"Fancy Free" Bird Window Wedges

In 1925, when A Hundred Things a Girl Can Make was published, art instruction in the public schools was part of manual training or industrial arts programs. Training in art was considered a useful skill to have for making a living. Snow and Froehlich, who contributed articles to Industrial Arts Magazine, explicitly incorporated commercial appeal into the projects in the book. "The finished results," explained the authors of their projects, "if attained through a careful following out of the directions given, are not only of artistic interest, but possess as well unquestioned commercial value."

The authors gave specific tips on how to appeal to buyers:

"In offering for sale any of these simple articles, let us remember that it is the fine choice of color that first makes an appeal to the eye. After attention is thus caught, a further inspection must disclose some use for the article, whatever it is--and finally the quality of the workmanship must "stand up" under the closest scrutiny. Uneven stitches, faulty seams or any indication of carelessness in making, will not and should not attract customers.

These are points which must be borne in mind when home-made articles are entered in the commercial field." (p. 13)

I can only imagine that the wooden window wedges shaped like birds (shown above) would have had commercial appeal in the 1920s. They certainly would have been a decorative way to keep the windows from rattling during a wind storm.

What's most appealing about this project is the use of wood for the material. "It is a mistake to suppose that girls are debarred from the pleasure of making anything of wood," argued Froehlich and Snow, "simply because they are girls."

"As a matter of training, girls need practice in the handling of tools, in measuring accurately and in the manipulation of materials other than cloth, threads and yarn. There is no reason for confining their hand-work to sewing, knitting, embroidery and the general crafts of the needle." (p. 59)

To make a wooden bird window wedge, sketch a bird shape with a wedge beneath it on a sheet of paper (Figure 2 below). It should be no bigger than about 2 1/2 inches long. Cut out the pattern and transfer it to a piece of "white wood" (I'm assuming this is balsa wood?). Then cut out the shape with a coping saw and plane or whittle the bottom of the wedge so that it will slip into the window. Sand, draw on details, and then paint with a color scheme that is "brilliant, in strong contrasts of dark and light."
Although we may not have much use for window wedges these days, I still find this project refreshingly modern. The simple shapes of the birds are timeless, and I think that this project could be adapted for other uses. Wooden bookmarks, anyone?