Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-05-25
RUGS AND pRApet,rs
.,' articles Made of silk Rays A..
Tieces of Wooden Dress Coca

''h'e rugs and draperies are tho oh
lects OF universal desire in these dav.
tand surely nothing changes the an
pearance OF room so mucbl and s;naa
every domestic success has a suggestive
value. let me tell you what Charming
curtain and rug have just seen, made
OF rags. The young lady whose room
they adorn has quick eve for color
ana def and rapid touch. Roth
rug and curtain were made raadv fo.
the weaver in the odd moments of a
summer vacation.
Inc porffere. very rich and dark in
coior' looks at the first glance like
heavf brocade; it has. however /.
broken, plush-like surface, and one
hardly knows whether it is some costly
oriental fabric or piece OF elaborate
needlework. In fact, it is made of
scraps OF silk and satin, indiscriminatelv
mingled together and woven after the
fashion OF rag carpets. The warp is a
dark red linen thread. The WEAVING.
done at place where this weaving is
specially, is in what is called the new
style, which gives crumpled. hand.
mace effect, more snowy than the
lightly folded filling of the usual method.
say the scraps are indiscriminatelv
mixed together, but Of course a certain
discrimination, a certain choice is ex-
ercised. and upon that nice feeling for
color which keeps out all homogeneous
and jarring fragments, much of the
effect depends. In this special curtain,
a large proportion of the pieces were
trimmings of very rich. dark silks and
satlns from manufacturing establish
ment. The ordinary remnants of a
family, even if sufficient in quantity,
would not have been as desirable for
the purpose.
The rug, woven in the same way, and
made chiefly from two cast-off dresses
was quite successful piece of work
The two colors, dull green and gray,
suited the room, and were enlivened by
mixture of soft yellow dyed with
anratto), and the owner was so de-
lighted with the result as to express an
immediate intention of making "a
larger one next summer"
For rug or carpet, think the old
style of weaving quite as desirable.
What this pretty rug suggested to me
was, the possibility, by a judicious plan.
of making a full-sized carpet or large
rug for bed rooms. as pleasing to the
eye as a handsome eastern rug, as
economical and durable as the old
fashioned rag carpet. | think the secret
may be found in observing two pre-
cautions:
The first is the great essential OF
color. Let the materials on hand-the
old dresses, the rolls of scraps belonging
to discarded garments, etc.-be got to-
gether and examined. Consider the
effect in combination. and decide upon
one or two additional colors which will
best modify or heighten the general
effect of the whole. 1t is very simple
mntter TO dye at home, by means of the
inexpensive and convenient prepare
tons now in use.
With greens, browns and olives, a
little yellow will be found very effective
in combination. Dark red will suit
we'll with mixed colors, with a consid-
cradle proportion of black. Of course
the colors employed in the room where
the carpet or rug is to be used will be
considered When the decision is
reached, all the white and light rags
will be dyed in one or more colors, or
shades of color. By dipping few at
time in the same solution, you will
have several shades of the color, each
lot growing lighter, AS the strength OF
the solution is taken up.
If large proportion of the rags are
faded, or very neutral in hue, it is best
to sort these out and dye sufficient
quantity, in two harmonious colors, to
make the leading tones of the whole
carpet. Thus drab and maroon, dark
green and light olive, or blue and brown,
will make handsome combination.
/ Then comes the second precaution,
/ which is. | think, equally essential. All
the rags should be cut and thoroughly
mixed before beginning to sew. This
will obyiate the streaked, uneven effect
which usually detracts greatly from the
agreeable tone of even the prettieSt rag
carpets of the hit-and-miss type. Nc
doubt. in many households. there is
abundant material for such carpet
material which the housekeeper hardly
knows how to utilize-and why SHOULD
we not see what handsome homemade
door~coverings it will producer l, fol
one, intend to try.
Perhaps the contents of the scrap
bags are considered too good for ra9
carpet, In that case, the new pieces o
wooden dress-goods will make hand
some curtain, or a good table-cover
For this purpose they are cue and sewe'
in the same manner as fer carpet
Flannel or cashmere pieces should b
about three-fourthS of IN inch wide, ant
the ends Tapped and seW'ed entirel
flat. -Dorothg, IN Country Gentleman.
"a LITTLE NONSENSE"
Whom a woman wishes to max