Victorian London - Publications - Etiquette and Household Advice Manuals - Cassells Household Guide, New and Revised Edition (4 Vol.) c.1880s [no date] - Household Decorative Art (1) - Leather Work - (2) Leather Work (cont.) ... (42) Fish-Scale Embroidery

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Victorian London - Publications - Etiquette and Household Advice Manuals - Cassells Household Guide, New and Revised Edition (4 Vol.) c.1880s [no date] - Household Decorative Art (1) - Leather Work - (2) Leather Work (cont.) - (3) Diaphanie ... (42) Fish-Scale Embroidery

LEATHER work is of very ancient date. In the Egyptian Room of the British Museum there are specimens of embossed leather supposed to have been manufactured 900 B.C., and over the door of the same room there is a cross from the vestment of a Coptic priest, attributed to the year of our Lord 640. In the early part of the 17th century leather work was introduced into England in the form of tapestry or hangings.
    In Flanders especially this tapestry was carried to great perfection. Its superiority over carved and moulded work consists in its adaptability to ornamentation, where lightness and elegance, with economy of cost, are desirable. It improves by age, does not break, nor chip, and is not readily affected by heat or damp. It can be gilt, silvered, or stained to any colour to imitate old carvings in oak, ebony, &c., and admits of being easily cleaned.
    The materials and instruments required consist of basil and skiver leathers, liquid glue, copper wire of various sizes, some very small headless tacks, a sharp penknife, a fine brad-awl, cutting pliers, and a veiner (Fig. 1); moulds for grapes, brushes, and one or two bottles of size and varnishes; all of which can be purchased at any fancy repositories. Basil leather is sheep-skin tanned brown, and is used for the leaves and petals of the flowers. Skiver leather consists of shavings from the currier's block, and is used for stalks, tendrils, &c. Those who wish to become proficients in the art of making leather ornaments should work from nature in all its varied forms, taking specimens from the fields, hedges, and gardens. When these are not procurable, the bought patterns may be used.
    To make leaves, &c., soak the leather in water, dry well [-40-] with a towel, and then cut out the proper shapes thus: lay the pattern on the leather, holding it firmly down with the left hand, while with the right draw a line round the

pattern with a hard lead pencil; then, with a pair of sharp scissors cut out each leaf or petal thus traced, taking

care to have the edges sharp and clear; proceed thus - until a sufficient number of one size are cut out; and con-

tinue in the same manner until several sizes have been cut, and the requisite number obtained. Now throw them into a basin of cold water for about five minutes, then take them out and squeeze them gently in a cloth, lay them separately on a board, wipe and smooth them out; next mark or vein them deeply with the veiner on the smooth side of the leather, pressing heavily where a thick vein is required, and more lightly where only finer ones should be visible; next mould the leaf with the fingers, laying it upon the palm of the left hand to the form which taste or the model designs for it, endeavouring, as far as possible, to give the required effect at once, as working the leather is apt to injure it: if any of the veins seem pressed out by the moulding, vein them afresh. In veining a better effect is obtained by working the tool from rather than towards the operator.

