Fig. [50].—Centre of twine tied on long stick.
An old bamboo fishing-rod, a length of handle from a long-handled dusting or window brush, or any kind of a long, slender, smooth, round stick will do for the top curtain-pole from which to hang the reeds. Lay the pole across a table in front of and parallel to you; then tie the centres of four pieces of cord of even lengths on it at equal distances from each other ([Fig. 49]). Detail of the work is given in [Fig. 50]. Place a cat-tail reed up against the four ties, allowing one string from each tie to come over and the other under the cat-tail ([Fig. 51]). Cross the two lengths of each cord over the last cat-tail, bringing the lower string up and the upper string down ([Fig. 52]); then lay another reed up against the crossed strings, carrying the strings in turn over this reed ([Fig. 53]). Again bring the lower strings up and the upper down before placing in another cat-tail, and always alternate the large and small ends of the reeds as in [Fig. 54], in order to have them equally balanced and to avoid bringing all the small ends on one side and the large ones on the other side of the curtain.
Fig. [51].—Allow one string to come over and the other under the cat-tail.
Fig. [52].—Cross the two lengths of twine.
Fig. [53].—Lay another cat-tail up against the crossed strings.
Fig. [54].—Alternate large and small ends of reeds.