The art of decorating dry goods windows and interiors

by L. Frank Baum

Sunbursts, while they look difficult to make, are comparatively easy. It matters not what shape you wish to construct, whether round or square, the system is always the same. First measure your outside edge of frame, then cut off your strips of cheesecloth the different lengths required, pleat in center of them all and tie firmly with string, nailing them to the center of the frame. Then stretch them to the outer edge of the frame.

SMOCKING.

One of the prettiest effects in backgrounds is made by “smocking,” or catching the material into little squares, as is shown in the illustration. I have used this method in many windows, and always with good success. For paneling, pillars, etc., it will be found very desirable and attractive.

First cut your goods one-fifth larger than the space you wish to cover, sewing breadths neatly together. Then lay the cloth in even folds, and on each fold make dots with colored chalk or pencil, to show where the squares are to be caught up. These squares show plainly in the picture. They should be caught together with a needle and thread of a color to match the cloth. If the work is neatly done it will more than repay you for your trouble; and, indeed, once you have caught the knack of doing it, you will find it easy and quick work. So little material is used that it is the least expensive of any fancy background. I generally use bleached muslin, but the light shades of bunting or surah silk are equally adaptable.

HOW TO PLEAT.

Pleating is more of a trick than it appears to the uninitiated. Good pleating is very beautiful, but poor pleating is worse than none at all. The secret of good pleating is uniformity.

I will acknowledge that pleating was one of the most difficult things for me to learn; but I finally invented a little scheme that assisted me wonderfully.

It was nothing more or less than a clothespin, but it accomplished the work accurately. Start at the left-hand upper corner, first turning under the raw edge. Then place the slot of the clothespin over the edge and turn it half around to the right. Place your finger against the fold thus made, pull out your clothespin and tack or pin in place. Move your clothespin a given distance to the right, turn again and pin as before. The pleating will be absolutely uniform. In single pleating the folds are all one way; box pleating is made by turning first to the right, then to the left, as in illustration.