A MORE ELABORATE SAMBO.
These fascinating little mannikins have the advantage of being novel, cheap to make, and very attractive at bazaars, where they sell easily for one shilling each, the cost of making being on an average threepence a-piece.
The materials required are single Berlin wool, black, scarlet and white, some yellow “topaz jewels,” and a little glittering tinsel or strings of bright beads. A quarter of a pound (one packet) of black Berlin wool makes four men, while the same quantity of scarlet and white equips a whole army, as less of these is used. I utilised the “jewels” and trimmings from two old evening dresses of mine, and in these days of sequin and jewelled passementerie most girls would have some by them without needing to buy.
Now as to the making. You take a twopenny or ounce skein of the black Berlin and divide it in half. You next take one half and double it, cutting one end through so that it consists of loose ends of wool, which will presently stand for feet and toes. This is the length of the mannikin. Tie a piece of scarlet wool several times firmly round the middle so as to form a waist. Now take up the other half of the black skein and double it till it is the right length for the arms of the warrior. You cut through both ends of these so as to suggest multitudinous fingers.
Having got so far, wind some scarlet wool round your hand twelve or fourteen times. Now take up the black wool that is tied round the middle; divide the uncut end with your fingers (so as to get an equal quantity of black loops on each side), and insert the scarlet loops bodily in the opening thus made, so that they project at the top while they touch the “waist” inside at the bottom.
Next thread the black “arms” through the scarlet loops and the body at the waist line so that the arms stick out on each side just above the waist. Tie scarlet wool several times firmly round the whole thing midway between the top-knot and the waist to form a neck just above the “arms.” Close up the opening you made in the black wool at the top, and with a needle threaded with scarlet wool, work a few bold stitches right round the bottom of the scarlet tuft, thus securing the latter and forming a sort of coronet at the same time. This also serves to give some shape to the “head,” which should be as neat and rounded as possible. Cut the scarlet loops through so as to form a top-knot of ends.
Next take scarlet wool and tie it firmly round one of the arms at a sufficient distance from the ends to suggest a “wrist,” and wind the scarlet wool smoothly round and round towards the body (so that no black is seen beneath) until you have covered about half the arm, then finish off with a wool-needle so that the wool does not come unwound. Treat the other arm in the same way. The legs also are similarly made, the mass of wool below the “waist” being divided in equal halves and each leg done separately. The ends may have to be gently pulled down and trimmed a little so as to give more shapeliness to the limbs and body, but this must be done according to the artist’s taste and judgment.
Now comes the really fascinating part of the work. Thread a wool needle with scarlet Berlin and with this work on the “head” with a few bold stitches eye-brows, nose and open mouth. I generally found three stitches enough for one eye-brow, and the same number for the nose; but here again individual discretion comes into play.
Thread another needle with white Berlin and supply the aforesaid open mouth with pearly teeth which need not by any means be regular; indeed you can give “Fuzzy-Wuzzy” an endless variety of expressions according to the direction of your stitches.
Take two “topaz jewels” and stitch them firmly with black cotton under the eye-brows, and lastly stitch round his waist sufficient tinsel trimming to form a glittering belt.
You wipe your pen on him by the simple process of stabbing the implement into any part you happen to catch hold of first.
For bazaars you will find they look best stitched in some sort of order on a large sheet of white cardboard (an old dress-box or its lid does very well) with some inscription and the price printed in large letters over them, and a handle of red tape at the top to hang the cardboard up by.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The great minister of King Henri Quatre.
[Transcriber’s Note—The following changes have been made to this text:
Page 326: bicyling to bicycling—“hour’s bicycling”.]