The next process is to twist the stalk between your finger and thumb until it acquires a rounded form. A leaf sometimes requires a pinch between the finger and thumb to give it a graceful turn.
    If the leaves are for a formed design, to be constructed before it is attached to the frame, the appearance of the work may be considerably improved by passing a small wire into the leather at the under part in a direction corresponding to the central vein; it strengthens and gives firmness of form to it.
    After moulding, the leaves should be dried as quickly as possible, without artificial heat, as fire is apt to shrivel, and make them brittle. When the leaves are dry, brush them all over (particularly the edges) with the prepared stiffening, applied with a camel's hair brush, thinly and evenly. When dry they will be ready for use. The stiffening or size can be procured ready made, but it is preferable to make it, after the following recipe, which is not affected by damp, and dries quickly: mix cold, two ounces of Australian red gum, six ounces of orange shellac, half-pint of spirits of wine, put into a bottle, Fig. 4. and shake up occasionally until the gums are dissolved; strain, and it is fit for use. Stems are made of strips of basil leather, one-third of an inch wide, and as long as the leather will allow; soak them till soft, wipe them, and then roll them round as tightly as possible (the smooth side outwards) on the table, and dry them; if required very stiff, add inside a piece of wire. Tendrils are made in a similar manner, using skiver leather, and cutting it into very narrow strips, and winding them, when damp, round a brad-awl or knitting-pin; dry by the fire, remove from the awl, and a delicate tendril will be the result; cut it to the length desired, and apply a coat of stiffening to keep it in shape.
    Berries are made by smearing with liquid glue a long [-41-] thin shaving of leather, and rolling it between the finger and thumb until it becomes round; several of these berries are glued together to a thin strip of rolled leather which forms the stalk. Grapes are formed by cutting rounds of skiver leather to the size required, which should be wetted and placed in the grape mould; then fill the leather in the mould firmly with wadding, and tie the grapes securely with fine twine; when the grape is finished put a piece of wire through the part where it has been tied up to form a stalk. For acorns and filberts the acorn and nut itself should be covered in leather. For larger fruits the leather must be moulded, while moist, over a plaster cast.
    It is advisable for the beginner to keep to foliage entirely at first, and learn to cover frames and brackets with them before attempting flowers; therefore we will conclude this article with directions for that purpose, and a recipe for preserving leaves, and keeping them in form for imitation.

Procure a frame, draw an outline of the design upon it, then cut strips of leather about three-quarters of an inch wide, and as long as the skin will allow; turn the rough. side outwards, and with the palm of the hand roll these strips on a table till they are somewhat rounded; then smear the inside with liquid glue; now roll them together till the two sides have adhered closely.
    The branch is now to be affixed to the frame, by giving it occassional touches of the liquid glue,. and here and there inserting headless tacks; then glue or nail the foliage on thickly, so as to hide all the woodwork.
    Great taste can be displayed in the arrangement. Among the most effective and easiest imitations for beginners to make and arrange, are the ivy, vine, oak, and fern patterns.
    We give patterns for the ivy and a fern frond, copied from nature and of the natural size. Fig. 2 represents the ivy leaf, as cut out of the basil : it may be used as a pattern. Fig. 3 represents the same leaf veined: this also may be used as a pattern. Fig. 4 is an accurate tracing of a natural fern frond; and Fig. 5 of an oak leaf.
    Stains and varnishes are to be procured of every shade when it is intended to imitate the appearance of old wood carvings. To imitate old oak or walnut-wood procure asphaltum varnish. For modern oak, brown or yellow varnish; for pine, white. To stain the leaves, brush each stem and leaf entirely over with the varnish, using a hog's hair brush for the purpose. Brush well over the veined parts, and should the leaves, when dry, not be so dark as desired, another coat may be given, but it should not be put on too thickly, and one coat must dry before another is applied. The frames and brackets must be coloured before the foliage is put on, but before the wood will take the stain the frame-work must be sized all over twice with melted size.
    Recipe for Preserving Leaves.- Take one pound white powdered starch, dry it before the fire, when cool put a layer of half an inch at the bottom of a small box taking care that the box is dry; gather the leaves on a fine day, and lay as many leaves on the starch powder as can be done without touching each other; then sprinkle starch powder over them, covering all the leaves well; then put another layer of leaves, and proceed with the powder as before, until the box is filled. Fill up with the powder, and fasten the box lid firmly down until the leaves are required.

To make flowers and fruit in leather, it is advisable that Nature should guide the learners entirely ; never trusting to their own taste, nor to paper patterns, when natural leaves and productions are procurable. It is almost impossible to give a really practical written description; however, I will endeavour to explain the process of making two or three of the easiest, as simply as I can, but really recommend those desiring to be proficients in the art, to take a couple of lessons to learn the more complicated species, as roses, passion-flowers, &c.

