The Project Gutenberg eBook of Recreations for Girls, by Lina Beard and Adelia Beard.

one measuring five and one-quarter inches, the other four and three-quarter inches, and turn them into circles (Fig. 121) by the method just explained. Take one of the circles at the centre, where the folding lines cross, with the tips of the fingers of your left hand and pinch it together; then, while still holding it, crimp the edge with the fingers of your right hand (Fig. 122). Do this always with every kind of flower, whether it is made of circles or squares. Without loosening your hold of the centre, draw the paper lightly through your right hand several times, then crimp the edge again, this time with the blade of your scissors. Treat all the circles alike, then place a small circle inside a larger one and draw them through your hand to bring them together, pinching them closely until within a little over an inch of the edge (Fig. 123). Make a slender lighter of ordinary writing-paper (Fig. 124), snip off the point of the flower (D, Fig. 123), open the other end a little and push the lighter through until its head is hidden. This forms the stem. Wrap and tie with thread at the bottom of the flower (Fig. 125), and again where the petals spread. This last is to be but temporary, as you will remove the thread when the flower is sufficiently pressed together to hold its shape.

From your light-green paper cut a circle measuring three and one-quarter inches through its diameter and cut it in two to make the half circle for the calyx (Fig. 126). Remove the thread that holds the flower just below its petals and wrap the calyx closely around the lower part, tying it at the bottom; then cut a narrow strip of dark-green paper and wrap it spirally around the stem, beginning at the top (Fig. 127). Let the wrapper extend a little below the lighter and twist the end to hold it in place. Spread the petals of your flower as much like the natural blossom as possible.

For the leaves cut a strip of dark-green paper six inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide (Fig. 128). Find the centre by folding the paper end to end and making the crease shown by dotted line in Fig. 128. Gather it along this line, not with needle and thread—we use no needle in this work—but with your fingers, and pinch it together; then twist each end into a point (Fig. 129). With the sharp point of your scissors punch a hole directly through the centre (E, Fig. 129), and push the point of the stem through the hole, bringing the leaves as far up on the stem as you find them on the natural flower; then wrap and tie them in place.

is made of a circle of dark-green paper the diameter of which is three and one-quarter inches (Fig. 130). Gather this circle between your fingers as you did the others and crimp the edge with the scissors. It will then form a little bag or cup like Fig. 131. Slip the bag over the head of a lighter and tie at the bottom as in Fig. 132. If the bud does not take the proper shape at first, model it with your fingers until it is correct. Start the wrapping of the stem just above where the bud is tied and finish as you did the stem of the pink. Use small leaves on the bud stem, having the strip of paper just as wide, but considerably shorter than for the leaves on the stem of the open flower.

It is wonderful how very natural these blossoms appear. At a short distance no one would think they are not the real, old and familiar pinks. Only the fragrance is missing, and that may also be supplied and a spicy odor given by enclosing a whole clove in the heart of each flower.

From your pale-pink paper you can make the delicately beautiful morning-glory. Have the natural flower with its stem and leaves to copy from, even if the blossom is not the color you want. As with the pink, it is the general form and appearance we strive for in the morning-glory, not the detail.

Make your pink circles with a diameter of about seven inches. It is always better to have your flowers a trifle larger than the natural ones, rather than smaller.

But one circle is required for each morning-glory. Crimp this in your fingers and draw through your hand as you did the circles for the pinks; then, pinching it together to within one and one-half inches of the edge, hold it in your left hand and flatten out the top as in Fig. 133. See that the fulness is evenly distributed, and pull and straighten out the edges until you are satisfied with its appearance.

A piece of bonnet-wire makes the best stem if you wish to give the true viney effect of the growth. If it is only the blossom you are making, a paper lighter will answer. When you use the wire bend one end over to form a small loop; this is to keep the stem from slipping through the flower. Pass the straight end of the wire through the centre of the flower and draw it down until the loop is hidden.

of a square of light-green paper measuring about four and one-half inches. Fold the square four times through the centre to form the creases shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 134. Hold the square at the centre and draw the edges down as in Fig. 135; then bring the two edges together in gathers, just below one of the corners, to form a leaf-shaped point as in Fig. 136. Gather below each corner, tie as in Fig. 137, and twist each corner into a sharp point like F, Fig. 137. Draw the calyx through your hand, bringing the points together (Fig. 138). Push the calyx up on the stem and tie just at the base of the flower, then tie again about three-quarters of an inch below and wrap the remainder of the calyx close to the stem. Wind the stem with light-green tissue-paper and bend it as the natural one is bent and curved.

