River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-05-08

ing and OIL or putty rs DougnJ nj the
store, and little chrome of green; mix
and pound it witha hammer until there
are no streaks of green or white in 1t !;
have it just thick enough so it will not
run then spread it smoothly over one
side of the frame little less than one
eighth Of an inch thick; put ON the
things. aud then spread puttyon another
side. When the frame is dry varnish
it, and when it is thoroughly dry it will
be as solid as any one could desire.
HOMEMADE SoFAs AND CHAIRS. ~
Daisy Eyebright is contributing to the
Country Gentleman series OF papers
on adoruing our homes
We will commence with u sofa or
lounge for the common sitting room,
upon which mother can rest when weary
with her work, and father can take a
siesta after dinner; while 1t will always
be a convenient seat for the young
folks. We will select the longest box
in our possession-on that is about six
feet in length, and at least yard in
width, and make it about sixteen or
eighteen inches high. If we cannot
find one box Of SO large dimensions, we
will put two together and thus furnish
our frame, for it must be long enough
to stretch ones length upon it easily
First we must put castors ON each cor
ner SO that we can roll it easily and not
wear the carpet. The coarse bagging
should be tackled loosely ON, over the
top, after first placing layer of fine
rowen hay or straw evenly over the top
of the box, and then thick covering of
cotton batting. Old WORKOUT comfort
ables, or puffs, are excellent for
this purpose, or any soft wUoled ma
terial. Take care to spread the stulfing
as evenly as possible, so that there will
not be any hillocks or hollows when it
is finished, and then tack down the
bagging or coarse muslin tightly. If
I you can procure a mans help, and the
needed springs from furniture dealer,
I il would be much easier to use them;
( tie them down loosely, cover them with
the bagging, and sew them to it slight
ly after spreading cotton batting lightly
over them.
4 Now your couch is ready for its COW
ering, and this should be nailed ON
smoothly, and firmly fastened to the
sides and ends. You can cover the sides
plainly, or with flounce, hemming it
at the bottom. If the latter is used,
/ tack it on in box plaits four inches in
width. This is much more graceful
I than the plain covering, but sometimes
the material runs short, and one must
save enough for pillows, as they are in
dispensable adiuncts to any sofa or
lounge. Make the pillows five-eights
of yard square, and stuff them with
feathers, if you have them; if not, with
+" excelsior, fine rowen hay, or fine cut
straw. Paper cut in thin strips will
make respectable stuilln8, all other
materials lacking. Three or four pill
lows are desirable, and they can be
placed against the back of the lounge
\ TO give it a finish, when not otherwise
needed BY adding tassels and cord TO
the pillows they may be N ade more
ornamental. Ii any readers possess old
damask or moreen curtains, they will
/ find them very useful for covering such
/ a lounge. And many persons substi-
tute drugget for chintz, because it wears
SO much longer, and is not so readily
soiled by the hands, and feetof children.
Sometimes one does not possess suffi-
cient closet room, and then the lounge
can be made to do duty instead, by
putting on lid to the box with strong
iron hinges, one near each end and one
in the middle. 1t is better, however, to
saw off piece of the lid, about ten
inches from its edge Nail it firmly on
the box, and fit the hinges ON that, and
/ then you can lift the I'D without dis
2 a., lF~ AL az t.,
covering this lid the bagging and the
chintz must be folded over smoothly,
and nailed on the under side of it, SO as
to permit it to be easily opened and
closed, and the flounce will conceal the
opening. The interior OF the box can
then be pasted over and covered with
wall paper.
Now we must have comfortable chairs
for father and mother, and barrels can
be transformed into them. With a
little aid from carpenters saw we will
cat them into proper shape, first draw
ing the outline with chalk, curved SO
as to form back and arms. Then nail
each hoop tirmly to the barrel, and four
eaetore should be firmly attached TO the
bottom. Now we will make good
seat by taking three strips OF webbing,
lacking them tightly across the barrel,
then interlacipg three more and fasten-
ing to its sides. Tack on coarse bag
gilg or Muslin all around the sides and
over the top of the barrel, and stuff it
well on the back and sides with some
stuff Then cover the whole affair with
chinta, making a fotnce around the
lower part. Make a soft cushion for
the seat, aud ornament the upper edges
OF the chair with a box plated rufile.
plated in the middle. Our sitting
room noeae some ottomans or stools for
Che accommodation of the young folks
We will take some small boxes, about
two feet hy foot and half-or square
ones will do. and proceed 40 with the
lounge Strong hinges can be put on
Tor Lid, and the ottoman will answer
.or seat, monding-basket, a work
box, or Il receptacle for newspapers and
magazines. We will stul these seats
50 that they will be comfortable and
add 10 the ease Of our children as we'll
~ to The convenience of ourselves