The bag is shaped like an inverted balloon, and is made of six pieces of leather, or canvas, five and a half inches wide and fifteen inches long, sewed together at the edges. Each piece should be shaped as in Fig. 17, and when they are sewed together a round cap should be made fast to the large extremity to secure the ends of the side-pieces. A patch is sewed along the edges of two sides to strengthen them and to pass the lacings through, as shown at the lower left-hand side of Fig. 20. This method of construction gives an opening through which to pass a filling of rubber scraps and bits of leather. If a rubber bladder is to be inserted and inflated, this opening will not be required, for the bladder, when collapsed, may be pushed into the opening at the neck.
One inch below the top of the neck some slits are to be made in the leather, through which the throat-laces are interwoven, as shown in Fig. 21. After the knot at the end of the suspension-rope has been inserted in the throat of the bag, the laces are drawn tight and tied. This is the best means of attaching the bag to the rope from which it is suspended; and by means of a hollow stick, which projects down five inches below the under side of the disk, the bag may be centred and held rigidly. As a result it flies up at varying angles from this centre-drop when struck from different sides.
The suspension-stick may be made from a piece of inch-and-a-half curtain-pole, the hole being bored out with a bit. The stick should be inserted through a hole made in the disk eleven inches in from the outer or projecting edge. It should be of such a size that it will be necessary to drive the stick in with a mallet to make it fit snugly. A coat or two of white paint will finish the wood-work nicely, or it may be given a coat of varnish.
A Medicine-ball
A medicine-ball should be ten inches in diameter, and should weigh from three or four to six or eight pounds, according to the size of the boys and girls who use it. The case of a round football may be used, or a leather case may be made of six pieces and two ends, so that it will lace up, as shown in Fig. 22. The case is stuffed with small balls made of pebbles or small stones wrapped in newspaper. The newspaper makes a soft cushion, and does not allow the hard edges of the stones to come in contact with the leather. Larger or smaller stones may be used according to the weight desired, or sand wrapped in paper may be used in place of the stones.
Fig. 22. Fig. 23. Fig. 25. Fig. 26.
If the case is to be made, obtain some russet leather from a shoemaker and cut six pieces, fourteen inches long and six inches wide, as shown in Fig. 23. With doubled linen thread sew the edges together so that the seam is at the inside, as shown at the lower end of Fig. 23. Reinforce two sides of adjoining strips with a patch of leather sewed securely all around the edges and through the middle. Punch holes along the patch half an inch from the edge, through which to lace the draw-strings, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 23. At the open ends of the leather case sew on circular patches, four inches in diameter, to securely hold the ends of the six leather sides. The case will then be ready for the filling.
By substituting a bladder for the filling, this medicine-ball may be used as a volley-ball. The volley-ball is played over a net, either in the “gym” or out-of-doors, in a fashion similar to Badminton. It may be played by any number of persons at the same time, the object being to keep the ball in motion over the high net.