These four little crickets or low stools are so different from ordinary designs and so gayly decorated that they will add a bright note to your home decorations or make welcome gifts.
Dressed 1″ white pine, which is actually about 3″ x 4″ thick, is the most suitable material. For the weathercock design, one piece 9 ½” x 15″ and two pieces 6″ x 12″ are required; for the sea-horse design, one piece 9 ½” x 13″, one piece 6″ x 11″ and one piece 6″ x 9″; for the fish design, one piece 9 ½ x 16″ and two piece 6″ x 12″; for the pitcher design, one piece 10″ x 14″ and two pieces 6″ x 10″.
All the cricket are made in the same general way and the individual variations in design are hown in squared drawings. Full- size patterns for the tops and the leg or base section should be carefully drawn on paper which has been ruled with 1″ square. The back of the drawing is blackened with a very soft lead pencil and the patterns are then traced on the wood with a hard lead pencil. Mark the cross-lap joint accurately to suit the exact thickness of the stock being used as these joints must be tight. After the part have been sawed and sanded, glue the joint and glue and nail the top on the leg.
The decoration are painted with watercolor poster paint or tempera color directly on the raw wood. A soon as they are hard the entire cricket should be given a coat of clear spar varnish to protect the color. After this has dried, a second coat is brushed on to resist hard wear.
To get the full plans and directions for building these crickets/stools CLICK HERE
