Decorating Fabrics with Crayola Crayons from School Arts October 1908

I am having a great time paging through about 20 School Arts Books from the early part of the 1900's. This article by Mrs. Percy L. Wright from Clinton, New York details how to use Crayola crayons to decorate fabrics. This technique is still very much used if you judge but the numbers of You Tube videos, books and specialty crayons available. But to think this dates back to the early 1900's is rather astounding. I have reproduced the article below. 

1908 School Arts Book Sewing Project by Sister May

The School Arts Book, first issued by The Davis Press in 1903 is still being published. The yearly subscription (10 issues) continues to be a resource for Primary and Secondary arts education. Back in the 1900's, the arts curriculum was much broader and included applied (home arts and industrial arts) as well as fine arts (drawing and painting).

The September 1908 issue included a pattern and instructions for a hanging match box holder as well as a ladies travel wash cloth bag. Unless one is camping, a washcloth is not something one thinks of packing when traveling. However, a simple drawstring bag, such as this pattern provides, surely has many uses.

Costuming for Drinking Habits 2

Wolf Creek Theater

I grew up in a fanatically Catholic household. Rosaries and chapel veils were an important part of my childhood. Though I have since rejected much of those practices, my memory of the rituals are vivid. 

The Wolf Creek Players latest production, Drinking Habits 2, is my first production with 100% of the costumes of my creation. Many are from my own drafted patterns. Priest's cassocks, monk's robes and nun's habits (among others) were my challenge for this production, a romantic farcical comedy by Tom Smith. Needless to say, this production evoked memories of confessionals and genuflection. Stay tuned for a tutorial on drafting a wimple and gimp. 

If you are in Iowa, or plan to be at the end of March or the beginning of April, please consider purchasing a ticket for a bit of levity and sacrilege (all in good humor).