In addition to its uses as interior trim, or for mantel, dresser, desk, and coffee table tops when cigar box wood is in short supply, cardboard of suitable weight can be bent and glued into frameworks for upholstered furniture. There seem to be two schools of thought concerning upholstered doll furniture. One literal minded group reasons that because dolls are insensate, upholstery is merely a matter of eye appeal and hence cushions and mattresses might as well be cut from thick wood to which the fabric covering can be glued direct, or simulated by painting. Another group maintains that the young mother's desire for realism should be aided and abetted whenever possible. With a bow toward each group it is suggested that cushions and mattresses be padded or cut from sponge rubber or scraps of available foam rubber. In some cases cotton padding can be used in the backs or sides of upholstered pieces, but in general it must be used sparingly, because, due to the small scale involved, it is all too easy to "overstuff" out of proper proportion. Those who are familiar with the use of "flock," which is finely cut rayon sprayed onto an enameled surface which is still tacky, will find that this process will produce a realistic upholstered effect.

In A of Figure 4.9 there is diagramed a rather erect wing chair made from a 3-in. by 5 1/2-in. piece of cardboard cut as indicated, and bent into three equal sections around a wooden block seat 13/4 in. square and 7/8 in. high.

Fig. 4.9. Cardboard furniture.

When the available cardboard is not considered thick enough for the purpose, it can be laminated by gluing together several thicknesses. A wing chair with a sloping back can be cut in three pieces, with its corners held together with passe-partout or linen strips and glue, both inside and out.

The seat block is cut 7/8\ in. high on the assumption that four legs \ in. long will be glued to the underside. Those shown are ends of doll clothespins. A piece of rubber sponge f in. thick forms the soft cushion.

Light material, such as chintz with a small pattern, is cemented onto both sides of the sides, back, and seat before the chair is assembled. Rubber cement can be used in covering the cushion.

In order to fashion slipper chairs for the bedrooms, cut off the wings above the arms and reduce the dimensions so that the seat is about 11/2 in. square, resting against a back only 21/2 in. high. The arms can also be lowered to a height of 13/4 in. from the floor. The detachable cushion can be replaced by cotton padding under the covering. To make a chaise longue, extend the seat another 13/4 in.

A corner cupboard for the dining room, living room, or kitchen is easy to make from the corner of a pasteboard box about 6 in. high. Measure off 21/8 in. to the corner on both sides and cut it into a right-angled triangle with a hypotenuse 3 in. wide, leaving tabs J in. wide on sides Y, as indicated in detail B. Tabs X on top and bottom are cut \ in. short at each end so that they will be flush with tabs Y when folded inward. Cardboard cleats S, 1/4 to 3/8 in. wide, are then glued into position to support the triangular shelves; bottom shelf T can then be cemented in place with its tab X bent sharply downward, and the remaining (tabless) shelves slid into position. All folds are made sharp, and tabs X attached to tabs Y with Scotch tape, as indicated. But first paint the interior with Colonial green tempora, or other suitable color. The front is cut from a single piece of bristol board or other fairly stiff cardboard. After trying it for fit, tint it with water colors to resemble knotty pine and outline the door and its hinges in India ink. Glue it to the tabs, and the cupboard will be ready to receive its tiny dishes and bric-a-brac.

Detail C shows standard scale dimensions for a three-paneled, "folding" screen of bent cardboard. The room side of the panels can be covered with a piece of sample wallpaper, a scenic cutout from a magazine, or be hand painted. For a four-paneled screen, add a 1 1/2-in. section.

Cigar boxes of mahogany, cedar, or other close-grained woods are ideal sources for small pieces which can be stained and finished as richly as their larger prototypes. For Duncan Phyfe curves, lyre backs, and other jigsawed effects, 1/8 - or 1/4-in. fir plywood is easier to cut without splitting, but is practically grainless.

The one-piece Hollywood headboard with legs pictured in A of Figure 4.10 can be rectangular with rounded corners, or as ornate in outline as fancy dictates. For a double bed cut it 4 1/2 in. wide; single or twin beds 39 in. wide will scale down to 31/2 in. The height of the headboard may vary from 23/4 to 31/4 in., according to design. The bottom of the headboard is cut into two legs 1/2 in. high.

Fig. 4.10. Furniture from cigar box wood.

Dull surfaced oilcloth in solid colors can be used to cover the headboard, or for a padded surface use a silk remnant. For a tufted effect lay off small squares or diamonds on a paper pattern and prick both headboard and covering where the lines cross. Then glue extremely thin layers of pulled-out cotton well within the boundary lines behind each square or diamond. Glue the front covering to the rear of the back, being careful to keep the holes aligned through which small brads are driven, pulling the fabric tight against the front of the headboard at those points. The heads of the brads can be touched up with an artist's pencil brush dipped in tempora, paint, or enamel.

For a foam rubber mattress sliced | in. thick, the block of wood attached to the headboard to represent the springs should be at least 3/4 in. thick and 6f in. long. For a sponge rubber mattress 1/2 in. thick, the wooden "springs" can be reduced to 1/2 in. Both mattress and springs are covered with the same colorful ticking, which need not be striped. The J-in. high legs can be whittled to fit into holes, or small brads can be driven into them to fit into corresponding holes on the underside of the spring block.

Detail B of Figure 4.10 illustrates a sectional sofa with the one-armed, left section shown in detail. For the backs and arms, scraps of J-in. material are recommended, not only to give body to the upholstered effect, but to provide rigidity for the sloping backs. In all probability the small housekeeper will want to try various arrangements with this sectional type of furniture, so that the more solid its construction, the longer it will resist eventual deterioration. It is so easy to assemble, that a pair of one-armed loveseats about 25/8 in. long can just as well be made up on the same assembly line, thus affording maximum flexibility when the feminine mind succumbs to the periodic urge for furniture rearrangement.

In C a traditional type of dining chair is shown assembled around a tapered seat block J in. thick. Back and legs are cut from the thinnest wood which can be conveniently worked, with the front legs mortised as shown. For a side chair in the living room or hall, type D might be used, with a thin fabric covering over the solid back piece and seat. In the bedroom, a lower and simpler back such as E would be more suitable.

The ever-popular round type dining table can be quickly assembled from a circular disk of thin wood with the end of a tall spool glued to the center of its underside as a pedestal. A pair of small feet 1/2 in. thick are half-lapped in the form of a short cross which can be glued to the bottom of the spool. The latter can be cut off at the top before attaching the table top to insure that the overall height does not exceed 2 1/2 in.

A rectangular table can be supported on the edges of thin strips as stretchers, which are half-lapped in the center of their edges to form a narrow "X," which ends \ in. short of each corner on the underside of the table top. Doll's clothespins cut to the proper height make excellent legs, with their split portions straddling the stretcher ends, and their rounded ends serving as carved feet.