Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-06-03
HOMEMADE RUGS.
How They May he Made with the Lenst
Expense and Trouble.


How They May he Made with the Least
Expense and Trouble.
Handsome and ornamental rugs may
be made at home. One of the least oN-
pcnsive is the Chenille rug. Collect
all your woolen scraps-no matter how
small OF how much soiled-old llannels
can be dyed with bright dyes and add
verT much TO the beauty Of the rug.
Cut Fll the pieces into crosswise strips
about half an inch wide; the length Is
Of no consequence. Thread needle
with very strong thread doubled
Gather the pieces through the center
with not too fine stitches. As fast as n
piece is gathered push II down close
TO the knot. Push each piece as tight
MS possible to the next one. Continue
in this way until the thread is full, then
tic on another thread and proceed rs
before. Make in skeins about six yards
long. II requires about one hundred
and fifty yards for n rug. Take 1t to
carpet weaver and have II woven
thrce-quarters of yard wide. If you
AlNNt tilUuEu IthN vi NlititiiA NuNhNN
to make iifty-eight yards for border
at either end, and have the center chit
or miss it makes beautiful rug.
Very pretty rugs can be made Of
small silk scraps, no matter how much
defaccd they will all work in. Cut in
strips about half an inch wide and two
inches long. Take piece of ticking
having the stripes about one-third of an
inch wide, cut it the size of the rug
wanted. Thread sewing machine
with coarse thread (numberthiriy) and
needle. Place one Of the ticking stripes
under the needle, then lay on the silk
pieces close together, with the middle
of each piece on the ticking stripe and
stitch down to the end of the stripe,
then stitch back again close to the last
row of stitching; this will make IL
strong. Put the ticking in place with
the next stripe under needle. Fold
back the fringe made by the preceding
row, back out of the way and proceed
as before. A black border and mixed
center are very rich-looking. After the
rug is finished, line with some heavy
material to keep it fiat.
Homemade Smyrna rugs are very
elegant. and when carefully knit are
equal TO the Imported ones in beauty.
For these there comes n thick heavy
worsted, called Smyrna wool. II comes
in all the rich Oriental colors and can
be bought for one dollar and twenty
five cents a pound. Ii requires four
pounds of the wool to make a rug one
yard long by three quarters wide.
This is a pretty size. You also need
two coarse steel knitting needles and
Dexter cotton, number six. There is q
fine soft cotton called Smyrna cotton
that comes for knitting these rugs, but
it is more difficult to find il. Cut the
wool in bits Of equal length, about two
inches. With the cotton cast on forty
two stitches, knit once across plain.
Second row-Knit one stitch cotton.
lay in n piece Of wool. so that half is in
front and half at the back Of the work
knit in; then bring the half from the
back to the front of the work and knit
in; then lay in another piece of wool
and continue until twenty pieces have
been worked i'm.
Third row-Knit row Of plain cot
ton; then another with wool, and so on
alternately. This makes strip nine
inches wide. 1t is knit width wise,
and in as many strips as the rug is to be
long. After making the strip the de-
sired length. bind Off As each strip is
finished. with a sharp pair Of scissors
clip off the uneven ends, before sewing
pieces together. Knit rs tight as pos
sible to make firm Patterns come in
colors for knitting these rugs, but any
cross stitch pattern will do. putting a
piece of wool for every stitch in the
pattern and knitting plain stitch be-
tween. Rag rugs are knit from these
same directions Mrs. Q. $. For, in
Good Housekeeping.