Fig. [55]—Primitive curtain of reeds and twine stitch.
Fig. [56].—Staple nail in top pole of curtain.
Fig. [57].—Cord fastened on top pole for rolling up curtain.
Continue Crossing the Cord
and adding cat-tails until the curtain is of the desired length. Tie the ends of the string on each line securely together and tuck them under the weave, hiding the ends on the wrong side of the curtain ([Fig. 55]). At equal short distances from the tips of the head-pole fasten in a screw-eye large enough to pass readily over the two hooks immediately above the window where the curtain is to hang ([Fig. 55], A, A). On the centre of the space along the upper side of the top pole, between the first and second cord and the third and fourth cord, drive in a staple-nail ([Fig. 49], B, B), shown more plainly in [Fig. 56]. These staple-nails are for holding in place the long cord used in rolling up the curtain ([Fig. 57], B, B, and [Fig. 58], B, B). Thread one end of a long piece of cord from the back of the curtain through one staple-nail and the other end through the other staple-nail. Bring both ends of the cord down over the front of the curtain around the bottom and up over the back; then tie the ends on the pole ([Fig. 57], C, C). Dotted lines show how the cord runs along the back of the curtain. Have the cord sufficiently long to allow of the stretch between the two staple-nails B and B (Figs. 57 and 58), to hang down over the back and extend in a loop below the bottom edge of the curtain ([Fig. 57], D). When you wish to raise the curtain, pull the bottom loop and up will go the curtain ([Fig. 58]). These primitive hangings are just the thing for outing cottages on the sea-shore or log-houses in the mountains. You can have fun weaving them while at your summer home and in place of the old-fashioned quilting-bee you might give a
Curtain-Bee Frolic.
The girls and boys could readily make a number of hangings in one afternoon, and while weaving the reeds together they would weave into the work all sorts of bright speeches and gay laughter, so that ever after the curtains would be filled with delightful associations of the charming summer afternoon. Reed curtains can be fashioned in any width. If very narrow hangings are in demand, cut your reeds to measure the length needed for the curtain-width and weave them together with the same twine cross-weave used in [Fig. 55].