    Camellias.- Cut out the petals (Figs. 6,7) according to the number and sizes required, damp and mould them into shape with the fingers, and give them as natural a form as possible; fasten all the petals together with thread and liquid glue, and put a piece of wire through the whole for a stalk, covered with skiver leather. The buds are made by rolling some leather chips, smeared with liquid glue, into the proper shape, then covering with two or three petals, and gluing down the base to the calyx, taking care to leave the upper part of each petal free. The calyx should be formed by cutting a piece of leather to pattern, and moulded into shape with the fingers and the handle of the veiner.
    Dahlias, Fig. 9, are formed by cutting out circles of leaves, each circle being smaller than the other, and each having a hole in the centre ; a fine roll or pledget of leather is passed through these holes, and holds all the circles together.
    While Lilies.- Take a piece of leather and cut it into six petals, formed of one piece, thus: the three largest petals which alternate with the others are brought uppermost, while the three smaller ones are placed behind; the leaves are then to be veined, and curled or moulded into shape, as in the natural flower, and the petals will require to be glued to keep them in their proper places. Moulds can be procured to work the lily on; but if there is not one at hand, something should be adapted to place the lily upon while modelling it as near the shape of the interior as possible. It has six stamens with oblong anthers, which are made by cutting strips of leather, and leaving a piece of leather uncut at one end, rolling the strips round between the thumb and finger. The anthers are formed by a thin strip of leather being cut into small pieces, and each portion rolled between the finger and thumb, the end of each stamen being tipped with liquid-glue; the anther can be easily affixed. The piece of leather left at the end of the stamens should be rolled up as a stalk, put into the interior of the lily, pulled through the hole at the base, and then glued to its proper place. The bud of the lily is formed by merely folding the whole corolla together, veined (see Fig. 8).
    To make Hops.- Cut twenty petals out of skiver leather all the same size, the shape of the single petal, B, Fig. 10; then take a piece of wire, and wind leather round the end of it, as in A, Fig. 10, fastening it well with liquid glue; this inner body should be somewhat shorter than the hop is to be when completed, and pointed at both ends. Mould the petals into a convex form at the end of each petal, then glue them alternately, commencing at the bottom and finishing at the top of the flower (C, Fig. 10).
    In constructing Fruit, much care is necessary in the formation of the moulds, the choice of specimens, and the manipulation throughout. The materials required consist of some gutta-percha sheets of various degrees of thickness, and some natural moulds; the rest of the materials are the same as those used for other work, with the addition of two fruit-moulding tools of different sizes.
    To construct a Peach.- Choose a hard, unripe specimen, and obtain a cast of the exact half by dipping a piece of gutta-percha sheet into hot water, and pressing it firmly over the peach, previously smeared with olive oil. If neatly done - and the art will be acquired by practice - the natural division of the fruit may be imitated. Remove the cast from the fruit, smear the inside with oil, and cut a piece of leather larger than the mould, dip it into cold water, and with the moulding-tool press it gradually and firmly, with a circular motion, into the mould, then set it aside to dry. Next pour some liquid glue into the inside, and press any odd pieces of leather or shavings until the half is filled. Construct another half, and join the two parts with liquid glue; rub off the irregular edges that remain with the end of the [-58-] moulding-tool, and smear with liquid glue, to keep the parts firm, then size and varnish. Lemons, apples, melons, plums, or any similar fruits, are formed in the same manner. Pears, figs, or such shaped fruit, require casting with the apex at one end and the base at another.
    Cherries are made in a similar way to grapes, which we described in our former article.
