Diagram of Tying Knot.
Fastening End of Rope.
From window-drapery we will turn to that suitable for the door-ways. Portières, in a room where the prevailing tints are gray and light wood-color, should not present too violent a contrast to those subdued tones. A curtain of wood-brown, neither too dark nor too light, will give the needed strength and decision, without destroying the harmonious coloring. One can be quickly and easily made of brown canton flannel and decorated with dried starfish, as shown in the illustration of the starfish portière. The starfish are soft enough to admit of being sewed to the curtain, and they should be placed with the underside out, as that is much prettier than the back, showing as it does two shades of color. A heavy rope with a knot at each end, stretched taut across the door-way and held in place with two hooks, will answer for a pole, and the drapery can be hung from it with iron rings. If the rope is very heavy the ends will have to be parted into strands before the knots can be tied. Figs. 41 and 42 show the manner of tying the knot and fastening the end of a moderately heavy rope.
Diagram of Book-shelves.
Book-shelves made of half of a flat-bottomed row-boat is not only an appropriate piece of furniture for a cottage by the sea, but also a very useful one. The fact of its shape allowing it to occupy a corner makes it a welcome addition to the furnishing, since there are so few things adapted to fill that angle. Fig. 43 shows half of boat with cleats nailed on to hold the shelves, which must be made to fit the boat. The shelves, when resting on the cleats, are secure enough, and need not be fastened in any other way. If the book-shelves, when finished, are painted black, unvarnished, they will have the appearance of being ebonized.
The evidence of a womanly presence in the shape of a dainty work-basket always gives a home-like look to a room, and when this useful trifle happens to be prettily designed it contributes not a little to the decorations. The standing work-basket represented here is manufactured of a crab-net, with the handle removed, fastened to a tripod stand.