Ideas For Handy Boys And Girls

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

Ideas For Handy Boys And Girls

IT it> not difficult to buy a bundle of small pieces of leather. an«l you will probably find it ra-v to purchase sheepskins. <ir ba«il«, <>t which the article-; described on this are made. Leathercraft. providing it is tackled witii a firm hand and patience, w within the reach of every boy ami 2irl, and very many l>eautifiil and well-wearing t hinge. can 1"> :narff. As you can see by the illustrations, this article deaimainly with small objects easily made by the beginner from small pieces of leather. In fact. .il! the original ones were made :tr a method of lining ii[> the "dd pieces left over from making a coat.

Thongs may be purchased ready cut, or they may be cut in straight length* from as long a pie*.*e as possible, or. again, cut »pirally with the scissors from a small piece of leather. The last method is the cheapest, but to obtain good results great care must be taken to <-ut the two edge«» parallel. If this cannot l>e done satisfactorily, the method should be avoided. It its perhaps desirable at !ir<t to buv readvoutde thonas.

And now to examine your heap •r ibasils. If there are large pieces, a tea cosy (fig. 1) suggests itself. The eosy illustrated was tut in four t-one-shaped pieces Tin wide i.y Sin high, an agreeable size. Lay the four pieces one oh top of the other and with the leather punch recommended in the previous articles pnncli holes right round the three sides and through all the pieces. Cut thin thongs of leather or a coloured braid. »nd lace with an oversewing movement, starting at tiie bottom of each seam and finishing at the top centre, thus leaving a short end of the lacing over to make a tiny tassel to lift bv. If it is desired to stencil, paint, emoroider, or by cut-work decorate the sides of the cosy, this ■"Ist be done before thonging.

For a pierced or cut decoration a small design such as the oue in the illustration will be accessary. Stencils lend themselves to cutwork, as the ties or tendons necessary to a stencil form the necessary ties. in the cut-work. After the design lias been cut away with a sharp knife back it up with Miede or material of a contrasting colour. Blown leather with the cut-work backed l»v scarlet or orange is effective ami makes a pleasing finish for a polished oak tea trav.

Another use for larger scraps i< a book carrier (lip. 2i. For this a piece 12in by Sin ami two smaller pieces for the in - Miles 3iu by Sin are required. The illustration explains the method of making up. The handle, lin wide by -ISill long, is made from one long strip which goes right round the carrier for additional strength and is passed through .dots cut in the outer large piece "t leather. The part wlii<-It ci>mes outside the case and form* the actual handles should be thonged for. additional strength, but the rest (which goes under the book) may be left plain. The carrier may U» decora ted. but as it is for hard wear plain leather is be*it.

Wry tiny pieces of liasil can In- made into belts suitable for men and women < lijr. l*rom small rectangles ( :5a I 3iiit lull in cnt the neees-arv number of piece* in alternate colour* or a number of colours if for a sport* jrirl. I lie first p.<s-e i« folded over the bar of liie I.inkle, and must have a Miiall hole pierced in the <entre for the prong nf the buckle. The rest of the loops are threaded one through the other, each piece going through both side« in the pre<i*ding link and being doubled in half to receive the next link.

Leathercraft Novelties

VN'lion enough links have been added the linal one (which will have the for the buckle) jtf linked into place. Tlii* last should be about Gin long and lin wide, with one end mitred ami punched with a regular row of holes for the ibuokle and the other widened out a little and out with a hole corresponding to the other link holes.

Tlu* mitred end of this piece is passed through the last link ami through the hole ill the other end. thus linifliinji strongly a useful i>elt. Jt is important that the littki* l>c tut carefully and all exactly the same size. Another object suitable for father or brother w the small purse (lig. 4> made from a piece s in long by "Jin wide. The leather iniut In? cut in about iiin on each «:de, so that the part which irto form the flap will *!ip easilv into the little band. -'Am bv '.in. which goes across the purse about half-way down. The purse ipunched and thonged up both -ides. the liand being punched and -•cured into place with the same thonging which makes the sMes. A comb case for the handbag may be made in the same way the pui>-e. except that to make it lie Hat it is cut in two pieces and thonged right round, and the front piece is' made a tinv bit shorter tliivti the back and without a Hap so that the comb may I*' extracted easily. Purchase a comb and make a case to lit. A pocket wallet (lig. .">) is another article the size of which is governed by individual taste. A t:«eful size is Sin by liin for the large fohled |»ortion and .'tin by <>in for the two pocket piece* laced on. The wallet may be made either r-tnaller or larger and have one of two pockets, (be punching for lacing going through all tliiekiKv;-.es of leather. ' Cut inner [HH-kets a little deeper than outers to facilitate use.

Another \or v simple belt (fig. "lav lie made in fine soft leather in long 1 Jin strips pierced •at regular intervals with hole« large enough to take the width of the *trii>s. ]t contrived by simply parsing strips alternately through holes. This plait is also suitable for :i strong hag handle. L<> eut the long st rips necessary for success ful lacing with 1 hongs take a piece of basil and ••lit evenly round an<l round as shown in iig. 7. Other useful articles possible from hatsil o (Tents are shopping i-aj;t~ in two pieces, napkin rings '■in in a strip and laced round and over the join, and plain round '>r square mats with a dc--i.-" painted or punched 011 litem.

Hie holt (h'sifjiiK illustrated become mi a smaller scale collar* don„. No scrap of leather need lie pot and kettle holders made from the poorest pails ot a fkin will prove useful and mi.re durable than those, made Irom wool or cotton mat eria I.

A MOTOR HORN.

Have V"ii a rubber ball that ha* been i!I-t reated «ilicl has coiine- «> 111*111 1 \- burst? Also have j'ou & I'oim\- trumpet that hits seen 'better <la\>? Jt with the two damaged playt hiygs 01 , cal , make a really jolly motor horn. Jake tin- trumpet, remove the mouthpic«-t*. if jt. has not ulreadv '■"me a slimier, and loreo the narrow oml into the ball, through the hole. Of course, if the ball is slit, and tin- r-1 it is large, it will not <10. When the trumpet i* wedged tijihtly into tlie bull. squeeze the latter, aiul all you will now need is a ear to become a full-fledged motorUt.. Waruiiijr.—Use thiis toy a long way away Iroin the house, or po«i----r-:bly ii will Ue eon li sea ted I