WHEN MOTHER LETS US MAKE
PAPER BOX FURNITURE

A Happy Little Worker.

WHEN MOTHER LETS US
MAKE PAPER BOX
FURNITURE

A BOOK WHICH SHOWS CHILDREN JUST HOW TO
MAKE MOST ATTRACTIVE TOY FURNITURE OUT OF
MATERIALS WHICH COST PRACTICALLY NOTHING—TOYS
WHICH GIVE AS MUCH PLEASURE AS
THOSE FROM EXPENSIVE TOY SHOPS.

By G. ELLINGWOOD RICH
Teacher of Art and Manual Training, Brooklyn Training
School for Teachers

ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR

NEW YORK
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY
1914

Copyright, 1914, by
MOFFAT, YARD & COMPANY
New York

All Rights Reserved

TO
MY FATHER AND MOTHER
THE BEST PLAYFELLOWS I EVER HAD
TO WHOSE ORIGINALITY AND INGENUITY
I OWE MY FIRST CONSTRUCTIVE IMPULSES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

TO GROWN-UPS.

You are interested in very little, middle-sized or big girls or boys, each child according to his years craving a medium for self expression and opportunity to create.

To each according to his interests and developing powers the suggestions in this little book are offered.

It is the author’s hope that the industry, perseverance and ingenuity needed to work out the suggestions may help in some small way to lay the foundation upon which big after things may be builded.

TO VERY LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS.

You can make the furniture easily if your big sister or brother will read the directions to you. You will have great fun looking at the pictures, listening to the rhymes and playing with the furniture.

TO MIDDLE-SIZED GIRLS.

You, also, will enjoy the pictures and rhymes. Of course you will take great pleasure playing with your doll furniture, but, best of all, you can make every bit of it yourself. Just think—you can make it just the size and just the color you wish it; and the rhymes will suggest many delightful little “extras” to make your doll home attractive just as mother makes hers.

TO BIG GIRLS AND MIDDLE-SIZED AND BIG BOYS.

Even though you may not wish to play with the furniture yourself you will thoroughly enjoy making and giving it to some dear little folks of your acquaintance. You will also be getting and giving a great deal of pleasure by helping other little friends make their own furniture.

You will enjoy changing the designs or making other pieces of furniture from your own original ideas. I suggest that you design and make a china closet, sideboard, combination desk and bookcase, four posted bed, wash stand with towel rack, music cabinet, business desk for “father,” rocking chair, circular top table, lamp or shirt-waist box. I’m sure you will think of many more.

TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY.

You might make toy furniture for the children’s ward in a hospital.

You might make them for some little friend who is quarantined.

You might make them for some little “shut-in.”

You might teach some little “shut-in” how to make them, being sure to keep him supplied with boxes.

You might organize a toy-making club and make them as gifts for poor children.

Your Sunday school class might make them to be sold on a “Toy Table” at your church fair.

You might show them to your teacher at school. She might wish to form a club so that many children may have the pleasure of making them.

You might make them for Christmas or birthday presents for your little friends.

NECESSARY TOOLS.

MATERIALS AND HOW TO USE THEM.

BOXES.

Boxes of all sorts, sizes and kinds are to be had by simply asking for them. Every store throws away dozens of them every day. They seldom keep any because they haven’t room for them. If you explain to a clerk in a store what you are doing with the boxes, I am sure that he will save them for you. You must be sure to go for them at the time he tells you because they will be in his way. You will find many fine, strong boxes at drygoods, stationery, drug and candy stores.

SIZE AND PROPORTIONS.

You must first decide about what size you wish your set of furniture to be and then make a collection of boxes of suitable sizes.

If you wish to make a tiny set to fit into a little play house to be used for small china dolls or paper dolls, then collect small peppermint, spool, jewelry, powder or pill boxes.

If you wish to make larger furniture to be used in a large play house or on the floor, for medium-sized dolls, make a collection of large candy, stocking, collar and corset boxes.

If you wish to make quite large furniture to be used on the floor, for good-sized dolls, collect still larger corset, envelope, shoe and wholesale candy boxes.

Try as far as possible to keep all the pieces of furniture planned for one room in good proportion to one another.

Try also to keep all the parts of each object in good proportion.

“SCORING.”

To bend a stiff piece of cardboard so that the edge will be nice and straight, it should be “scored.” Lay a ruler along the line where it is to be bent and make a light scratch with the knife. This is called “scoring.” The cardboard should then be bent with the “scoring” on the outside.

CUTTING.

To cut a box or cover into two pieces, draw around the sides and bottom, making it “square” by using a carpenter’s square, a draughtsman’s triangle or the corner of another box or cover. Use scissors to cut down the edges of the box; if the scissors will not cut quite to the bottom, finish with the knife. “Score” across the bottom and bend it. By bending back and forth, the two pieces will come apart.

To cut a piece out, as when shaping a leg like those of the dresser, use scissors to make two cuts in from the edge; use the knife to “score” across between the cuts, and bend back and forth until the piece comes out.

