Everybody's Book of Hobbies

By Sid G. Hedges

“Everybody's Book of Hobbies” contains information on almost every conceivable hobby, providing descriptions, suggestions, instructions, and more for each treated. From basket weaving to bee keeping, this volume has something for everyone and is highly recommended for those looking for avocational inspiration. Contents include: “Basket Work”, “Gesso Work”, “Painting on Wood and Glass”, “Staining and Polishing”, “Mechanic Hobbies”, “Photography”, “Wireless”, “Moment's Hobbies”, “Appliqué Work”, “Artificial Flower Making”, “Barbola Work”, “Felt Embroidery”, “Fillet Work”, “Sealing-wax Craft”, “Home and Garden Hobbies”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: White Press
• Release date: Mar 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781528783446

Book preview

EVERYBODY’S

BOOK OF HOBBIES

HANDICRAFT HOBBIES

BASKET WORK

THERE is a great variety of work in cane and willow which may be so graded in difficulty that anyone beginning to learn how to work the material can produce something useful from the beginning.

THE MATERIALS.—The beginner is advised to avoid willow and concentrate on what is known as centre cane. This is obtained from a creeper which grows in tropical countries. It is taken from a thick, hard skin or casing which splits away when dry, leaving the material from which Malacca canes—not so popular now as formerly—are made. This centre cane is about one inch thick. It is cut to various diameters from about 1/16″ to 3/8″ thick, into a flat segmental shape about 1/4″ wide, known as lapping cane, and into a rough rectangular section known as flat cane.

The shiny skin that is cut off the outside of the cane when it is converted is used for caning chair seats.

Centre cane is bought by the pound. Useful sizes for the beginner are Nos. 2 (thin), 4 (thicker), 6 (about 1/8″ diam.), 8 and 10 (the latter about 3/16″ diam.). A little handle cane, No. 18, about 3/8″ diameter, will be necessary for the handles of strong shopping baskets.

If you have not done any of this work before, you are advised to begin by making baskets on wood bases. The latter may be of solid wood or of ply wood. The latter is cheaper and generally more easily obtained. If such bases are to be painted with enamel, quite cheap wood, such as may be obtained from tea boxes, might be used. Where it is desired to polish a base then the wood should be of fairly good quality and the edges and surface be well finished with tools and glass paper.

BASKET WEAVING STROKES

Showing examples of trac bordering, waling, upsetting, pairing, randing, and slewing.

Ply wood bases may be purchased from the factor or the local carpenter, but they can be quite easily made with a fine-toothed bow or fret saw, a spoke-shave, a plane and glass paper. If you are making baskets for profit it will be necessary to do all your own work on bases, as the difference in cost is considerable and entirely due to labour. On wood bases you can make teapot stands, cheese-box holders, bread trays, work baskets, tumbler holders, waste-paper baskets, knife baskets, linen baskets and many others.

Instead of using wood for the base the latter may be woven in cane and the variety is increased. Shopping baskets of all kinds, flower baskets, bread trays and so on are all possible.

THE STROKES.—As stitches are the fundamental units in needlework, so strokes are the foundation of basket making.

Sketches of some of the strokes are shown in connection with the making of a small tray, either circular, square or oblong, which can be used as a teapot stand, cheese-box holder, plant stand, etc. This is one of the easiest jobs to begin on and you will learn quite a lot from the making.

Bore holes in the ply wood base as shown in Fig. 1, about 1/4″ from the edge of the wood, 5/3″ apart and a little less than 1/8″ diameter. Use a bradawl to bore the holes or a small hand drill, such as can be bought for two or three shillings. When using the former see that it is sharp or it may split the wood as it emerges through the thickness.

Cut pieces of No. 4 cane, about 12″ long, and put one piece in each hole as shown in Fig. 2 with about 3″ on one side of the base and the remainder on the other side, which will be the top surface.

The foot border must be worked first. This is usually a trac border which may be made as in Fig. 3, which is the simplest form, viz., in front of one, behind one, for each cane. This gives an insignificant and uninteresting border on which the one shown in Fig. 4 is an improvement.

