Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-02
(Tc be continued. ,
Rugs.
How THEY MAY BE MADE AT HOME.

Handsome and ornamental rugs may be
made at home. One of the least expen-
sive is the Chenille rug. Collect all your
wooden scraps-no matter how small or
how much soiled-old nannels can be
dyed with bright dyes and add very much
to the beauty of the rug. Cut all the
pieces into crosswise strips about half an
inch wide; the length is of no conse-
quence. Thread a needle with very strong
thread doubled. Gather the pieces through
the centre with not too fine stitches As
fast as a piece is gathered push it down
close to the knot. Push each piece as
tight as possible to the next one. Con-
tinue in this way until the thread is full.
then tie on another thread and proceed as
before. Make in skeins about six yards
long. 1t requires about $50 yards for
rug. Take it to a carpet weaver and have
it woven about three-quarters of yard
wide. If you have enough reds of d'f-
ferent shades to make filty-eight yards
for a border at either end, and have the
center ''hit or miss" it makes beautiful
rug. These rugs are very handsome. and
being alike on both sides, wear beautiful
ly. The only expense is in weaving, gen.
orally fifty cents or one dollar. This work
utilities pieces that would otherwise find
their way into the rag bag. Very pretty
rugs can be made of small silk scraps. no
matter how much defaced, they will all
work in. Cut in strips about half an
inch wide and two inches long. Take a
piece of ticking. having the stripes about
one-third of an inch wide, cut it the size
of the rug wanted. Thread a sewing
machine with coarse thread (number
thirty and needle. Place one of the tick
ing stripes under the needle, then Law 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 it strong. Put
the ticking in place with the next stripe un-
der needle. Fold back the fringe made by
the preceding row, back out of the way
and proceed as before. A black border
and mixed centre are very rich looking.
After the rug is finished line with some
heavy material to keep it fat
Home made Smyrna rugs are very ele
giant, and when carefully knit are equal
to the imported ones in beauty. For these
there comes a thick, heavy worsted called
Smyrna wool. 1t comes in all the rich
Oriental colors, and can be bought for one
dollar and twenty-five cents pound. 1t
requires four pounds of the wool to make
a rug one yard long BY three quarters
wide. This is pretty size You also
need two coarse steel knitting needles,
and Dexter cotton number six. There ia
fine soft cotton that comes for knitting
these rugs. but it is more difficult to find
it. Cut the wool in bits of equal length.
about two inches. With the cotton cast
on torty-two stitches. knit once across
plain.
Second row-knit one stitch cotton, Law
a piece Of wool, so that halt 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 Law in
another piece of the wool and continue I'm.
til twenty pieces have been worked in.
Third row-knit row of plain; then
another with wool, and so no alternately.