International studio (33.1907/1908(1908))

Stencil Craft


SIDEBOARD DESIGNED AND EXECUTED ON
CLOTH BROWN CANVAS BY ANNA DUANE

best not to do this, as there is an excellent reason
for them being there, and therefore they should
not be concealed.
If dyes are preferred to paint, great care must
be taken to follow the instructions given with each
package. Only by so doing is there any chance
of the colors being permanent. The dyes may
be prepared by dissolving a package in a quart
of hot water. If a small amount is needed, four
ounces of water to as much dye as will lie on a
ten-cent piece is a good proportion. The liquid
must be strained through cheese-cloth. Add five
or six drops of diluted carbolic acid in order to
set the color. Another way of making the dye
permanent is to use the white of an egg with
two tablespoonfuls of water and mix some of this
with the dye. Other makers give directions for
the use of dextrine or gum tragacanth, five cents’
worth of which can be obtained from a drug store.
A teaspoonful to a breakfast cupful is a good pro-
portion to use. Some workers have more success
with one dye than another, but really it is a ques-
tion of experimenting and getting good results and
then using the most convenient. Any of the above-
mentioned fixants will not suffice in themselves.
When the material is stenciled and dry, it must
then be ironed on the back with a very hot iron,
having first wrung out a wet cloth and placed it
over the stenciled material. The hot steam sets
the color more effectually than any fixant mixed
with the dye. It will usually be found that people
who are not successful with dyes are not very
particular about this most important detail. Some
workers run a warm iron over their work and then
are disappointed when, after the first laundering,
the stencil has lost much of its pristine beauty.
When a piece of material has become soiled it
must be immersed in lukewarm water containing

a quantity of salt. An hour is not too long to
allow the material to soak. A handful of salt to
a bucket of water will be found a good propor-
tion. This helps to set the color before it is
washed. A good laundress makes her soap-suds
and rinses the material in this rather than rub
it in her hands or on a wash-board.
To apply the color pour some of the liquid dye
into a saucer, and dip into it a stiff bristle brush
sold for painting in oils. Wipe the brush on the
side of the saucer and again on a piece of blotting
paper to remove all superfluous color, and then
apply to the stencil. It will be found that the best
way to handle the brush is to go over the “ties”
and work from the outer edge to the inside of
the open part. By doing this the color cannot
get under the stencil and run. A little practice
soon makes a deft worker, but if these little points
are remembered it may save material being spoiled
by the beginner.
When fine materials like Swiss, bobbinet or cheese-
cloth are used sheets of blotting paper must be
laid underneath the material to absorb the extra
dye; but this is not necessary when canvas, burlap
or other heavy materials are used.
While dyes are nicer to work with than paints,
they are not as absolutely permanent in color as
oil paint sold in tubes. When these are diluted
with one part of japan dryer and two parts of
turpentine, they make a pigment that will not fade
after constant washing. Sash curtains that are
exposed to the glare of the sun should be sten-
ciled with paint in preference to dyes. If a great
deal of stenciling is to be done, it is more econom-
ical to buy a good quality of house paint from a
painter and have him grind it with japan dryer
instead of linseed oil. Turpentine will then only
be needed for diluting it and the purest material

LXXII