The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-27
new INDUSTRIES
THRIVE IN IRELAND.
NEW RUGS CLOSELY RESEMBLE
q PERSIAN WORKMANSHIP.
Their Beautiful Textiles Are Restor-
ing the Fame and Prosperity of
Donegal Peasants Another Artis-
tic and Durable Creations Is the
Erin Doll.

Away in the wild mountain passes Of
Donegal are Irish peasant girls who, with
fingers as deft as those Of their eastern
sisters and an. eye for color even truer and
more artistic, are able to produce on the
rainbow tinted rugs and carpets which,
rival, II they do not surpass, in color and
design the products Of the Oriental looms
q OF late 5endeavors have been made togde-
velop a new field for their Industry. A
factory has been established at Killybegs
by Scotch manufacturers for weaving
Persian carpets and rugs. The venture
mas been most successful, and large num-
bers of girls and boys are employed In the
new industry. 40
Y The popularity Of these carpets is that
they must be entirely made by hand and
by the method which may be seen Illus
trated in the paintings on Creek vases
more than 1000 years old. f,
s The tufts or mosaics Of small wooden
squares are tied by the fingers in: knots
into longitudinal: warps which b are
stretched between two long parallel
beams. The design is placed in front, and
the girls, varying in number according to
the size of the carpet, as many as twelve
sometimes workings at the loom select the
eolors indicated row by row; these are
then tied and bound down by Shoots, of
WOODEN weft drawn across the entire
width, and beaten down by small, heavy
iron-toother combs. These hand-tufted
carpets are exquisitely beautiful The
girls employed at the work have displayed
artistic skill, both as regards color and
design, such as has astonished their in
tstructors. ~
Another important feature of the new
industry is that it will give wonderful i'm
petus to the rearing Of sheep by the Done
gal farmers. The carpets are made en-
tlrely OF wool, and it is part of the scheme
that all the wool used in their manufacture
shall be spun from the feeces of sheep
reared In these mountain regions
1t has been calculated that in a few
years the f1eeces Of 10000 score of sheep
would be required annually.
f one OF the Donegal carpets was pre-.
sented to Queen Victoria on the occasion
of her last visit to Ireland. King Edward
has also been pleased to order five OF them
for the royal yacht, and some of these
lovely carpets are also In Buckingham
palace.
Wherever these beautiful productions
are known they are highly appreciated,
especially by lovers Of things artistic. Or
:ders nave been received at Killybegs from
the highest decorative art critics in Eng
land and America. The Donegal PERSIAN
carpets nave undoubtedly most success
fuI future before them.
L Another new industry which. has sprung
I5into existence in Ireland within the last
few years is the Erin doll Industry, started
by a clever Irishwernan, who has discov-
cred method of making unbeatable
Edolls. -
Taking as her model various distin-
guished personages, hesfaithfully and ar
Itistically reproduces their features. Thus
1--WE have perfect models Of the kingsand
Tqueen, Prince Edward of Wales, Lord
Roberts, etc. Different types of nationali-
ties are also accurately reproduced. In
every instance the utmost care and atten-
ton are paid to every detail Of dress char
acteristic of the individual or type of in
Edividual which it is sought to represent
I These ERIN dolls" are. known far and
Ewide, and are to be found in the nurseries
lof 5the highest in the land, tlle&Princessi of
EWales being among the first to recognize
their merit by purchasing some of those
shown at the sale Of Irish work held in
London on St. Patrick's Day.. ..ss
So numerous are the orders received that
1t IS almost Impossible to keep pace with
the demand. Altho all the features are
modelled by one hand, the making of these
dolls finds work for scores.