The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-29
AGRIC u Il U r A l. .
HOMEMADE FURNITURE.

In the present pecuniary troubles, many
wife finds an unusual necessity for prac'
Using the siriciest economy in household
m,tters. Perhaps housekeeping is just tc
be commenced, and the great problem is,
how much furniture and how many con
veniences can we afford TO procure. a
little money mus, 20 as far as possible
Such would perhaps like 10 be initiated
into The ar, OF making cheap articles OF fur.
niture both useful and ornamental. Manv
Il nea, and comfortable sofa OF lounge, chair,
stand, bed, book shelves, Sc, &C., have
ve seen, tha; cost It's owner almost nothing
A few boards, liule s,ufIing, and few
ysEds Of shilling calico, put together with
ingenuity, will give tasteful and even el-
egani air 10 an otherwise bare and comfort
less room. Mos, OF the work we shall de.
scribe can be done by the females Of the
hossehcld, and we are sure will afford
much more pleasure and comfort than the
so-callsd ornamental wOrs,ed work, bed
quilt piecing, &c. And in almost every
family there is mechanical ingenuity enough
among the boys, II rot among the girls, to
do the saving and mailing.
The Barrel Char is a very easy and
comfortable. as well rs cheap and pretty
seat. I, can be made by taking n stou, oak
barrel with one end out, saving half ihro'
the barrel a, the proper heiGh, for seat,
and leaving the other half full height,
rounding or the Top for the back OF the
chair. Stretch stout bagging across and
nail j, firmly on the seat, make cushion
20 rest upon this, and il the barrel is large
enough TO allow il, cushion the back also,
by tacking on sheets Of cotton batting,
which costs bu, ,rifle at any OF the stores,
or s,u.'ing with any other cheap material.
Now cover tie entire chair with woTsted
stuff, glazed furniture calico, or anything
else convenient, and cover the edges with
cord, gimp, braid, or even a narrow band o.
the same.
A simple Lounge can be made by taking
broad, thick plank, Strengthening II by
mailing OF cross pieces underneath, and IN
ser,ins four short legs; add cushion, tl
let with any material you wish, and add
valance OF The same TO conceal the legs
a back aud either one or two ends may ht
added, If desired, by mailing on boards ant
cushioning them like the seat.
A Cot Bedisiead many Of You know no"
10 make. Take four sticks about four lee
long and three inches square, bore an inch
hole through the middle of each, and pu, |
round stick, six feet long, through, and pr
through the ends; arrange these like III,
four legs OF saw horse, then TO form ih'
sides, connec, the head and foot posts b,
mailing a rod or strip OF board OH to thei
tops; ; take a piece OF ba.ging six fee, b.
four, stretch IL across ard nail it firmly ol
10 the side pieces. To strengthen ,his, max
a narrow head board, nail on a small rod :
each end, and bore holes in the side piece
ai the head 10 receive them. BY llhin
this head board out, the bedsiead can nj an
time be folded together and laid aside II ne
wanted.
A convenient Seat for children, or Tor III
garden, is made like cot bedstead with ,h
head board omitted The sticks for the sea
should be- one FOO, long, those for the legs
one foot six inches long. Bind bit ol cal
pe,ing for the seat. These are so light
and so easily folded and carried abou, wi,
one hand, as 10 5e very convenient
Hmsiag Book ShSires are another articl
OF furniture easily made, and very cony en-
lent. For n small size. take three plane
boards one fourth Of an inch thick, let tn
largest shelf be- about 30 inches long b
4 wide, the Others each one inch narrowt
and two inches shorter than the one belo'
it. II convenient, paint, or oil and varnis
them. Bore gimlet hole in each OF IN
four corners, take stout cord and pas.
down through one hole in each she'll, taSin
care that il is at the same corner OF eac.
then pass j, through the remaining holes
the same end, making a kno, in the cor
under each shelf for /, TO res, upon. Pas
cord through the other end in the sam
manner, and tic the four ends Of the cor
together foot and half above the uppe
shelf, and hang it up.
To make Workstasd, both ligh, and Of
namen,al, procure from carpenter an eS
act ociagon, (eich' sided,) l6 inches acros,
made from two inch plank for the base, an
and another the same size, Of one inc
plank, for the top. Bore an inch and
half hole in the center Of each, into whic
inser, pos, for standard, long enough
make the whole the heigh, OF commo
table, and cover the whole with furnituI