Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-10-26
Spatter Work,

Spatter Work.
A correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune says: s'Select few graceful
and delicate ferns; take a piece of
cardboard, a dressing-comb, a soft
toothbrush, some pins, or, better still,
needles, and a little black writing ink
poured into small plate-for you are
apt to get too much on from your ink.
stand. Arrange your leaves on the
cardboard, and fasten them In the de.
sired position with needles placed
erect; hold the flat side of the comb
parallel with the ferns, and, after Just
touching the end of the brush to the
ink, for you cannot get too little at a
time, rub it briskly and lightly across
the teeth of the comb, alway using
the coarsest end. The shading will
soon begin to appear. Continue the
process till its grows very dark close
to the leaf. Work it all gradually
lighter towards the edge Of the card.
board. When the ink is perfectly dry
and not bcfore-takc ont the needles
and remove the ferns. The effect
varies with the texture OF the mate
rial on which the work is done, and
with the depth Of the shading. If it
IS done on cardboard it is very pretty
for lamp.Shades or card. baskets. Done
OH light shades of velvet, it is pretty
for sofa-pillows, chair.bottoms, pin.
cushions, or even necktieS.
These fern forms look we'll on light
wood ornaments, or Oh glove-boxes,
fans, table-mats, fire-screens, etc. On
wood the scattering is rendered more
durable by giving it a coating of gum
shellac dissolved in alcohol. On Swiss
muslin these fern forms are beautiful
for pin.cushions and toilet sets, espec-
tally if they are lined with colored
silk the effect is charming.
Some prefer the bright.colored inks.
For things to be washed indelible inks
may be used.
I have seen truly elegant tides for
parlor chairs made by taking a piece
of satin jean, arranging an initial with
ferns for the centre, and a little
wreath around that then spattered,
and for the border a bit Of black lace
sewed on. I have seen transom.win-
dows shaded with bits of lace curtains,
and the one over the front door of the
house l now occupy had some green
cloth tackled against it when I moved
into the house.
A much prettier way, and one not so
common, is to cut a piece of white
cotton cloth a little larger than the
glass, and then spatter it, using ferns
either in groups or forming with them
the number of the house; then tack
ing it in place.
Against my sitting-room wall hang the
words, s'God Bless Our Home," made
from small pieces of ferns arranged in
letters on piece OF cardboard, spat
tered and framed. Above and below
it are two punches of autumn leaves
and green ferns, and along the cords
are draped Spanisl-moss from Florida
] also made q cross which is beautiful
in spatter, showing two sides, one side
in shadow, but am afraid could not
tell on paper, plainly, how to make it
l have seen ladies use instead of the
comb, one of these little toy sleeves
costing about 10 cents, but I prefer
the comb. You can often improve the
looks of whatever you are scattering
by scattering very lightly over thu
white forms after the leaves have beer
removed. This will remind you Of :
yelled beauty or sunshine peepine
through cloud.
Finally, would warn you to be care
full of two things: First, select only
the tiniest leaves and most delicate
ferns, or the work will have 4 coarse
- = - T. 10
and, second, be very sure and dip only
the least little bit of the brush in ink
or the ''spatter" will be too heavy
the finer the mist of ink falls the pref
tier will be your picture. 4 little ex
perience only can teach You just how
much ink to take up. Cloth is mucl
easier to spatter than paper, because
if you do happen to get the spatter:
too heavy it will not he 50 apt t
show"