The Equilateral Triangle.
With the help of your circle maker or compass you can easily draw an equilateral triangle.
Rule a horizontal line of any desired length, for the base of your triangle—that side upon which the triangle seems to rest. Place the pivot of your circle maker at one end of the line, and take a radius equal to its length. Draw above this line part of the circumference of a circle, called an arc. Then take as a center the other end of the horizontal line, and with the same radius, draw an intersecting arc. Rule lines from the intersecting arcs to each end of the line. You have drawn an equilateral triangle.
Sketches A and B show you how an equilateral triangle may be divided. Sketch C shows how one line may divide the triangle into two shapes, whose outlines may be slightly changed or modified, to make a decoration.
For a surface covering like Sketch D, construct one equilateral triangle and carry the base line across the paper. Rule a line parallel to this, passing through the apex of the triangle. Set off upon these lines lengths equal to one side of your triangle. Draw lines connecting these points, as shown in the sketch. Repeat this process for a surface covering.
A Case for Newspaper Clippings.
When you know how to measure accurately and can plan good proportions, you can make many simple articles, both useful and beautiful.
To make the case for newspaper clippings shown on this page, cut an oblong of stiff manila paper, 8 ½ × 9 ½ inches. Use your test square in measuring all corners, to get right angles. Then cut an oblong 9 ½ × 10 ½ inches of "cover" paper, of some good color. Fit the manila oblong within this, in such a way as to leave an inch margin of colored paper all around it. Fold over this margin, pasting it down neatly. Cut an oblong 8 ¼ × 9 ¼ inches, of tinted paper of lighter weight. Lay this oblong as an inside lining to the cover, pasting to leave a narrow margin of the dark cover paper around the lining. Place the cover on your desk, with the long edges from left to right. Fold the nearer edge to meet the farther edge. Crease well. Bisect the crease, and place a point 3⁄8 of an inch up from the crease. Measure three inches from each end, and place points at these distances, 3⁄8 of an inch up from the crease. Within the folded cover, place six or eight No. 9 envelopes, the bottom edges of the envelopes touching the crease. Fit the envelopes within the cover, to leave an equal margin around the front and ends of the case. Holding the envelopes firmly within the cover, make holes with an eyelet punch at the points placed for them. Tie the envelopes in the case with raffia, tape, or cord.