To cut a piece out to make slats like those in the headboard of the bed, use a ruler to draw the shape of the “hole”; stick the point of the knife through the cardboard at the corner of the “hole,” and, with a sawing motion, carefully follow the lines. To prevent the cardboard from tearing, put your hand underneath to support it, but be very careful to keep your fingers away from the knife.

FASTENING.

To fasten the parts of the furniture together use brass fasteners instead of glue. Fasteners cost about ten cents for a box containing one hundred. Glue is not satisfactory because it will not securely hold the heavy cardboard. These toys are to be played with by children and must be strong and securely fastened together.

Hold two parts together and stick the point of the knife through both pieces. Push the prongs of the fasteners through the slit and separate them on the under side; then flatten them in opposite directions.

The fasteners can be put in and bent to fasten and, at the same time, suggest knobs, hooks and piano pedals. The directions and pictures will show how.

It is possible to fasten parts together by punching two holes instead of one and using string. The string can be pulled through with a darning needle and must then be tightly knotted and cut off. This is strong enough but slower and more difficult.

PAINTING.

The little pieces of furniture are very cunning whether they are painted or not, but painting them adds greatly to their attractiveness.

When you have finished one piece you may be so anxious to see how it will look when painted that you will be tempted to paint it immediately. It will be wiser and more workmanlike to plan and make all the furniture for one room before you paint any of it.

Before you begin to paint, it is a good idea to examine the corners of the furniture; if any of them are split or weak, strengthen them with adhesive tape of some sort (passe-partout tape comes in convenient and inexpensive rolls). The paint will cover up the tape.

Since boxes usually have printed labels which may show on the furniture, it is best to use a thick paint. Enamel in small ten cent cans may be bought in a variety of colors suitable for the furniture, black, white, mahogany, antique oak, light oak and rosewood. If dull paints or stains are used, put on a coat of shellac to make it shine like varnish. White shellac can be bought in bottles for about twenty cents a pint.

One brush will do for all colors because with care it can be kept clean and soft. Clean shellac brushes with alcohol; clean paint brushes with turpentine. The turpentine will take paint off of fingers or remove any little spatters which may accidentally have gone on to other things.

THESE ARE SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS:

Choose a place to work—kitchen table, bench in woodshed, sewing table in nursery, workshop, barn, back porch, under a tree in the orchard or back yard.

Spread papers or oil cloth to protect mother’s furniture and carpets from paint.

Choose a place to put your furniture while it is drying, where no one is liable to put other things which might be damaged by the paint.

Use a screw driver to pry off the cover of the paint can; scissors or knife will break if used for this purpose.

Use a small stick like a meat skewer or old pen-holder to stir your paint from the bottom. It will need to be stirred thoroughly each time it is used.

Paint all the underneath and lower parts first, while you are still able to hold it in your hands; then set it down and hold an upper corner while you paint all the rest; then let go and paint that corner.

Put the cover on the can when you have finished. If the paint has thickened on the edge of the can it should be scraped off, because the paint will dry up if the cover is not tightly closed.

Thoroughly clean your brush.

Put your painting materials in some place where mother lets you keep such things.

Pick up and destroy all the soiled papers.

TO BOYS.

Don’t think this work’s for girls alone,

For surely that’s not true;

It’s every whit as boyish sport

As anything you do.

And won’t the girls be pleased indeed,

When to them you present

As fine a set of furniture,

As if to a store they’d sent?

And you can good designers be,

Makers and painters, too,

The happiest little workmen known,

In your occupations new.

And you can play you’re salesmen keen,

When all your goods are done,

Or give them to your little friends,

For surely that is fun.

So now get boxes from the stores,

And fasteners, bright and strong;

Ruler and knife and scissors, too,

Will help your work along.

TO GIRLS.

Don’t think this work’s for boys alone,

For that’s not really true;

It surely is as girlish fun

As anything you do.

Of course, when boys have made the toys,

They’ll give them right away;

But girls, when they have finished theirs,

Will sit right down and play.

You also may designers be,

Makers and painters as well,

And in your dainty workmanship

May even the boys excel.

But there’s one thing that girls can do,

Which boys won’t undertake,

That is, the attractive little things

With needle and thread to make.

So get your boxes and fasteners strong,

And sewing materials you’ll need,

And then your playhouse, when ’tis done,

Will be unique indeed.

MAKING THE BED.

A mattress you need and some pillows,

Some cases, a blanket and sheet,

To place in the little white bed you have made,

I’m sure it will then be complete.

Bed.

BED.

Use a shallow box and its cover.

For a large bed use a stocking box.

For a smaller bed use a spool or caramel box.

For a very small bed use a jewelry box.

1. Cut the cover into two parts, making one part longer than the other. The longer part is the headboard, the shorter part is the footboard.

2. Fit the headboard and footboard on the ends of the box and hold them with both hands. Slide the box up or down until it looks like a bed.

3. Lay the footboard down, but hold the headboard and box together, until you fasten them.

4. Fit the footboard on again to match the headboard, and fasten it.

5. Cut the bottom of headboard and footboard to look like legs. Also cut the slats in the headboard and the footboard.

6. Paint brown or white.

Details of Bed.