Make several buds of the pink paper, following the directions given for the green bud of the pink; then twist each bud at the point and add a calyx.

The wilted flower shown in the illustration is made by taking one of the morning-glories you have just finished and actually wilting it by drawing the flower together and creasing and pressing it to resemble the partially closed and drooping natural blossom.

Only a piece of dark-green paper six inches square is required to model two almost perfectly shaped morning-glory leaves.

Fold the square twice diagonally across from corner to corner to find its centre; then begin at one corner and gather along one of the creases until you reach the centre (Fig. 139). Start again at the opposite corner, gather along the crease to the centre, then wrap and tie (Fig. 140). Pinch each leaf from underneath along the crease in the middle, to give the depression at the midrib. Straighten the leaf out a little at its widest part and you will find you have made a pair of leaves which are surprisingly natural. Wrap and tie these to the stem and make as many more as you think are needed.

is of such a different nature it hardly seems possible that it can be made on the same principle as the other flowers, yet the work is practically the same.

Match the tint of your natural daffodil in yellow tissue-paper as nearly as possible, and then cut two squares for each flower measuring about five and one-half inches. Fold the squares crosswise and diagonally through the centre as you did for the calyx of the morning-glory (Fig. 134), and cut one square in half along one of its diagonal folds (Fig. 141). Gather the square two and a quarter inches below each corner and tie as in Fig. 137, but do not twist the points. This gives you four petals, but as the daffodil has six, you must make two more from the triangular halves of the square you have just cut. Gather each triangle across from side to side, according to the dotted line in Fig. 141, and pinch and tie in place as in Fig. 142, making sure the petal is of exactly the same size as those on the square. Bring together the fan of paper left below the petal and wrap and tie as in Fig. 143, then cut off the ragged end (Fig. 144). Draw the petals of the square together as you did the calyx, and insert the stem made of a paper lighter. Put in place the two extra petals, pushing the wrapped ends down into the heart of the flower; fit each loose petal between two of the others and tie (Fig. 145).

Turn back to the bud of the pink (Fig. 130), and from a circle of the yellow paper, with a diameter of four inches, make the cup (Fig. 131), using the scissors to give a fine crimp to the edges. Pinch the cup together at the bottom almost half-way up and tie (Fig. 146); slip it on your finger like a thimble and press it into shape like Fig. 147. Insert the point or stem of the cup into the centre of the flower and tie in place just below the petals (Fig. 148).

Cut a two and three-quarter-inch square from light-brown paper and divide it diagonally in half for the calyx. Examine your natural daffodil and notice how loosely the calyx seems to be wrapped around the flower. Imitate this by leaving the point loose at the top, while you wrap the bottom of the calyx closely around the stem. Allow the wrapping for the stem to cover the lower part of the brown calyx. Make several long, narrow leaves from strips of dark-green paper, two inches wide and of varying lengths. Twist one end of each leaf into a point and, gathering the other end, draw it through your hands until it stands up stiffly. Wrap each leaf partly around the stem and tie in place, following as closely as possible the natural growth of the leaf on the stem. Bend the stem just below each flower, being careful not to break the paper lighter which forms it.

If you use thread the color of the flowers for tying and green for the stems the effect will be almost perfect.

CHAPTER XI

LIKE the little animals, these dolls are modelled of tissue-paper and they are equally substantial and durable. The dolls, as well as their dresses, shoes, and bonnets, are made without taking a stitch or using glue or paste. Nothing could be prettier or more suitable to hang on the Christmas-tree than these little ladies decked out in their fluffy tissue-paper skirts, and nothing will give greater delight to the children.

you will need eight sheets of white tissue-paper, two sheets of flesh pink, not too deep in color, a quarter of a sheet of light-brown or yellow, and a small piece of black. Her underclothes will require one sheet of white and her dress and bonnet one sheet of any color you consider most becoming.