This is made by weaving the canes behind one, in front of one, behind one. Other variations which give a deeper border are, behind one, in front of two, behind one. Again, in front of two, behind one, or behind one, in front of two, behind two, in front of one, behind one. Do not waste cane by leaving the ends of the weaving longer than is necessary for the ends to be prevented from slipping out from behind the last cane on which they bind. Trim the ends off to equal lengths all round the base.

Now begin to weave the sides. The usual stroke for setting up the rods is the waling or upsetting stroke. This is shown in three stages in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Take three lengths of No. 4 cane, each long enough to go easily twice round the base. Insert one in each of three adjacent spaces between the uprights. Begin to weave by picking up the one on the left, pass it over the other two, behind the next upright but one and bring it outside again behind the third upright from the starting point. Repeat this operation with each cane in turn, working from the left to the right until two rounds are done.

Wooden beads of suitable colour might now be placed on the uprights and the two rows of waling repeated when the tray is ready for its border to be worked.

A more usual method is to weave a panel of thin cane. This is woven in one or two or three strokes which form the basis for most of the body work in baskets, etc. These are the pairing, randing and slewing strokes, see Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

To weave by pairing take two lengths of No. 2 cane, place one end of each piece in adjacent spaces between the uprights, pick up the left hand cane, pass it over the other weaver and take it in front of one upright and behind the next, bringing it out on the right of the other weaver. Repeat this process with each cane alternately and weave four or five rows. Repeat the two rows of waling and you are ready for the border.

Instead of pairing, the randing stroke may be used for weaving this panel. This is woven with one cane only, in and out, to the required height. There must be an odd number of rods or uprights for this stroke so that the successive rows of weaving may be alternately inside and outside on the uprights. This stroke does not increase the strength of a basket, and the slewing stroke, which is done with two or three canes as shown in Fig. 10, is even weaker in this respect.

THE BORDER.—A very simple and effective border is made as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Take any upright and bend it down behind the next upright bringing it out between the next pair. Repeat this operation until the last upright is reached. This is brought down and the end threaded in behind the loop of the first upright to complete the round of rods fixed behind each other. Now weave a second round by taking up one rod and passing it over the next and down in front of it as in Fig. 12. Fasten off the last rod in the loop of the first as before and go on to weave about five or six rows of border. The strokes should fit snugly behind each other with no gaps between them to make a tight roll border which adds both strength and a good finish to any tray or basket.

DAMPING CANE.—At all times when working borders the rods must be kept in a damp condition. Before beginning to work them they should be dipped in water and allowed to stand for a few minutes, when they will be in a nice pliable condition. If this is not done there is a risk of the cane cracking or breaking. When a rod does break off, cut it level with the top of the weaving and insert another by pushing it down into the latter, leaving it standing at the same height as the other rods.

Weaving cane should also be damped to make it pliable. If cane is oversoaked in water it will develop a hairiness that is objectionable; also it will be discoloured and the work will not be so smart in result. Rods which are to be bent at right angles should first of all be squeezed with a pair of round-nosed pliers at the point of bending. This will help to obtain regularity in the height and prevent breakage.

SINGEING.—The hairiness mentioned above can be remedied by singeing the finished work with a clean flame, e.g. gas or methylated spirit, moving the work or the flame quickly across each other to prevent scorching.

If a piece of work has become, through oversoaking in water, badly discoloured, the whole job might be dipped in a dye to hide the bad colour.

OTHER BORDERS.—There are other borders which are suitable for trays of the kind just described, e.g. the three, four or five pair and the plait borders. The three pair border is shown in Figs. 13 and 14. Three rods are turned down as in Fig. 13. Pick up the rod on the left, pass it over the other two, behind the next upright and bring down both together, Fig. 14. Do the same with the next two rods and then with the fourth and subsequent rods pick up the rod which has only just been turned down and leave the other which has done its work. When the end is reached thread the last three rods to keep the sequence in the border.