• Large bed—stocking box
• Small bed—spool box
• Foot board
• Head board
• Cover—cut on dots
• Head board—Foot board
• Box
• Body of bed
• Fastened
• Legs and slats cut

COSY DIVAN.

To make this divan comfortable,

What would you next suggest?

You might make sofa pillows,

So dolly may lie down and rest.

Divan.

DIVAN.

Use a box with a cover which entirely overlaps it, or two boxes exactly alike without their covers. They should be fairly deep, long and narrow, like an ordinary candy box.

1. Cut away one long side, leaving the other long side for the back, and the short ends for arms.

2. Set this on top of the cover and fasten through the seat.

3. Cut away pieces to shape the legs.

4. Cut slats in the back and arms.

5. Paint to match the rest of the furniture in the living-room. Use antique oak, rosewood or mahogany.

Details of Divan.

• Candy box
• Box—front cut away
• Fastened to cover
• Legs and slats cut

SETTING THE TABLE.

If mother has an extra piece

Of linen she won’t need,

I’m sure she’d let you make a cloth,

And be very pleased indeed.

Perhaps you can make some napkins, too,

Out of pieces, oh, so tiny;

Then just set them with your dishes small,

And knives and forks so shiny.

Dining Room Table.

DINING TABLE.

Use a deep box and the cover of another larger box. The cover must be about the same shape, but enough larger to project over the box like the top of a table.

A correspondence card box may be used. Quite deep and strong boxes for this purpose may be got from a drug store or dry goods store.

1. Place the box bottom up.

2. Place the cover on top and put fasteners through it into the box. A piece of cardboard may be used, if you haven’t a cover of the right size.

3. Cut the legs as shown in the picture.

4. Paint to match the other furniture.

Details of Dining Table.

• Cover of slightly larger box
• “Correspondence card” box
• Fastened—bottom of box up
• Legs and rails cut

THE FAMILY AT DINNER.

Put this arm chair at the head of the table,

And into it put father doll;

Before him place the platter for meat,

And play that he serves them all.

At the opposite end, where the tea set stands,

Of course mother doll should be,

And on either side of the table,

Their little children you’ll see.

Arm Chair.

ARM CHAIR.

For a large chair, use two shoe boxes without their covers.

For a small chair, use a chocolate peppermint box and its cover.

For a medium sized chair, use a corset box without its cover.

The following directions are for the corset box:

1. From one end cut a piece as high as you wish the seat. From the other end cut a piece at least twice as high, for the back.

2. Fit the seat into the back and fasten together.

3. Cut away the unnecessary “end” at the top.

4. Cut out the pieces to form the arms, the legs and back.

5. Paint to match the other furniture.

If you cut a corset box just in the middle, you can make two chairs. Use the two ends for the two seats, and the other two pieces for the two backs.

Details of Arm Chair.

• Corset box—cut on dots
• Sides and back—Waste—Seat
• Sides and back—Seat—Fastened
• Top cut away—Arms cut—Slats cut

A DAINTY LITTLE DRESSER.

A little girl’s dresser should always be neat,

As all little maidens know;

And brushes and combs and scissors and files

Must all be placed in a row.

So when you arrange dolly’s dresser,

Be careful of what you choose;

And put on the top, only such things

As you’re sure she’ll really use.

Just make a muslin scarf of white

Over yellow or pink or blue;

Then make a pretty cushion small,

Which things will nicely do.

Add a powder puff and mirror,

With comb and brush between;

She surely can be taught, I know,

To keep these neat and clean.

Dresser.

DRESSER.

Use a box, with a cover which overlaps the box only a little.

For a large dresser use a shoe box.

For a medium sized dresser use a candy box, having the right kind of cover, or a corset box of the wide and shallow kind.

For a very small dresser use a jewelry box.

1. Cut the cover the height you wish the back to be.

2. Fit the box into the cover; hold with both hands, and slide the box up or down until it looks like a dresser.

3. Mark where you wish the bottom of the box to be cut off. Cut it off and fasten the two parts together.

4. Cut a hole for the “mirror” and fasten an extra piece of cardboard behind it. Paste silver paper on the cardboard, or fasten a real piece of looking glass between it and the back.

5. Cut pieces of cardboard for the “drawers,” and fasten them so that the fasteners look like knobs.

6. Paint to match the other furniture. Mark key holes.

Details of Dresser.

• Low box—about twice as long as wide
• Back
• Fastened
• Cut on dots
• Legs and hole for “mirror.”
• Silver paper
• Drawer Fronts
• Extra back
• Back and drawers fastened.

BIG BROTHER.

Mother let me make these toys,

And I made them all myself;

And all I used was boxes

I found upon a shelf.

Now that the cute little things are made,

I’ve painted them all as well;

Dear little sister is surely pleased,

As you from her face can tell.

Big Brother.

DOLLY’S BOOKS.

Cut small strips of paper,