Uncle Peter’s Corner

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 288, 5 December 1936, Page 16

Uncle Peter’s Corner

Pig a.—An Indian Bead Loom. A bead loom is easy to- mako and amusing to use. It can be made out of a large-sizo cigar box or any otner kind of long wooden box. (See fig. 1). The broader and longer you wish the finished work to be, the broader and longer must be the box, but it is advisable to practice with a small loom before attempting working on a large one. Cut the long sides of the box as showm in the diagram, then hammer a small brass tack into each end of it (B). As shown in A, thick pieces of material are glued on to the top edges of the end pieces, to prevent the weaving threads from being torn on the wood. Now for the weaving threads. The number of threads depends on the number of beads you wish to use, the distance between them on‘ their size.

Fig b.—“ Roller-skate Trailer.” This suggestion is recommended to boys who roller-skate outside town, doVrn long hills and so on (but of course where there is no other traffic). All you need is a suitable board, to which you affix a handle at one end, a seat in the middle, and two strong, easy-turning wheels at the other. These wheels might be taken from an old roller skate. The trailer is used as in the top drawing: You sit on the seat, and hold the board in position by the handle bar. If you want to stop quickly, all you have to do is to lift the board so much that the end beyond the wheels touches the ground, it is advisable to hammer a piece of tin or its equivalent on to this end, so that the wood is not worn down so quickly.

Here you see a little mouse which is trying to decide which of tho nice things it will begin with. While it decides, see if you can with three straight lines, inclose each of the seven objects, including the mouse, in a pen of its own, thus cheating the mouse of its prize.. The lines must not cross any of the objects, and must be, as I said before, perfectly straight. Answer next week.

As ordinary sewing cotton is used, make the two edge threads double, or uso stronger cotton.

And now for the weaving.- The beads are sorted into saucers according to size aud colour, then with” a - long needle and cotton you begin to set the beads in position between the weaving threads. The method is clearly shown in fig. 11. Note the cross and arrow in the bottom left-hand corner. There the work is begun by means of a knot on the weaving thread. The rows of beads are, of course, quite close together and note with wide spaces as in the picture. When finished, the work is cut off the loom, and stitched firmly on to a piece of material. New weaving threads must bo made for bach ‘now piece of work. With practice, you will be able to make some very pretty patterns on this loom.

Fig c.—ls Your Pocket-knife f Out of Order? It is often the case with an otherwise perfectly good pen-knife which lias been used and sharpened often, that it will not quite shut. The point of the knife will not go down into the shield, as shown in fig. A, and the knifo is therefore dangerous when lying loose in your peckct. But you can easily put this in order yourself. Puli out the blade, and file off the ridge B, so that it looks like iig. 0. Now you will find that tiro blade can fold right down into the shield,.and it is quite safe to have it in your pocket.