THREE PAIR PLAIT, WOVEN BASE AND BORDERS

THE THREE PAIR PLAIT.—The three pair plait border is shown in Figs. 15—19. This is an attractive border which adds both to the appearance and strength of any tray or basket on which it is worked. Begin to make the plait at any point on the border. About 10″ length of rod should be available above the weaving. Cut three pieces of cane about 9″ long of the same thickness as the rods and two pieces of thick cane about 4″ long. Damp the rods, bend down one over one short piece of thick cane and lay alongside it one of the 9″ pieces as in Fig. 15. Lay the other short piece across the top of these and in front of the next upright; bend down the latter and lay alongside it, on the right hand side, another of the 9″ pieces, Fig. 15. Now pick up the left hand pair of canes, pass them over the next pair and in front of the next upright to the inside of the border and leave them for a moment, Fig. 16. Bring down the left hand upright and lay alongside it the remaining 9″ cane, Fig. 16. Pick up the left hand pair of canes, pass them over the adjacent pair in between the next pair of uprights. There are now two pairs on the inside and one pair on the outside of the border, Fig. 17. Take the left hand pair from the inside and bring them out to the right of the next upright, taking the latter down with it to the outside, Fig. 18. Pick up the left hand pair on the outside and pass them inside again, making two pairs inside, with a group of three outside, Fig. 18. Bring out the left hand pair from inside to the outside bringing down the upright as before. There are now two sets of three canes on the outside and one pair inside, Fig. 19. This border shows three canes on the inside and two on the outside and this arrangement is formed in the next stroke. Take the left hand pair of the left hand set of three, leaving the right hand cane, and pass the pair to the inside as before. The full weave of the border is now complete and the cane which has been left will be the one to leave each time, it being the one which has travelled the farthest of the three canes. If it is found during the working of the plait that the canes are running short, refer back along the plait and you will find that the wrong cane has been dropped and this third cane has been called upon to do more work than its length will allow.

VARIETY IN TRAYS.—Quite a lot of variety can be put into the making of trays on wood bases, not only in shape and size, but in the sides and borders. Trays may be small and square for teapot stands, or small and round for cheese boxes, teapot stands, egg stands and cruet stands; these are generally about 6″ square or diameter. Made on square or round bases from about 12″ side or diameter they can be used for small tea trays and lemonade sets. Larger trays, about 12″ × 18″, either oval or rectangular, serve well for use as tea trays. The sides of any or all of these trays may be decorated by using beads instead of weaving between the bottom and top waling, or beads may be placed at the bottom of the rods instead of waling, to allow crumbs, etc., to be more easily swept off the tray.

Interesting curves in the line of the plait border may be formed by the insertion of a few beads at the point where the curve is desired, passing the weaving over them and so raising the level of the border for a short distance. If this is done at the ends of an oval or oblong tray the raised curves act as handles. It may also be effectively done at the corners of a square tray.

The borders may be coloured by using dyed cane for the rods. The weaving cane may be natural or coloured, or both may be used together with good effect.

WORKBASKETS.—Very good workbaskets can be made by using wood bases of about 9″ diameter. A good design may be built up from 1/2″ waling, l 1/2″ pairing, two rows waling, in coloured cane, about four rows of pairing in colour which harmonizes with the previous colour, then repeat the waling about four rows before the border.

Plenty of variety can be introduced by using coloured cane and varying the strokes, but the proportions of the parts and the harmony of the colours should be carefully controlled if you wish to produce baskets that give pleasure.

WASTE PAPER BASKETS.—Waste paper baskets are a development of the workbasket. They should be made with rods of No. 8 or 10 cane and woven with No. 4 or No. 6.

It is generally advisable to use double rods for work of this kind so that the form and line of the basket may be kept under control. The extra rods are inserted when the first waling has been woven, being pushed into it alongside the first set of rods. The effect is to add such extra resistance to the weaving cane as will prevent the latter pushing the rods out of shape. The extra rods may be left in and used in the border or they may be cut off and only the single rods used. This depends upon whether the spacing of the rods and the type of border will allow the extra thickness of cane to be worked in conveniently.

BORDERS.—For all these deep baskets, whether on wood bases or woven bases, described later, the trac type of border is very useful. This border can be made in great variety—it is not difficult to arrange a sequence for yourself which will give you a desired effect in pattern.

A few of the forms are shown in Figs. 20, 21 and 22.

