HOME-MADE JAPANESE MAT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 37, 13 September 1890, Page 14

HOME-MADE JAPANESE MAT.

From about a yard and a half of good quality of matting an excellent mat in the Japanese method may be made. Bind each end of the matting witli felt, in the following manner : Take two strips of felt exactly the same size, and carefully slashed up in fringe on one edge. Sew one piece on the right side, and the other piece on the wrong side of one end of the mat, bringing the two pieces of fringe together so that it will be double. Bind the other end of the mat in the same manner with the fringe. Make a stencil of stiff cardboard, and use common paint of only one colour for the decoration. Any graceful and artistic outline design will do for stencilling.

It would be well to try a small stencil made of a bit of paper first, in order to make sure of understanding exactly now to go to work on the cardboard. If the mattino is of a dark red colour, o.d-blue paint would look well. If something lighter is preferred, take white matting with a design in yellow. The colour of the felt employed for Jdnding and fringe should match exactly the paint used in decorating.

When the design is finished and dry, cover the mat with clear varnish, taking care not to get the vainish uiain the felt. Mats made in this way wear well, and may be revarnished if necessary.