February, 1906 
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Conventional Flower Designed for Frieze or Portiere 
Many persons lack originality, and when this is so it is 
well to study the forms used as ornaments in fabrics and em- 
broidery of long ago. By copying these, and changing the 
designs with a liberal use of “ties,” they will be developed, 
and before long the hand will have grown accustomed to 
drawing good lines and curves, and individuality will soon 
follow. Many persons with no knowledge of drawing can 
become good stencilers. The way is made easy for them, asthe 
stores that supply artists’ materials provide stencils ready 
cut, and it is better to use these than to accept bad designs 
of your friends, or malformations of an untrained hand. 
Usually the designs sold are commonplace, and may be 
seen in other homes, which is a disadvantage. 
| There are various ways of making stencils. 
sign is perfected it must be traced off upon the prepared 
stencil paper. Manila paper is often used. After it has 
been saturated with a solution of equal parts of linseed oil 
and turpentine, to which has been added an amount of Japan 
dryer equal to one-sixth of the 
combined oil and turpentine, the 
design is cut with a sharp knife. 
Some prefer a small board, but 
a heavy piece of glass is more 
practical to cut the stencil on. 
This process of cutting is tedious, 
as care is required in cutting ac- 
curately and in avoiding slips of 
the knife on the ties. A thin coat 
of shellac laid on the stencil 
protects it from the wet pigments 
used in applying color. Very 
satisfactory results are obtained 
by making use of the prepared 
stencil paper, but it is not as dur- 
able as the treated manila pa- 
per, if the stencil should be used 
repeatedly. It is well to rule hor- 
izontal and perpendicular lines 
through the center of the designs, 
sO as to. insure accuracy in match- 
ing the pattern when the stencil 
is moved. 
Oil paints or dyes are used for 
stenciling on fabrics. If oil 
paint is used it should be 
squeezed onto blotting paper, 
which will absorb some of the oil, 
so that when it is applied to the 
fabric there is not an outline of 
After the de- 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Table Covers and Sideboard Cloths of Some 
Well Designed Stencils 
Wave and Mermaid Frieze 
oil around the design. The drawback in using oil paints is 
the dificulty of matching colors when the work is not done 
at one time, for if enough material is mixed one day, and if it 
is left overnight, it changes somewhat and needs turpentine, 
which will modify the color slightly. 
Dyes are much less troublesome to use, as they can be 
bottled, and every time they are used are exactly the same 
shade. ‘The dyes of commerce I find useless, as they fade 
when used on curtains which are exposed to the sun’s rays. 
After many experiments with all kind of dyes, I have found 
a friend at court in one of the proprietors of a very large dye- 
house who makes dyes for my especial needs, and since then 
sun and the washtub have no terrors. With half a dozen 
colors, all other shades can be made, until the right color is 
obtained. Here experience in handling colors and the cultiva- 
tion of a natural sense for color guide the stenciler. 
When applying the colors, take a small quantity on the 
brush and rub it into the fabric without clogging the mesh of 
the material. It will be found by 
experience that scrimand bobbinet 
need a lighter touch than crash 
or linen. Some fabrics like sash 
curtains demand that the design 
shall be equally strong on both 
sides, which is accomplished by 
going over it twice. If the stencil 
is two feet long, by the time the 
end is reached the part done first 
will be dry enough for another 
application before the stencil is 
removed. 
The work is fascinating, and 
practice soon makes a _ good 
craftsman. It can be used in 
many ways, but is especially at- 
tractive on curtains of muslin, 
nets, denims, linens,  velvets 
and portieres. Screens also have 
many possibilities. A design in 
red tones on red Indian print or 
burlap may be used, while an- 
other stencil applied over the 
other in gold can be made to look 
very rich. A few flying birds 
done in gold over a red floral de- 
sign look particularly well. 
The Japanese have made sten- 
ciling a fine art; the breaks in the 
lines, the crossing of stems are all 