Take one sheet of the white paper at a time and draw it lengthwise through your hands, creasing or crimping it as in Fig. 149. Do this to all the eight sheets. Then, pulling six of them partly open, place them evenly one on top of another and fold through the middle (Fig. 150). Take another sheet of the crimped paper and roll it into a ball like Fig. 151. Open the folded paper, place the ball in the middle, bring the paper down over the ball and wrap and tie just below with coarse linen thread or white darning-cotton (Fig. 152). This is the head, which you must model into shape with your fingers, squeezing it out to make it fuller and rounder at the back and pinching it to give a chin to the face. Fold another crimped sheet like Fig. 153 for the arms. You will notice the ends do not quite reach the folds. The space left should measure a little over one inch. Crimp half a sheet of the pink paper and with it cover the arms; allow the pink to extend equally at each end beyond the white and fold over the ends, tying them as in Fig. 154. Then tie the loose ends down as in Fig. 155. Open the paper just below the head, slip the arms in place and tie below (Fig. 156).

Spread out your smooth sheet of pink paper, place the doll's head directly in the centre and draw the paper down over head and body; keep it as smooth as possible over the face and wrap and tie at the neck (Fig. 157). Push the pink paper up on the shoulders and cut a slit about six inches long lengthwise through the middle of the entire mass of paper, as shown in Fig. 157. Wrap and tie each of the legs (Fig. 158) and tie once more under the arms (Fig. 161). Fold the bottom edges under and model the feet in shape (Fig. 158). The wrappings at the thighs and knees take slanting lines, which give a more natural shape to the legs than if the thread were simply wrapped round and round as at the ankles.

of Little Miss Muffett with water-colors, placing the features low on the head to give a babyish look, and make the eyes large and mouth small. Color the cheeks and chin a deeper pink, and put little touches of red just above the eyes near the inner corners and little streaks of blue just below the eyes.

which you are to make of brown or yellow paper, or black if you want a little brunette.

Cut a circle seven and one-half inches in diameter, and on the edge cut a fringe one inch in depth (Fig. 159). This is the hair, which you must curl by drawing it lightly over the blade of a penknife or scissors (Fig. 159).

Fit the wig on Miss Muffett's head, holding it in place with pins until you can tie it on just back of the curls (Fig. 161).

which will be her first article of dress, cut out of the black tissue-paper two circles measuring four and one-half inches in diameter (Fig. 160); place one foot in the middle of a circle, draw the paper up around the ankle and wrap a number of times before tying. Put the other shoe on the other foot in the same manner, and your doll will look like Fig. 161.

consists of a union garment (Fig. 162) and a white skirt (Fig. 163). From one end of your remaining sheet of white paper cut a strip about seven inches wide, and at the middle cut a slit half-way up (Fig. 162). Draw this through your hands to crimp it, the creases to run lengthwise, that is, from top to bottom. Fit the little garment to the body, tying it just below the arms and again above the knees, where it will form ruffles.

Cut the white skirt in a circle seventeen inches in diameter with a circular opening in the centre (Fig. 163). Crimp the skirt and put it on over the feet, not the head, of the doll, wrapping and tying it in place around the waist.

Not only may tissue-paper be purchased in all colors, with their various shades and tints, but in pretty little checks, plaids, and figures as well, so Miss Muffett may have a dress equal in appearance to the cotton or silk gown of her china sisters.

after the white skirt pattern (Fig. 163), and the waist like the smaller circle (Fig. 164), which has one slit, from outer to inner edge, added to the opening at the centre.

This waist circle should measure ten inches in diameter. Do not crimp the dress skirt, but put it on in all its crisp freshness, and tie in place at the waist-line. Adjust the waist on Miss Muffett, bringing the slit opening at the back. It looks very much like a cape now, doesn't it? But draw the fulness in at the bottom and around the arms at the shoulders, and you have a little waist with full short sleeves. Tie the waist rather high, and bring it down to bag slightly over the skirt as shown in the illustration of Miss Muffett. Cut

of the same paper as the dress. Fig. 165 shows the pattern, which is ten inches long and nine inches wide. Fold the straight edge over three times, according to the dotted lines in Fig. 165, making the folds one and one-quarter inches wide. Fig. 166 shows the bonnet folded, and the dotted line around the curve indicates where it is to be gathered in at the neck.

Fit Fig. 166 on Miss Muffett's head, allowing the folded edge to extend slightly beyond her face, then draw the bonnet down at the back and gather it in with your fingers until it sits snugly to the neck. Through the middle of the fold, one inch from each end, puncture a hole, and through these two holes pass the thread that goes around the back of the bonnet and ties under Miss Muffett's chin. See illustration of sun-bonnet.

