[Illustration:  Babbitt Ladle]

** How to Make Japanese Portieres [265]

These very useful and ornamental draperies can be easily made at home by anyone possessing a little ingenuity.  They can be made of various materials, the most durable being bamboo, although beads of glass or rolled paper will produce good results.  Substances such as straw, while readily adaptable

[Illustration:  Bamboo and Straw Portieres]

and having a neat appearance, are less durable and will quickly show wear.  The paper beads are easily made as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.  In Figs. 1 and 2 are shown how the paper is cut tapering, and as it appears after rolling and gluing down the ends.  A straight paper bead is shown in Fig.  B.

The first step is to select the kind of beads desired for stringing and then procure the hanging cord.  Be sure to get a cord of such size that the beads will slip on readily and yet have the least possible lateral movement.  This is important to secure neatness.  One end of each cord is tied to a round piece of wood, or in holes punched in a leather strap.  Iron or brass rings can be used if desired.

Cut all the cords the same length, making allowance for the number of knots necessary to produce the design selected.  Some designs require only one knot at the bottom.  It is best to make a rough sketch of the design on paper.  This will greatly aid the maker in carrying on the work.

When the main part of the screen is finished, the cross cords, used for spacing and binding the whole together, are put in place.  This is done with a needle made from a piece of small wire, as shown in Fig. 4.  The cross cords are woven in as shown in Fig. 5.  As many of these cross cords can be put in as desired, and if placed from 6 to 12 in. apart, a solid screen will be made instead of a portiere.  The twisted cross cords should be of such material, and put through in such manner that they will not be readily seen.  If paper beads are used they can be colored to suit and hardened by varnishing.  The first design shown is for using bamboo.  The cords are knotted to hold the bamboo pieces in place.  The finished portiere will resemble drawn work in cloth.  Many beautiful hangings can be easily fashioned.

The second design is to be constructed with a plain ground of either straw, bamboo or rolled paper.  The cords are hung upon a round stick with rings of metal to make the sliding easy.  The design is made by stringing beads of colored glass at the right places between the lengths of ground material.  One bead is placed at the extreme end of each cord.  The rows of twisted cord placed at the top keep the strings properly spaced.  —­Contributed by Geo. M. Harrer, Lockport, New York.

** Makeshift Camper’s Lantern [266]

While out camping, our only lantern was accidentally smashed beyond repair, and it was necessary to devise something that would take its place.