Fig. 376.—Mantel-Shelf covered with Enamel-Cloth ornamented with Brass Curtain-Rings.
A mantel-board of pine, two inches longer and two inches wider than the shelf, is always necessary when there is to be a lambrequin, for upon this the lambrequin is tacked.
First, the board must be neatly covered with the material, enamel-cloth or whatever is used, the edges of the cloth being brought over and tacked under the edge of the shelf; then the strip composing the lambrequin must be turned in at the top edge and tacked across the front and two ends of the board with brass-headed tacks. It looks better if the corners of the board are rounded as shown in illustration.
Fig. 377.—Enamel-Cloth ornamented with Brass Rings.
The piece at the back of the shelf should be about eighteen inches deep and must be tacked at top and bottom with small tacks, the edge at each end being turned in and tacked to the wall with brass-headed tacks.
Fig. 377 is the diagram of enamel-cloth ornamented with brass rings, and shows a section of the pattern. The bottom row of rings should be sewed on first, and the edge of the cloth turned up as the rings are fastened on. The stitches which hold the rings catch the hem also. This first row of rings should extend half way below the edge of the cloth, as shown in Fig. 377. Strong yellow embroidery-silk or saddlers’ silk is the best to sew them on with.
The gilt moulding can be bought by the foot and small headless nails are furnished to tack it with.
Another mantel is treated in very much the same manner as Fig. 376, the difference being that, instead of enamel-cloth, the covering for the shelf and the piece at the back are dark-red canton-flannel, and around the edge of the shelf is tacked a worsted fringe, about six inches deep, matching the canton-flannel in color. This has a warm, comfortable look and is quite appropriate for a bedroom, while the other should be used only in a library or dining-room.