Plume for Hat (Paper as above, scissors, paste or pin)
Take a strip of paper 6 × 12 inches. Make a fringe or series of cuts in this about four inches long and ½ inch wide, and then roll it up and attach to hat with paste or a pin.
Epaulets for shoulder may be cut in similar way.
The cutting of these fringes gives practice in the use of scissors.
The articles whose making we will now describe do not come under the head of free-hand cutting, as they usually require cutting according to measurement, and really definite directions. They are given in general in the order of difficulty in the making.
Chains (Scissors, paper, paste, toothpick)
Let the little child begin by cutting strips of some bright paper or smooth wrapping paper into lengths of ½ by 3 inches. Make a ring of one of these, putting a wee bit of paste on the under part of one end and sticking it fast to the other end by overlapping. Through this ring run another strip and paste into a similar ring, and so make a long chain of them wherewith to decorate the child's small person or the room. To make paste see [page 169].
It is well to have a small pomade box, obtainable at a druggist's, in which to keep the paste. It can then be covered and kept moist until the next time for using. But a little fresh mucilage or paste can at any time be put into a butter dish. A toothpick will make a good paste-stick, which the child can handle more easily than a brush. Show him that a tiny bit of paste will suffice and that more makes the pretty ring mussy.
If mother is sewing and the child restless and no bright colored paper convenient, let the child cut strips of newspaper right at hand and make the rings. His imagination will readily convert them into links of gold.