Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-08-29
Rag Carpet Gossip.
aIHTs TcR MAKING THEsE COMFORTABLE YLoo


aINTs PCR MAKING THEsR COMFORTABLE FLOOR
COVERINGS.
farmers daughter writes as follows: Rag
carpets and their manufacture form an essen
tial branch Of domestic economy among far
mers; for being made principally from cast-otf
clothing, the expense, aside from the labor,
need not be very great and the old garments
are thus made to do double duty. Further
more, the carpets are not too fine for use; yet
when we'll made, and the colors nicely blended
are really handsome, and give an air OF cheer
fulnees and substantial comfort 10 the dining
and living room Of the farm house, not easily
attained by shabby, threadbare, ingram or
thres-ply.
| know many farmers whose chambers and
sitting room and in fact, every part OF the hou.e
except, it may be. the pArlor, are carpeted with
this homemade tapestry the sensible woman
folks prefer1ng plain furniture 10 the pnvA-
tions attending so many hne things, and the
difficulty Of keeping up asyle to correspond
upon the not lwAys immense income Of the
working farmer. II any Of the family can engage
in any employment, which will enable them to
get carpets for the pArlor or chambers more
easily than to make them at home, it would of
course, be better, and Brussels or ingram would
give better satisfaction yet for more common
use, for the sleeping rooms Of the family and
the dining room, which, in winter at least, il
often used a. kitchen, too, give us rag carpets
Some people take great pains in preparing
their rags. / do not wish to reflect upon those
ladies who make them in 50 short time, for
know nothing Of their method. But know there
iH q vast difference ia the quality Of reg carpets
6ome cut the rags very fine, and instead Of cut
ting around the corners OF an angular piece of
CLOTH cut every strip of and sew on the next one.
in order TO avoid the uneven place and ragged
corners sticking up in the carpet This necessi-
tAtes an amount OF sewing which would lsok
rather formidable for two months work.
Again, instead Of tearing any Of the cotton
rags they cut them all to avoid the fTingsd and
rayeled edges. Hence, the alternative of cush-
,r.A1a -. s..l tf.Na a
this Eeems to many like useless labor, 'iust for
rag carpet But there ia perceptible differ
ence in carpet made in this way, and the shabby
Affairs We sometimes zee which were made years
ago. Besides, those OF US who depend upon rag
carpets for our best rooms naturally wish to car
~ their manufacture TO the highest possible de-
gree Of perfection.
Az to "hip-skp" or "hit-and-miss'' carpets
they are very pretty while new and the colors are
bright but With constant use snd frequent Sweep
Ing even the faat colors will grow dim long before
the web begins to fail Then they are no longer
ehene. but all Of a color and their want OF design
or form makes them seem very homely, while a
stripe holds ts own far better. or course il
need MT be glaring contrast of red and yellow,
or green and orange, but shaded green's, little
red and less yellow-almost none at all Of the
lAtter-rich brown, maroon, etc, Two or three
shades Of a color are almost a. necessary TO pro-
duce pleasing effect AZ in embroidery and
Worsteds.
A light aniline red shading into maroon, or If
you are s-partial to brighter colors, 3 cochinea
scarlet, mAdderred, which usually has = yellow
ish tinge and orange. Blue was always per-
plexity to me- could not find a place for it
anywhere in stripe; it would not harmonize
with anything should have left it out en-
tirey If had had my own choice in the matter
But finally after looking at some green and blue
plaid dress goods, a bright idea crossed my
mind. Iput thread OF blackand thread Of
blue alternately until had Ave of black and
four OF blue, and on either side two shades OF
green .ae darkest next the black and blue
This proved to be the handso nest stripe of all
and L. o bue DID Lot look out Of place or iaI
uIon one nerves Of vision. Back aud white
thread and thread, makes a very pretty cen
tire for a red stripe. Many of these colors blue.
yellow, orange, and two or three shades oi
green, may be colored upon cotton, and are a.
durable as anything in rag carpet. Old calico