    Walnuts should be made by forming a mould of gutta-percha from the half; and pressing in the moist leather as usual, then filling up and varnishing.
    Filberts are very effective when made, and are thus produced :-Crack several nuts, and choose as many half pieces as you can ; cut the edges smooth with a knife, and there is the mould ready. Lay one of the halves upon a piece of basil, run a pencil round the edge, and cut out the piece, which should then be dipped into water and pressed into the half-shell mould and set aside to dry; when dry, fill up with leather in the manner described for a peach; remove from the mould, then glue the two halves together, rub the edges down, and the nut is finished. The bract is made by taking the natural bract of the nut, as in Fig. 11, laying it on the leather, and cutting it out from it. The base of the nut is glued to the centre, and the rest of the leather is brought round the nut so as to give as natural an appearance as possible. When several have been formed, they should be glued together by their bases, to resemble a cluster, and the stem and leaves, which are formed in the usual manner, affixed and arranged according to Nature's own design.
    Currants, & c., are formed in the same manner as ivy-berries.
    Strawberries are constructed like grapes, but of course the shape is different; and, when the fruit is finished, the seeds are imitated by digging up the leather with the sharp point of a pen-knife ; it is then fastened to its calyx with glue, &c.
    Raspberries and Mulberries are formed by rolling up slips of smeared leather until they are the size of the seeds, and having previously formed a pyramidal piece, the seeds are to be fixed to it until they are clustered into the proper size and form. The mass is then to be fastened to the calyx, previously cut out by pattern, and attached to the stem as usual.
    Wheat is made by rolling up leather strips, and covering the seed with small oval chips, rendered concave by means of pressure, and fastening them to a zig-zag strip of leather.
    To make Leather Figures.-Choose a good plaster of Paris cast, or a statue, and proceed as follows:- Oil the figure well with sweet oil, and having warmed a sheet of gutta-percha by immersion in hot water, press it firmly with a cloth into every part of the cast required ; allow it to cool, and remove it carefully. The mould is then to be oiled inside, and the leather (having been previously stretched) should be dipped into cold water and afterwards pressed into the mould, the inside to be filled with leather chips, as in the fruit process, and, when dry, removed ; but I recommend that a couple of lessons be taken in this as well as in the modelling of flowers as to excel in this, the highest order of leather modelling, practical demonstration is better than verbose descriptions.
    Bee-hives can be made with leather stems as follows:- Cut a piece of wood to the shape and size required ; wind and glue upon it the stems, beginning at the top and finishing off at the bottom. To join the stems, cut each end to an angle, so that they fit; join them with liquid glue, and tie a piece of thread round to hold them tightly together till the glue is dry, when the thread can be cut off. To imitate the "tying," mark with a pen, with the darkest stain, lines and dots from top to bottom, cut a little bit out of the lower tier to make the entrance, and make a handle at the top with a piece of stem. And with this example of industry we will conclude our lesson on leather work. It will be observed that the instructions we have given have been merely rudimentary, teaching the reader how to form imitations in leather of single natural objects. We may, at some future time, give some designs for the grouping of these together, for the purposes of household decoration. Such groupings may, of course, be infinite in their variety, according to the shape or requirements of the object the leather-work is intended to ornament. Frames for pictures, and mirrors, brackets, bookstands and similar articles, are good subjects for the artist in leather-work to try his hand upon, and may be rendered highly ornamental by a tasteful employment of this simple but effective branch of the household decorative art.

