Materials And Supplies

Dennison's "Very best Crepe" paper, two or more colors empty glass jar with metal cover shellac

Elmer's Glue-All denatured alcohol

Tools

pair of sharp scissors

1/2" paint brush spool from sewing thread pencil ruler with metal edge

Crepe paper cord covered articles lend themselves to imagination, color, and design. As illustrated in the first photograph, these instructions are for covering a glass jar which had contained Alka-Seltzer. The colors used were orange and tan with narrow stripes of black. Any other jar with a cover may be used with slight variation. More interesting shapes may be found in jars from mustard, maraschino cherries, jams, and jellies. An empty tin can, such as a coffee can, with a tight fitting lid, is also appropriate for this medium.

In the second photograph, a tumbler jacket was made for a glass, and an uncovered glass candle jar was used for the article with the flower design. The pitcher was a ceramic one which had been cracked. After it was covered in shades of blue and gray and had several coats of shellac applied, it became a handsome conversation piece.

Procedure

1. Apply a coat of shellac to the jar and the outside of the cover. Do not allow any shellac to get on the glass ridges above the point where the cover shuts over. While the shellac is drying (at least a half an hour) prepare the crepe paper for use as cord.

Figure 61. Crepe Paper Cord Covered Jar.

Figure 62. Working Detail of Crepe Paper Cord.

2. ;Cut two inch widths of crepe paper across the grain. Use the entire package of folded paper. Do not take it out of the band but slip out a few inches at a time. With ruler and pencil draw lines two inches apart across the short end. To keep the paper from slipping you may hold the several thicknesses with two clip clothespins, one on each side, if you wish.

3. ;Stretch fully about four inches of one end of a strip If you are in bed, have someone tie the end to a firm object such as a doorknob where you will have a long clear space of fifteen to twenty feet. If you are in a wheel chair, you can most likely do this without help and back up fifteen to twenty feet. Hold the other end of the strip securely, stretch the paper to its fullest length at the same time allowing the edges to roll in. Run the end of the crepe paper strip through the spool, then tie the end around a pencil. Spin the pencil to the right with your right hand while holding the spool with your left hand. Keep an even tension so that the paper will be twisted evenly and will not break. It will take several minutes. The cord should be hard and firm when finished. Cut off the loop that was tied to the pencil still keeping the cord taut all the time. Wrap the cord around the four fingers of your left hand (not the thumb). Do not allow kinks to form. When you reach the doorknob or article to which the other end was tied, cut that end off, remove the finished cord from the left hand, and as you do so, form a figure eight with it. Wind several lengths of paper in this manner before you commence pasting to the jar.

Figure 63. Crepe Paper Cord Covered Articles.

This cord can be made in half the time by two persons working at opposite ends of the strip, using two spools, two pencils, and each person spinning to the right.

4. Apply a thin line of Elmer's Glue-All completely around the jar just under the glass ridges at the point where the cover shuts over. Working from right to left, hold the end of the cord on the glue until it sticks, then paste the first row around the neck of the jar. Have it fit snugly. Apply glue as needed and allow the second row of cord to touch the first, the third row to touch the second, and so on until the jar is covered. Avoid overlapping of rows. As you become expert at winding you may be able to apply glue for two or three rows at a time. When you change colors do so in a direct line vertically all the time. Snip the old piece off and bring the new cord up close to it so there is no separation. The model shown in the first photograph was made from the top down as described above with eighteen rows of orange, two rows of black, twenty-five rows of tan, two rows of black and forty rows of orange. The base of the jar that rests on the table is not covered with cord.

5. ;Apply glue to the bottom outside edge of the cover. Have the first row touch the edge of the metal cover and work upwards. Going over the top of the cover evenly and neatly is a little difficult. Simply wait a minute at each row to have the glue set as you work. On the top of the lid paste the cord around and around until you reach the center. Snip off the balance of the cord and hold the center down until the glue sets.

The cover on the model was begun with two rows of black. It took four rows of orange to reach the top, and another ten rows of orange around the top until the center was reached.

6. ;Apply three coats of clear shellac to the jar and cover. Be certain that the first coat is completely dry before applying the second coat of shellac. Similarly, the second coat of shellac must be dry before applying the final coat.

Each time after using shellac, clean the paint brush with denatured alcohol.