WOVEN BASES FOR BASKETS.—Shopping baskets are generally made with a base woven from cane. The method of beginning a base is shown in Fig. 23, where the pieces of cane at right angles to each other are of No. 6 thickness at least and about 8 long. Four of these are slit in the middle and the other four threaded through them. This is to make for ease in handling and a neat arrangement. Holding these canes in the left hand, the thumb on the centre, pass the looped end of a thin cane, No. 2 or No. 4, over one group of four as in Fig. 24. Now begin the pairing stroke, i.e. first one over and under and then the other over and under," no more than that with each weaver at a time, working over the groups of four. Carry this on for four times round the centre. Now divide the groups of four into twos and weave four more rows (see Fig. 25), after which separate all the spokes into single canes and weave until the base is the required diameter. Cut off the weavers.

The reason for weaving on the groups of four and two spokes is that in this way it is much easier to obtain a tight and regular centre to the base, a most important feature in a good basket.

RODDING UP.—The next process is the insertion of the rods which are to be the framework of the body of the basket. Decide on the height of the basket, add 3″ to be inserted in the base and 8″ for the border and cut off a number of pieces of No. 4 or 6 or 8 cane to this length. In the base illustrated you will require thirty-two pieces. Sharpen one end of each of these rods and push them into the weaving, one each side of each rod, as far as they will go towards the centre. Each rod should be fixed tightly when in position.

Wet the rods where they emerge from the weaving, but do not wet the woven work, pinch them with the pliers close up to the weaving and bend them upwards, at right angles to the base. Now weave a few rows of waling and carry out the design of the basket as before.

HANDLES.—Fixing a handle is one of the most important operations in basketry. It is of no use to make a basket to carry vegetables or eggs, etc., if when in use either the handle pulls away or the bottom drops out!

A variety of methods may be adopted for fixing or finishing a handle; the main principle is that either the thick core or the lapping cane or both must be fixed to the border and it must be impossible to separate them, even by very hard pulling. A very severe pulling test should be applied to every handle before it is allowed to be put into use.

The thickness of the core to a handle will depend upon the size of the basket. For an ordinary shopping basket No. 18 cane, about 3/8″ thick, should be used and perhaps two pieces of it used together to give a wider and more comfortable handle. For a small cheese box holder two pieces of No. 6, side by side, would probably be best. This core is made of a length that will allow the ends to be pushed down through the weaving into the body of the basket, in the case of a shopping basket for three or four inches,, and in the shallow type to the bottom of the weaving. The ends are sharpened to a point to enable the thick cane to be pushed in more easily. The height and shape of the handle will depend on use and ideas of good shape. The core is attached to the border by means of lapping cane. To enable this to be done quite satisfactorily a hole is bored with a bradawl through the core cane just underneath the border. The end of the lapping cane, whether of segmental, shape or No. 2 round, is passed through this hole and, a few inches of this cane wrapped round and through the border to form a pattern on the outside and at the bottom of the handle. When this is properly done it will at once be impossible to pull the lapping cane away from the basket. The lapping is carried on round and round the handle to the other side where it is fixed in the same manner as at the beginning, finishing off the end underneath the border. Pattern can be worked on the handle itself by the insertion of coloured cane which is exposed and covered at intervals by the lapping cane.

The feet of the handles can be spread and interesting shapes of various kinds can be arranged.

Coloured cane can be obtained by the use of any of the usual dyes used as directed for ordinary materials, but never by boiling the cane.

GESSO WORK

GESSO work consists in painting a mixture of thick creamy consistency on to the surface of glass, wood or metal for decorative purposes. The mixture is made from the following recipe, and it hardens on exposure to the air. Take ten tablespoonfuls of whiting and mix with water to a thick cream. To this add six tablespoonfuls of liquid glue and mix thoroughly. Now mix together one tablespoonful of varnish and four of boiled linseed oil. Stir both these mixtures well together in a jam jar, place the jar in a pan of water, bring to the boil and boil for fifteen minutes, stirring thoroughly. When nearly cool pour into an open-mouthed bottle and when not in use keep well corked so as to keep it in good working condition.

The mixture can be used for decorating the backs of brushes and hand mirrors, book ends, the top of small boxes, picture frames, clock cases, wall brackets, photograph frames, etc.

The semi-liquid substance is put on with a small sable paint brush. The resulting character of the decoration is rather like modelling in relief.

