Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-20
Rag Carriers.

Rag CarpeTss
For the farmers dining or sitting
room, or in any place where durability
is demanded, there is obviously nothing
that quite fills the place of Well-made
rag-carpet; yet want to say to the in
experienced In this art, that if they
would have their work satisfactory when
done, there are few things not geper-
ally dWelt on in articles on rag-carpetS,
to which they must give thought and
care.
You have already been told that the
rags must be finely and evenly cut or
torn, and that they must be well sewed,
with no loose ends left sticking out.
Next, in coloring and arranging your
rags, so plan that all of your breadths
shall be aike-that is, that your carpet,
when done, shall look as much as posi-
bic the same throughout, instead of hav-
ing light patch here and dark patch
there; brown in one dark stripe and
black in another; bright shit or miss
in one breadth, and dull in the next, and
the like. Then, when you have so
sewed, colOred and planned, Insist upon
it that your carpet-WeaVer shall make
use of your rags according as you direct.
Also, look to it that few inches are
allowed on each breadth over and above
the exact length of the roOm,' as-if well
and firmly woven-yOu cannot, the first
time at least, stretch it so much upon
the floor as it is stretched when meas
ured in the loom, and it does not add to
the beauty of your apartment to have
few inches of bare floor at one or other
side of it. Then, when you have your
carpet home from the Weaver'S, do not,
according to the usual custom, sew the
breadths together with carpet-warp in
an ''over-and-over'' seam, but procure
| some coarse skein linen thread of the
same shade as your carpet, double and
wax it, and sew ball-stitch, the same as
if making an Ingram 1t will fairly
paw you for the extra work, as it gives
| the carpet much more fine and agree
able look. In the other way one side of
the seam is always unavoidably coarse
and ugly-looking. AS a matter of course
| you will have a couple or three inches
! between breadths filled in with carpet
warp, and this renders the hemming of
your breadths, whether on the machine
| or by hand, an easy and speedy task.
Also be sure to match your stripes &C
curately, though this is also greatly de-
| pendent upon the weaver care and
skill. Something may be done in sew
| ing, by holding one side or the other
little full, to remedy defects, but not
much Next comes the straw. No!
| Don't put it down without-either your
rag-carpet or your ingram. Paper may
answer every purpose for warmth, but
it holds dust on the top of it to beat up
again into the carpet; besides the grit
| in it wears out the threads, and the
| grinding in of the dirt and dust renders
! the carpet dull and old-looking very
| quickly on the lower side. Clean, sweet,
| dry oat-straw-just from the threshing
machine, if you can procure it's what
you want; good supply, but not too
| thick upon the floor, and be sure
and have it evenly spread. Now
comes the stretching. It is hard work,
| but it must be drawn tight; otherwise in
little time it will be all wrinkles and
waves. See to it that the stripes are
| straight with the room. The beauty of
many carpet, pretty in itself, is spoiled
| by the way in which it is put down. /
can conceive of few things more mar
tistic than a carpet put down in such a
fashion that the stripes or figures are
bowling and zig-zag; an eye that is at
| all accurate cannot fail to notice and be
constantly tortured thereby. Do not be
| sparing of tacks. but place close enough
to hold the carpet well up to the base
board the duller the heads the better,
| as q cleaning row of ''span-new" car
| pet-tacks around the edges of room is
the reverse Of elegant. Push the straw
back from the edges as you go along;
do not leave any of the ends peeping
out.
Before beginning to tack edges, slip a
piece of oilcloth over each threshold, as
this saves scrubbing and gives much
more neat and pleasing appearance to
the room. Cor. Country Gentleman.