THE CRAFTS 
WOOD CARVING AND PYROGRAPHY. LEATHER AND METAL. BASKETRY, ETC. 
Under the management of Miss Emily Peacock, Room 23, 22 East 16th St., New York. All inquiries in regard to the various 
Crafts are to be sent to the above address, but will be answered in the magazine under this head. 
Summer Address, care of Keramic Studio Pub. Co , Syracuse, N. Y. 
All questions must be received before the 10th day of month preceding issue, and will be answered under "Answers to Inquiries" only. Please do not send 
stamped envelope for reply. The editors will answer questions only in these columns. 
wood carving, using an iron clamp, or a hand-screw, or the 
simple device shown in Illustration No. 1 . For this method 
take two pieces of wood longer than the block as A B and 
C D. Make a wedge E F and place all in position given. 
Nail down A B and C D and tighten the wedge against the 
block G. 
To carve the block use a sloyd knife, or a chisel sharp- 
ened to an angle of 45 degrees, giving one side a pointed 
edge, as in figure No. 1. in Illustration No. 2. The 
quickest and deepest cutting can be done with this chisel, 
using both hands, one for pressure and the other to guide 
the blade. First draw the point around the pattern, follow- 
ing the line closely. As the chisel sinks into the wood, the 
path of the blade becomes wider, and there is danger in 
small designs of wedging into the pattern. Avoid this by 
keeping just to the line, not on it, and later by trimming 
exactly on the line. After going around the design, cut 
out the background spaces, leaving a clean edge on the 
PRINTING WITH A WOOD BLOCK 
Haswell Clarke Jefjery. 
FOR years the people of India, as well as of other coun- 
tries, have employed the art of wood-block printing 
to decorate their fabrics. Both wearing apparel and hang- 
ings have thus been treated, and many examples show skill 
in design and excellence in application. Many designs now 
woven in the fabric were once stamped upon the surface. 
Recently the art in a simple form has been introduced into 
the schools. The children have taken happily to the work 
with interesting results; and the students more advanced 
in design have obtained finished pieces of good color and 
pattern. 
The design is first drawn in charcoal on suitable paper 
(lead pencil can be used), and it is then traced upon Japan- 
ese paper or upon any transparent paper. The masses are 
filled in solid black against the white ground, and the pat- 
tern is pasted face down upon the block to be cut. As this 
paper is very thin, the design shows through in a reversed 
position. When stamped upon the cloth the reversed de- 
sign on the block prints like the original drawing on the 
paper. In a symmetrical design it is not necessary to re- 
verse it. 
To apply the ink drawing, put the paste upon the block, 
lay the paper upon it ink-side down, and smooth out all 
creases. The ink on the design does not then become 
blurred. Allow the paste to dry before cutting into the 
wood. 
The block should be made of firm wood, not too hard, 
and of close grain. For ordinary uses gum wood is most 
satisfactory. This does not split easily, and it is firm enough 
to resist the pressure of printing. Pine is apt to allow the 
edges to become rounded and to give an indistinct outline 
to the finished print. Cherry can be used or any hard wood 
if desirable; but the difficulty of cutting it is greater. For 
ordinary printing a block carved on the side grain is firm 
enough. 
Clamp the block upon the bench or table as for any 
£ 
G 
F 
C 
D 
• 
• 
• 
NV1 
Sfirt M ti**' 
V 
S. 3 