DIAPHANIE is the art of imitating the most beautiful and costly stained glass by the inexpensive and exceedingly simple process of transferring a species of chromo-lithograph in transparent colours to the surface of an ordinary pane of glass, and may be used not only as an embellishment, but as a method of shutting out, and hiding an unsightly view, such as black walls, chimneys, &c., so frequently eye-sores in a town residence.

   The art was first practised in France ; the original method consisting in printing the subject in colours upon tissue-paper, which paper was permanently fixed upon the glass, by which means the light was intercepted, and the brilliancy and transparency of the colouring destroyed. This system has been improved upon, and by the method now practised, the colours themselves are transferred to the surface of the glass, while the paper is removed, leaving a most perfect imitation of stained glass, upon which neither the violence of the summer sun nor winter frost has any effect. Nor is the art applicable only to windows; it may be used to ornament fire-screens, lamp-shades, Chinese lanterns, and fancy panes in conservatories, and is in fact available for every purpose in which the combination of transparency and ornament enter. The designs used for diaphanie are produced by a new process of lithography, and are mostly copies from well-known and valuable subjects; these you purchase in sheets, and arrange at pleasure, taking care, however, not to mix up designs belonging to different periods. Numbers of beautiful designs are sold at all the paint and oil warehouses, where there is always to be found an extensive choice of subjects, sacred, medieval, and picturesque, according to the device and subject required. The simplest plan of proceeding is to have a pane of glass to work upon the exact size of that in your window; this, with the design, a few sheets of lead-foil, a bottle of each transferring varnish,. clearing liquid, washable varnish, a roller, and a flat brush, is all that is required.* (* Rollers of the best description, 2s. 6d., transferring varnish (per bottle), 1s. and 1s. 6d.; clearing liquid (per bottle). 1s. 6d.; washable varnish (per bottle), 1s.; brush, 2d.)
    In the first place, the artist must be very sure that the pane of glass is free from imperfections, such as specks and bubbles, and scrupulously cleansed; of course, if it be already fixed in window frames, you must take it as you find it.
    Being assured the glass is all right, lay it flat upon a folded cloth; then trace the outline with a pencil line; those portions where the border ground-work and subject join to serve as a guide for the laying on the lead-foil and the designs which should have previously been cut out. The lead-foil should be cut into strips the width of one-eighth of an inch, though they may be a little wider or narrower, according to the size of the window you desire to decorate, or to the taste of the operator. The lead-foil is to give the effect of the white glass which forms the borders of most coloured glass windows, and when put on the glass it looks quite transparent.
    In making the pattern, the designs maybe cut out and arranged to show the effect of the composition. Next lay the glass upon the pattern according to the method shown in Fig. 1, and cement upon it the tin-foil previously cut in strips to the proper width; gum is found to be the best cement for laying on the tinfoil. For circles and other shapes the straight strips of foil are cemented, and when nearly dry, stretched with the fingers of one hand, and pressed down with the thumb of the other. No attention need be shown to the creases which may come in the foil, as the smooth handle of a knife or paper cutter, slightly wetted and rubbed over them, flattens and [-93-] makes the foil flat and even. Having arranged and allowed the foil to be firmly fixed, you can proceed with the laying on of the designs, which should be a little larger than the foiled spaces made ready for their reccption, so that the foil may overlap the edges. We cannot enjoin on the beginner too much neatness and care in this operation.
    In laying on the designs; the uncoloured part of the paper must be made quite damp with a sponge then put on the glass and the painted surface a thin coating of the cement. Care must be taken that no air bubbles remain between the glass and the prints, and the papers must he kept damp while the operation is being carried on, for if the cement be allowed to dry, the transparency will be destroyed when the clearing liquid is used. It is a good plan to commence rolling in the centre and working outwards, by which method any superfluity of varnish will ooze out at the edges, and not damage or destroy the surface of the picture. The work having advanced thus far, it should be carefully laid aside for two days at least, or even for three, after which you may begin to remove the paper.
    The next operation is to remove the paper; this is done by once more wetting it, then rubbing it gently and evenly with the hand, a sponge, or piece of cloth, the work being kept damp all the while, and great circumspection used, lest by undue pressure any blemish be caused; this must be specially guarded against when, the greater part of the paper having been removed, the painted surface alone is exposed to the hand or cloth, and is liable to scratch or rub off. After the glass has been allowed to dry thoroughly, a thin coating of the clearing liquid is to be applied, and when this has become dry and hard, the work should be re-foiled, over the edges of the transferred picture, following the lines of the first foiling, and proceeding in the manner described before ; after which, one or two coatings of the washable varnish completes the work, which must dry and harden thoroughly before it is inserted in the frame-work of the window.
    This same art may be applied for the adornment of window blinds, &c., upon muslin or silk. The operation consists in stretching either material tightly on a frame, taking the sheets of design, laying the plain side upwards to receive the diaphanous liquid which is put on with a brush; when dry, another coating should be given. A coating of cement should now be applied to the coloured side of the paper, taking great care to press it equally with the roller. There is now nothing left to the completion of the transparency but to varnish it. If the picture be misty, the diaphanous, or clearing liquid, should be used again. Ordinary engravings can be printed on glass in the same manner as the painted designs. The engravings which are to be used should contain no size. The plain side of the picture should be damped with a sponge. Apply to the other a coating of washable varnish; then warm the glass, lay on the print, press with the roller, and place it at some distance from the fire to dry. The next process requires great care, or the beauty of the engraving will be injured. Damp the print again with water, and rub off the superfluous paper after this, and when the miniature has been absorbed, apply the clearing liquid with a camel's-hair brush; and lastly, when it is thoroughly hardened, the washable varnish can be applied, and the work is then finished.
    If the learner of the art of diaphanie pays close attention to the exact rules laid down in this article, there will be no difficulty in becoming proficient in this very elegant art, by which every house may be improved in its decorations. Of the diagrams with which this paper is illustrated, Figs. 2 and 3 are designs suitable for a hall window. Fig. 4 shows two patterns for groundwork or bordering.