The following is another recipe which will give a good mixture. Mix four ounces of plaster of Paris into a quart of water and after stirring leave for several days, stirring thoroughly several times during the first few days and allowing it to stand undisturbed for several days longer. Drain the water off and mix into the plaster paste an equal quantity of fine powdered whiting. Mix thoroughly and then add sufficient liquid glue to thin the mixture to the consistency of cream while it is warm.

Most gesso mixtures will be found much easier to handle if they are used while warm. The container for the gesso should therefore be placed in hot water when in use.

If the paste is to be left standing for any length of time, it should be covered with a layer of water which can be poured off before the gesso is rewarmed for working purposes.

GESSO WORK

Figs. 1 and 2.—Methods of application. Figs. 3, 4, and 5.—Suggested methods of ornament for a decorated box, a hand mirror and a book shelf.

If you do not wish to make your own gesso it is possible to purchase it in powder form ready to be mixed with water from any of the well-known artists’ colourmen.

Gesso for modelling with the fingers into flowers, beads, etc., must be thicker in composition than the above mixtures. Add more whiting and knead with the hands until the mixture is of the consistency of modelling clay. It should be firm enough to keep any shape into which it is pressed.

PREPARING THE BACKGROUND.—The background on which the gesso work is to be done must not be porous. It should therefore be painted with varnish or french polish made from shellac dissolved in methylated spirit. When the background is dry the design is drawn or traced through carbon paper on the surface. The outline is then put in gesso with the tip of the brush as in Fig. 1.

It is advisable to undertake only as much as can be finished at one sitting. Now fill in the space inside the outline with brushfuls of gesso, as in Fig. 2. Keep the work flat on the table to prevent the gesso running down. Higher relief can be built up by dripping more gesso on to the surface already covered before it is dry, but generally speaking high relief should be avoided. If the gesso runs over any edge slightly it can be corrected by scraping the edge away with a sharpened match-stick. Small spots or beads in the ornament should now be dropped on from point of brush.

One application of gesso in this manner is scarcely ever sufficient to give sufficient height. There is generally a little shrinkage. Several coats may be necessary, but each one must be allowed to set before the next is put on. It is best to go over the whole of the work, raising each part equally at each application. Build up to the full height before beginning to model the surface. This can be left till the last layer.

Coloured gesso may be made by mixing tempera paints with the plain mixture. This may be done by making a quantity at the time the gesso is made or it may be mixed in small portions as it is being used. The colour should be thoroughly mixed with a knife or stick. An ivory colour can be obtained by mixing a small quantity of a brown paint powder with the gesso.

The colour may also be applied when the creamy coloured gesso is dry. Water or oil colours may be used to obtain the desired colour scheme. If water colour is used a coat of shellac or clear varnish should be applied after the painting to prevent the colour fading. Effective results can be obtained by wiping off the oil paint with a soft rag from the raised portions of the pattern and leaving the colour in the hollows; also by painting the high spots in lighter tone than the lower parts of the design.

TRANSPARENT OR COLOURED LACQUERS may also be used for finishing the surface. Use it as a paint and apply it with a soft brush. Do not touch the lacquer after it has been applied. If necessary it can be altered or removed by painting it with a brush dipped in methylated spirit and wiped off with a rag also dipped in spirit.

SEALING-WAX can also be used to give brilliant colour effects. Break the sticks into small pieces and put each separate colour in a jar with an air-tight cover and pour in sufficient methylated spirit to cover the wax. Leave to dissolve for about twenty-four hours. Shake or stir it thoroughly before using, and if necessary dilute it still further by adding more methylated spirit.

HIGH RELIEF GESSO MODELLING requires a firm mixture, and a tougher texture is obtained if the gesso is mixed with cotton wool pulled into small pieces.

For this class of work a few modelling tools are necessary. These can be simple in shape, not so elaborate in form as some of the sculptor’s modelling tools. They can be made from pieces of box wood, about 6″ long × 1 1/2″ wide and 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick, straight or curved, square and round ended.

GESSO BEADS.—Very attractive beads can be made by modelling the stiff paste with the fingers or rolling it between the palms of the hands into a ball. Now push a knitting needle through it and mould the bead to the required shape. It may be necessary to