The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-24
Rugs.

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These useful articles were never more
in vogue than now. In many houses.
they cover the greater part of the floors,
taking the place of carpets. Anybody
who has money can buy a rug, but it
takes skill, taste and industry to make
one out of such materials as are furnished
by outwear of everyday clothes. This
can be done, however, and the home
made article be serviceable and almost
as handsome as the purchased article.
Avery good way to use up old wooden
stockings and wooden knit goods of ev-
cry SORTS to wash them very clean, then
ravel them and knit the yarn in strips
the length the rug is to be. Have the
knit strips an inch wide, and after damp
ening them press till dry with warm
iron. This ts,the wrinkleIin them. Then
cut each strip down the middle, making
two oft. Sew these strips to founda-
ton of ingram or three-ply, fastening
the selvage edge to the carpet, then ravel
the cut stitches. The strips should be
placed together so as to cover the founda-
ton perfectly. The colors can be ar
ranged to suit the taste of the knitter.
All wooden yarn works up well in this
way, and as odd moments can be used
while knitting it the investment of time
is not bad one, and the result is very
satisfactory.
Another way that is easy and effective
is to cut the goods to be used in strips
an inch wide and gather them along the
middle with strong doubled linen
thread When enough has been done
to cover the foundation prepared, begin
in the middle of the foundation and sew
the rope thus made round aud round till
all is sewed on. Fill up the corners and
if the edge has been finished before the
rope was sewed on, as it should have
been, your rug is done. This uses up
the rags very fast, and more econom-
ical method is the following: Cut circular
pieces an inch in diameter and, having
prepared the foundation, which should
be of carpeting or heavy wooden cloth,
sew these pieces one by one through the
centre to the foundation. Have them
very close together. Outline forms may
be made on the foundation which shall
make pretty figures in the rug when fin
ished This method utilizes all the little
pieces one may have.
AhOuhCl way 49, SlLJCl udNlDS
your pattern to cut out pieces of cloth
corresponding to the pattern, and en-
broider them more or less elaborately,
then sew them to the foundation and fill
in the groundwork with any little device
your fancy may suggest. Border the
whole with fringe of some sort. Small
rugs made in this way may serve as
choice bits of coloring and are to be laid
before small table.
Braided mats everybody can make
Cotton and woollen are almost equally
good made up in this way. The center
of the mat may be bright piece of car
peting neatly bound, and 1t may be cut
circular, oblong or square, according to
the shape desired to get them out of the
way quickly. The thread used in sew
ing braided mats should be of the very
strongest, as this is always the first to
wear out.
Knit rugs are very pretty when prop
erly made. Tear the rags into strips, sew
them together and wind into balls as for
making rag carpets. Then with wooden
needles knit them in strips two inches or
more wide, and as long as desired Sew
these strips together, line the whole with
burlaps, put on fringe and the rug is
done. Soft woollen goods work up very
well in this way.
Almost perfect limitations may be made
of Turkish rugs in the following way:
Take piece of strong burlap the size
you wish the rug to be, bind it strongly
and neatly, and sew it into frame,
after the manner of a quilt. Trace on
it with ink the pattern you wish to work
on it. Cut your rags into widths vary
ing according to the texture of the rags,
but the equivalent of a quarter of an
inch of flannel. With rug hook, like
a large crotchet needle set in wooden
handle, draw the rags through the foun-
dalton, having the hook in the right
hand on top, and the rags in the left
hand underneath the frame Have both
ends of each strip drawn through and
left on top. They need no other fasten-
ing. Trim off evenly the surface Yarn
may be thus drawn in and initiate the
Turkish rugs very nearly. More salts
factory results may be obtained by this
method of rug-making than by any other
we know of.
There Is no better season than the
present to get ones house cleared of
everything that can attract the moth.
When everything is utilized that can be
it is a comfort to know that the Junk
man will gladly pay for what is left
and our premises be free of all kinds of
rag trumpery. Y. Tribune.