Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-05-06
Domestic.


Domestic.
MAKING SHELL FRAMES. Where
shells are to be put on box or frame
close together, glue may be used but
where they are not so close together
but what the base can be seen between
them, a cement made of white paint or
putty should be employed. Takew whit
ing and oil or putty as bought at the
store, and little chrome of green; mix
and pound it witha hammer until there
are no streaks Of green or white in it !;
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 a series of papers
on adjoining our homes.
We will commence with a sofa OF
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 it will always
be q convenient seat for the young
folks. We will select the longest box
in our possession-one that is about six
feet in length, and at least a yard in
width, and make it about sixteen or
eighteen inches high. II 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 casters 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 a layer OF fine
rowen hay or straw eyenl y over the top
of the box, and then thick covering of
cotton batting. Old WORKOUT comfort
ables, s.ors-' puffs," are excellent for
this purpose, or any soft wooded ma
terial. Take care to spread the stuffing
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
you can procure mans help, and the
needed springs from furniture dealer,
it 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.
Now your couch is ready for it's 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 fiounce, hemming it
at the bottom. If the latter is used,
tack it on III box plaits four inches in
width. This is much more graceful
than the plain covering, but sometimes
the material runs short, and one must
save enough for pillows, as they are in
dispensable adjuncts to any sofa or
lounge. Make the pillows fve-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 stufing, 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 made 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
solled 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
III the middle. It is better, however. to
saw Off piece Of the Lid, about ten
inches from It's edge. Nail it firmly on
the box, and fit the hinges on that. and
then you can lift the lid without dis
turbing the pillows at the back Tn
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 founce will conceal the
opening. The interior of the box can
then be pasted over and covered with
wall paper.
for father and mother, and barrels can
be transformed into them. With a
little aid from carpenters saw we will
cut them into proper shape, first draw
ing the outline with chalk, curved SO
as to form back and arms. Then nail
each hoop firmly to the barrel, and four
castors should be firmly attached to the
bottom. Now we will make a good
seat by taking three strips of webbing,
lacking them tightly across the barrel,
then interlacing three more and fasten-
ing to it's sides. Tack on coarse bag
ging or muslin all around the sides md
over the top of the barrel, and stuff it
well on the back and sides with some
stuff Then cover the whole affair with
chintz, making founce around the
lower part. Make soft cushion for