MANY useful and amusing occupations can be recommended for long evenings, and among such occupations we reckon especially those which result in the production of something at once permanent and ornamental. It is our intention to describe several for the benefit of our readers.
Preparing scraps with which to cover a screen is an employment that fills up a good deal of spare time, entails no mental exertion, and may be done at small expense, beyond that for the mere frame of the screen, which, with a simple covering of black paper will cost about a pound, and if the scraps are arranged upon it with any amount of taste and judgment, a very attractive addition will have been made to the furniture of the room, and one that at the same time may be found exceedingly useful, as a protection against draughts, or the excessive heat of a fire. The work admits of endless variety, and will serve at the same time to display the skill and taste of the worker. It would be useless to lay down any very accurate rules where so much must be left to taste, but the general instructions in this paper will, with ordinary good taste and a little practice, enable the reader to become quite proficient. There are different ways of covering a screen. The first and simplest, as regards preparation, is the sticking on of prints from which the margins have been· removed. Pictures for such purposes may be collected from various friends and laid on according to taste. Sometimes all kinds of pictures, of all shapes and sizes, are arranged as it were pell-mell upon a screen, every cranny and nook being filled up. At other times they are arranged in studied confusion, as in Fig. I. This requires materials all of one size, and is most fitted for landscapes. All the corners and angles left uncovered by this arrangement, must be filled in with portions of pictures, for which purpose torn and damaged ones will come in useful. Another way of covering a screen is by cutting out the outlines of prints and sticking them on. Comic arrangements may be got in this way, as, for in. stance, by putting into a landscape small figures grouped in a valley as a pic-nic party, or climbing a mountain, or walking about the features of other figures much larger. One may cut out an umbrella and place it as if held by a duck, or transfer a pair of spectacles to the countenance of a lion. Of course, these arrangements may be varied infinitely. Perhaps no screen is handsomer than one made of elegant coloured scraps of all shapes, hues, and sizes For one of these screens, take the pictures from sheets of music, garlands of flowers from Christmas cards, coloured prints, landscapes, figures., heads, flowers-in fact, any- thing and of any size that can be pressed into the service. Coloured lithographic prints are now-a-days so common that there will be little difficulty in obtaining materials suitable for the purpose. It will be found desirable not to choose too many pictures representing the same class of subjects ; there should be a judicious assortment of figure subjects, landscapes, animals, fruit, and flowers. Cut these all in outline with a sharp pair of scissors, but avoid touching the finer portions at first, such as the features of the face, or the rigging of a vessel; and only at the last moment cut out the minute details with a penknife. After the last fine cutting is done, you must not handle them more than is absolutely necessary, as they are very liable to tear. First arrange the coloured scraps, according to your taste, on a table, and afterwards gum every one of them slightly by one point, and then hang them temporarily on the screen to see the [-130-] general effect. The arrangement ought to appear perfectly careless and hap-hazard, all sizes and all shapes turning in every possible way; but the eye must be satisfied and the colours contrasted, so as to give a good general effect. The black ground is left distinct between these, the pictures never touching. They are afterwards firmly pasted on, and finally the screen is varnished. The best varnish for the purpose is the ordinary spirit varnish. In pasting the pictures, one side is done at a time. After varnishing, the screen must be left where it can remain undisturbed. It will require two or three coats of varnish, each of which must dry thoroughly before another is applied. When the surface is quite smooth and even, the work is finished. A great deal of previous consideration is required to produce a felicitous result. For instance, the light and shade of the prints must be studied. If they are laid on in straight rows, alternately light and dark, as some lay them, a chess-board effect is produced which is most undesirable; or again, if they are placed in stars, a light one in the centre of a group of dark ones stands out too prominently. Effects like these may be observed in patchwork, where they are purposely produced, such as the box pattern. Pictures that are all square, or can be cut in squares, may be arranged in stars, as in Fig. 2, but the lights and shadows must be carefully varied. If they are cut in diamond shape they may be arranged as in Fig. 3. A strong solution of gum, mixed with a little flour, is perhaps the best cement.

