ideas for your own designs, which will aid you very materially in any decoration you may try. It is not expected that a boy has judgment or skill sufficient to decorate an important room, but if you would like to try the experiment, you may be able to persuade your parents to allow you to try your hand at something of the kind in an unused garret room. But even in this, do not begin at hap-hazard. Study all the designs you can find, and note the effect of the colors on each other and upon the color of the wall itself. Choose some simple, open pattern at first, and do not use more than two colors in putting it on the wall. The fresco paint, or kalsomine, comes in a powder, with full directions for using printed on each package. It is put on with a short, thick brush; and is patted on through the stencil. For stenciling, the paint or kalsomine must be mixed much thicker than for an ordinary wash, and it is best to have your stencil pattern, after it is perfected to your taste, cut from a piece of tin, if a tinman is near at hand. After the walls have received their share of decoration, it would be well to paint the door to match, using some appropriate oblong stencil for the panels, and applying it with oil paint. In such things it is very easy to overload the work, and by putting on too much spoil the effect; so care and judgment must be exercised to know at just what point to stop, as well as to avoid daubiness and an uneven character to your work.
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