The stand when finished should be painted black, and the crab-net, which has previously been gilded, fastened in place by tying it on to each stick with a cord and tassel made of rope and gilded. Notches cut in the sticks, about three inches from the top, will afford a resting-place for the cord and keep it from slipping.
Hat-Rack.
The hat-rack, which our drawing represents, makes an excellent and convenient hall-decoration. The materials used in its construction are a small mirror, which can be procured at any country store; four boards, whose length and breadth depend upon the size of the mirror; two oars, with one-third of each handle sawed off; one dozen large-sized nails, or small spikes, and a piece of rope about twelve feet long. The frame is made by nailing the boards together as shown in illustration, placing the end-boards on top. The opening left in the centre should be one inch smaller than the mirror. When eight of the spikes have been driven into the frame at regular distances the mirror must be fastened on the back with strips of leather or sail-cloth, as shown in diagram (Fig. 48). The diagram also shows how the oars are held in place and the rope attached. The knot in which the rope is tied is called a true-lover’s knot, and can readily be fashioned by studying the diagram. Small nails driven through the rope where it crosses the back of the oar will keep the loops from slipping out of place. The remaining four spikes are to suspend the hat-rack from, and must be driven into the wall so that two will hold the top loop, and the others the extreme upper corners of the side loops.
The frame and oars may be painted black and the spikes and ropes gilded, or the whole will look well painted yellow or brown.
A handsome screen can be made in the following manner: Procure a nice, firm clothes-horse, saw off the legs close to the bottom cross-piece, then cover the whole neatly, on both sides, with dark green cambric. Next tack smoothly on one side of each fold light-brown wrapping-paper, which comes quite wide, and may be bought by the yard. For the border use dark-green canton flannel cut in strips eight inches wide. Tack this around each fold of the screen with gimp-tacks, and paste the inside edges smoothly over the paper.
The decorations of the screen shown in the illustration are composed entirely of products of the sea.
Two panels are shown. One is decorated with sea-weed, dried starfish, and shells. Sea-weed and shells also are used on the other, but a group of horseshoe crabs take the place of the starfish.
Sea-weed of various kinds suitable for this use can be found along the coast, and they may be gathered and dried in this way. Loosen the sea-weed from whatever it is attached to, and while still in the water slip a piece of stiff paper beneath it and lift it out. Quite a number can be carried on the same paper, but they should be taken home as soon as possible and placed in a tub of fresh water. The tub will give the larger kinds room to spread out, when a smaller vessel would cramp and rumple them. On sheets of paper, of the kind used for the screen, carefully lift each sea-weed out of the water, and with a small camel-hair brush straighten the parts that are too much folded, and separate those that lie too closely together. Should a plant be very much crumpled when taken out, quickly replace it in the water and try again.