Albums and scrap-books may be made in almost endless variety. For a gift-book especially, nothing could be prettier or better, than an album devised on the Chinese plan. Get a set of strong cards, of whatever size you like; they may be as much as twelve inches square. Lance holes with a penknife at each of the corners, and run a piece of coloured ribbon through after the fashion of a fan, having first bound the edges all round with ribbon, put on with a strong solution of gum. Fig. 4 shows the manner of doing this. The ribbon is gummed to each card where it crosses it. Make your solution of gum very strong, but do not use it profusely; gum the cards together securely, but merely so as to attach the ribbon. After gumming down the ribbon, the cards not being more than the least possible space apart, leave them spread upon a table, covered with clean paper, and press them under a heavy weight. The next day the gum will be dry. One or more pictures can be arranged on each side of every card, and the covers may be ornamented with silk or moire antique, sewn together at the edges, and put on after the ribbon joints. The merit of this book is, that it will open like a common book either way, back and front, or unfold like a panorama. It forms a pretty case for photographic portraits, which may be thus inserted:- Soak a portrait in cold water till it comes off the card. Let it dry, and then attach it with gum to your album. Passe-partouts containing photographs may be made to form an album of this kind. Beautiful photographic albums have been made by taking a number of cards of one size and mounting various sized photographs of fancy subjects upon them, and then designing appropriate borders with a pen and Indian ink; for example, round "Moses found by Pharaoh's daughter, a border of bulrushes; around heads, the outline of a mirror or a frame of beads will have a pretty effect. Round the well-known subject of the Christian Martyr, a border of lilies would be appropriate. In filling scrap-books, if the book is not already so prepared, every other leaf must be cut out, because the pictures pasted in will otherwise swell the book beyond the dimensions of the binding. To make a book for yourself, in a homely style, take six sheets of paper folded one inside the other. Stitch them through the centre, putting in the needle at C, taking it through A and B, back to C, and there knotting the two ends together, Fig. 5. Then take another set of six sheets, and so on until you have enough for a book, stitch the whole of them through in three places, as shown in Fig. 6, first at A, knotting it together behind, then at B and at C. The book ought now to be pressed in a carpenter's bench or press, the back upwards. Next glue the backs well, and attach three strips of linen rags, also well glued, as shown in Fig. 7. Afterwards glue the outside of them and attach the covers, in the way shown in .Fig. 8. After the sides have been pressed and dried twenty-four hours, a strip of fancy paper, or leather, or velvet is put over the back, as shown by the dotted line A, covering over the sides and corners of the covers, as shown by the dotted line B; these are turned down inside the covers and finished off neatly. The paper or silk to cover the sides is now to be put on. Albums may also be made very pretty by binding them in embossed cards, or cards covered with silk. The way to manage this is to put the back of velvet on the book before you put on the sides; or velvet enough to line the cover may be carried across the whole side of the book. The fly-leaf, or first leaf of a book ought to be nicely gummed or pasted down to the inside of the cover as soon as the binding is otherwise finished, and dried again.

THE production of beautiful objects of decoration by no means necessarily involves great outlay and expensive materials. A knowledge of how to utilise trifles which would otherwise be valueless, will often enable the housewife to render her home attractive without expending that money which may be required for other purposes. We are about to show how a species of exquisitely graceful embroidery may be produced, in which the chief material employed is nothing more than the scales of one of our commonest fresh-water fishes.

