The state herald., 1908-07-24

To own n rug n table cover n curtain on
which the maker has expended his ideas and per-
sonality II q pleasure quite distinct from gazing
Al machine.made article which can be dupli.
Gated in any one Of dozen stores And the fas.
cination Of fashioning things with the hands, es-
peciaily essentials OF the household or articles
that add a refining touch to a commonplace ser.
vice. has led many women to abandon china
painting and fancy work for the more active work
of the loom.
Though there are many amateurs In Massachu.
sctts who make no attempt To market their wares
good many have found weaving attractive
commercial proposition. Many of these have en-
rolled themselves In the Arts and Crafts asso
ciation For them. rag carpet weaving provides
the most direct method OF securing remunera
uon for their work Rugs OF this sort are always
In demand. and there is ample room for the ex.
ercise of taste In developing simple patterns and
In the variation OF coiors.
Most OF the rugs woven with grayish back.
ground. For the piazza and the summer home
there are lighter patterns. soft blends which will
absorb the sunshine or brighten up the tedium of
drizzy day. For these It is necessary TO use
white new rags In the warp and alternating cords
OF pins blue.
The simplicity Of these floor coverings affects
one with II strange sense OF relief which may be
inoSplicable at first. II is the sense of contrast
with Intricate machine made designs which are
often ns confusing as the rattle OF the steel ten.
tholed machines that made them.
Bone OF these rugs ARE made In Boston, but
most OF them come from outside towns. Deer.
neid. Marblchead. bingham and Lynn are regular
stations OF supply. In Central square. Cambridge
th. MakfnchusettH commission for the blind has
an established factory WHERE men weave rugs
In 1904 the experiment OF blind weayerf was
hrst tried They have proved In less than four
yeafn that their work can rank with tina, done by
anyone, without prejudice. buyers are agreed
In hlE and Ia ,a..ss i..aI ,la
work s NO, only good but superior or course
the rugs made under the supervision Of SEQ.
tng people. who select coiorH and distribute the
materials.
An expert supervisor with the use of his eyes
nrHt teaches the mechanism to the blind pupil.
who memories everything by n numerical AyH.
TEN. After he has mastered all the movements.
he soon can acquire the teohnionlitien OF pattern
weaving.
By numerical system" In meant the numbering
Of each thread. aH well aH the arrangement OF the
materials nenr the LOOM that once the position
IN mcmorixcd no sight aid In required to locate
any color, From trianges and circles progress In
made TO the more inifioat. patterns, For some
81 these n raised proof Of the design il hung above
tho loom. by touching u with the fingers the
pattern IL reproduced on the cloth.
The proficiency shown by the niRbtlosH wcayerA
has eliminated the question OF their ability To
execute the work The question remains. whcr.
shall they market their wafesT
This problem Ia solving itself. for the number
Of people who buy hand'wrousht articles In rapid
ty Increasing. When Charles y. Campbell. al,
verintendcnt OF the industrial department, Of The
Massachusetts commission for the blind was
asked where the department, disposed Of their
output he turned up the label of the package ba
was tying. II was addressed TO Detroit. Mich
I'VE have shipped stun to Duluth and Ban Fran,
cisco." he added, so you sec the folks out west
afsnt going TO be distanced is this new twis,