Stenciling Fabrics 
METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR STENCILING CUR¬ 
TAINS, COVERS AND SUCH THINGS FORTHEHOME 
—SUGGESTIONS FOR HARMONIOUS PATTERNS 
THAT MAY BE USED ALSO UPON THE WALLS 
by Lucy Abbot Throop 
Illustrations by Louise Shrimpton and others 
HERE are two kinds 
o f stenciling, the 
good and the bad, and, I am 
sorry to say, we see alto¬ 
gether too much of the bad variety. A weak and banal border 
used as a frieze, the work of an unimaginative “decorator, ’ will 
quite spoil what should be an attractive room, but interesting and 
artistic work is quite another matter. 
Stenciling is such a simple and useful art that anyone can add 
it to his or her list of accomplishments, and what is more, do 
with it something that is really worth while. Everything from 
leather belts to bouse furnishings can be stenciled, and when the 
design is chosen with due regard as to its appropriateness and its 
beauty and also the beauty of the color scheme, and if the work 
be done with care and skill, the result is charming. It seems espe¬ 
cially suited to the furnishing of country houses, and houses of 
the Craftsman and bungalow 
type that are growing so 
rapidly in favor. These houses 
with their beamed ceil¬ 
ings and stained woodwork, 
their casement windows and 
leaded glass, have more or 
less an informal charm that 
heavy brocades and beautiful 
lace would quite spoil, and to 
fill the need of something in¬ 
dividual and appropriate sten¬ 
ciling is often called upon in 
the furnishing. By varying 
the material and the style of 
design it can be used in al¬ 
most all circumstances. 
Stenciling is not difficult to 
do, but it takes practice to 
achieve the best results. One 
should never begin a piece of 
work without trying the color 
to be used on a sample of the 
cloth, as materials differ in the 
way they take color, and one 
must experiment and learn 
from experience, and thus 
avoid disappointment. 
Cutting the stencil is the 
hardest part of the process. 
If one does not care to do this 
there are many designs al¬ 
ready cut for sale at art 
stores, and some of the large 
paint companies have good 
collections and send cata¬ 
logues ; and many of the 
magazines have charming cut 
stencils for sale. Some of the 
A blue-and-white scheme for border and valance in the home of 
Mr. E. E. Calkins, Elmsford, N. Y. 
designs are very good in¬ 
deed, and some of them are 
too dreadful, but one can 
pick and choose, and if noth¬ 
ing suitable is found it is well to have some clever designer make 
one that is appropriate. A design does not have to be elaborate 
to be effective; in fact it is most important that the design one 
chooses should be broad and simple in construction, so that the 
effect will be good without a mass of detail. 
To cut a stencil one must first transfer the chosen design to 
stencil board by slipping a piece of carbon paper face downward 
under the design and fastening them to a board with thumb-tacks, 
then tracing carefully the outline of the design with a sharp pen¬ 
cil. Stencil board is sold at paint shops for fifteen cents a sheet. 
When the tracing is done the design must be cut out with a sharp 
knife, and one must be very careful not to cut the connecting sec¬ 
tions. There are special knives 
made, but a penknife is satis¬ 
factory, in fact is what most 
people use. Cut the stencil 
on an old table or drawing- 
board, and it is a good plan 
to put a piece of glass under 
it. This gives a clean, sharp 
edge but rapidly dulls the 
knife. To protect the fore¬ 
finger while cutting wear the 
finger of a stout old glove. 
Leave at least an inch of plain 
board around the design and 
be sure the centre of the de¬ 
sign is at right angles with 
the bottom edge. This helps 
to keep it straight in repeat¬ 
ing. 
Prepare the material by 
carefully marking the places 
for the repeat. If the design 
is a unit to be repeated sev¬ 
eral times the cloth must be 
divided into halves, quarters, 
or fifths, or whatever division 
one may wish, and the design 
put in the exact centre of each 
space. If the unit is to be 
grouped in sets the measure¬ 
ments must first be carefully 
made. A running design must 
have the repeat clearly marked 
upon it. 
The material should be 
stretched over a piece of clean 
blotting paper and the stencil 
pinned in place with thumb¬ 
tacks. Have each color mixed 
(86) 