    Fish-scales, sewn upon silk or satin, may be arranged so as to form flowers, leaves, ornamental . borders, and also birds, to enrich many of those small articles of taste, which always conduce to throw an air of refinement over a home, and give the visitor a favourable opinion of the occupants. The effect also produced by the employment of a material generally so little regarded as the scales of fishes, is one which will much surprise and gratify those of our readers who have never seen it employed in this manner.
    The scales of various fishes may be used, but those of the perch are much to be preferred, on account of their beautiful serrations. When taken from the fish they should first be thoroughly cleaned, and before they have become dry and. hard, two holes should be pierced through each with an instrument made of a stout darning- needle fixed in a wooden handle. These holes should be made near the roots or bottoms of the fish-scales, which will then be quite ready for use in the embroidery.
    The best ground, and that usually chosen, is one of blue or pink silk, or, still better, satin of either of these colours. The pattern should first be drawn to the required size upon white paper, and its outline then carefully pricked through with a needle. Through the holes thus made powdered vermilion must be rubbed, which will thus transfer the pattern to the ground; but if the ground is of a dark colour whitening should be substituted and a small piece of wash-leather is best for applying the powdered colour.

    When the paper is removed the pattern will be seen clearly indicated on the silk by small dots; but as these, being in dry powdered colour, are easily obliterated, it is necessary to make the more permanent, by going over the line with a camel-hair pencil and ordinary water-colour vermilion or Chinese white, according as the ground may require a dark or light outline. This method of tracing will also be found useful in many other kinds of embroidery; and here we may remark that the lines drawn should always be well within the dots, that they may be easily covered and hidden by the work. For a small flower a dot in the centre will be sufficient, and in large flowers no marks should be made with the camel hair pencil over which the scales will not, when sewn on, well project, and completely conceal them.
    After the pattern has been traced in this manner on the satin, we will suppose that a rose or some similar flower has to be worked in the fish-scales. A row of these is neatly and care fully sewn through the two holes spoken of in the previous column round the circumference, to represent the outer circle of petals, and within these a second circle is stitched, overlapping the former, so as to conceal the threads by which they are attached; this is repeated till the centre of the flower is reached, which is formed in a large flower by a cluster of beads, and in a small one by a single bead. Yellow or gold beads look remarkably well as centres, as these most nearly resemble the pollen of the natural flower. Small leaves, or leaves which consist of a number of separate leaflets, may be well made in fish-scales, but larger ones may require to be worked in ordinary embroidery. Stems may also be worked in embroidery, very quickly and effectively too, by using chenille.
    Trefoil and the maiden-hair fern are among the best leaf forms for representation in fish-scale embroidery. In combination with the fish-scales may be used small flowers, leaves, dots, and other ornaments, stamped out of thin sheet pearl, such as is used in inlaying papier-mache work, and of which a considerable number may be bought at a trifling expense at many fancy warehouses and shops. A combination of beads and fish-scales may also be used, and will produce a good effect.
    The accompanying illustrations represent various modes in which this style of decoration may be employed to adorn articles of the toilette, banner screens, &c., which will readily suggest them selves to the clever designer.

    Our illustration (Fig. i) is intended for the top of a pin-cushion, the ground being of a light-coloured satin The stems may be worked either in gold thread or maroon-coloured silk, and the petals of the flowers and the leaflets are each composed of one fish-scale. In a case [-281-] like the present, where single scales are used, it is of course impossible to hide the stitch by which they are fastened to the background, but this may be rendered decorative by carrying the thread across the scale from its root to its edge, so as to resemble the centre rib of the natural leaf. The flowers in this design are single, and have five petals with a bead in the centre.
    The design given in Fig. 2 is one which may be applied to almost any article, and in combination with flowers, or an ornamental border if desired. The eye of the bird will be formed by a single bead, and the beak. legs, claws, and some of the feathers, should be worked in silk embroidery. If in this, or any other design for fish-scale embroidery, brilliant colour be desired, it may be obtained by using the scales of various kinds of fishes; or more conveniently still by tinting the scales, before they are sewn on, with the bright, transparent varnish-colours described in our preceding article on Fans, and how to make them (page 305, vol. ii.).
    The banner-screen (Fig. 3) we have seen carried out in pink silk, the border, which is shown of a darker shade in our engraving, being green, and these colours are separated, and the whole work is bound with gold-coloured braid. The effect of the fish-scales upon the contrasting colours, pink and green, is very fine, and, indeed, it would be difficult to name a method of ornamenting screens and other articles of the character we have described, which produces a more beautiful effect. The brilliant tints of humming-birds, peacocks, parrots, and other gay and resplendent natural objects can be imitated with great fidelity and I success.

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