CHAPTER XII

AN Indian encampment for your very own! A wigwam, camp-fire, Indian travois, blanket-weaving loom, gorgeous feathered head-dress, bow, arrows and shield, tomahawk, wampum, and a little copper-colored papoose in its funny stiff cradle, hanging on a tree entirely alone! Does not all that sound delightful? The complete scene can actually be made to appear in your room at home.

a common pastry-board or any kind of board of the desired size—about nineteen by twenty-six inches—and for grass cover one side and the four edges of the board with a piece of light-green cotton flannel stretched tight, fleece side up, and tacked to the under side of the board. Sprinkle sand and small stones on the grass at one side of the wigwam, to show where the grass has been worn off by the tramping of the Indians, the bronco pony, and the dog, for all Indians possess dogs of some description. If you have a toy dog of suitable size, stand him by the fire where he will be comfortable. Before the red men owned horses, a dog was always used to drag the travois, and to this day the braves care as much for a dog as does any pale-faced boy—which is saying much, for a white boy and any kind of a dog make devoted friends and comrades.

for shelter. Draw an eight-inch diameter circle on the grass near one end of the ground. Fold a strip of paper lengthwise, stick a pin through one end of the paper and drive it down into the board where you wish the centre of the circle, push the point of a lead pencil through the other end of the paper four inches from the pin; keep the pin steady while you move the pencil around many times until a circle appears plainly on the grass (Fig. 167).

Cut twelve slender sticks eleven inches long and sharpen the heavy end of each into a flat point (Fig. 168). The sticks must be straight, for they are wigwam-poles. Tie three poles together two inches from their tops and spread out the sharpened ends at nearly equal distances apart on the circle line; mark the spots where they rest and bore gimlet-holes in each place through the cloth into the wood. Enlarge each hole with a penknife and insert the poles, pushing the sharpened points down firmly into the holes (Fig. 169). Add seven more poles around the circle, keeping the spaces between all about even. Sink these last poles in the ground as you did the first three; then tie the tops together around the first three poles, and you will have the wigwam framework of ten poles standing strong and firm.

Make the cover of unbleached or brown-tinted cotton cloth cut like Fig. 170. Mark the curved lower edge with the home-made compass used for the grass circle. Fasten the pin and pencil in the paper strip nine and one-half inches apart; draw almost a half circle, then an inch and a half from the spot A (Fig. 170), where the pin is stationed, begin to cut the opening for the top of the wigwam poles, B (Fig. 170). Slash the point C in as far as D, sew pieces of cloth over the points E and E, leaving the opening at dotted lines to form pockets for the smoke-poles. Cut two rows of little holes on each side of the upper part of the wigwam to run the pinsticks through when fastening the wigwam together (Fig. 171).

Now comes the fun of decorating the cover. Pin the cloth out flat and smooth, and paint in brilliant red, yellow, black, green, white, and blue the designs given in Fig. 170. When finished, fit the cover over the wigwam-poles and with short, slender sticks pin the fronts together. Peg the lower edge down to the ground with short black pins and slide a pole in each pocket of the smoke-flaps E and E (Fig. 170). Bring the poles around and cross them at the back of the wigwam. As you do this you will exclaim with delight at the result, for the little wigwam will be very realistic.

of bits of orange and scarlet tissue-paper mixed in with short twigs, and then you must manufacture something to cook in. Bore a hole in the ground near the fire and fit in the fire-pole, making it slant over to one side and hang directly above the fire. Place a stone over the embedded end of the pole to keep it firm. Suspend an acorn kettle or any little kettle of the right size for the Indians to use on the pole and the camp will begin to look cosey for the red men to enjoy. Hunt up a jointed doll about five inches high, paint it copper color, ink its hair, and the doll will be a fairly

If you can find a Zulu doll of the required size, with long, straight black hair, and give him a wash of dull red paint, you can turn him into a fine Indian. Failing these dolls, make an Indian doll of dull red raffia or cloth. This you can do if you try, and remember to have your red man a little more slender than store dolls; most of these are rather too stout to make good Indians.

Real chiefs like Turning Eagle, Swift Dog, Crazy Bull, and others, wore gorgeous feather headdresses, and gloried in the strange war bonnets, not because they were gay and startling, but for the reason that each separate feather in the head-band meant that the owner had performed a brave deed of which the tribe was proud, and the greater the number of brave deeds the greater the number of feathers; consequently the longer the bonnet-trail. This explains the real meaning of the common expression, "A feather in your cap."

Fig. 163.—White skirt.	Fig. 164.—Waist pattern.
Fig. 165.—Pattern for sun-bonnet.	Fig. 166.—Bonnet folded.