The Green Forest tribune., 1908-07-24

To a rug, table curtain which the maker has expended his ideas and per sonality is pleasure quite distinct from gazing at machine made article which be dupli- cated in any one of dozen stores And the fas- cination of fashioning things with the hands, peeially essentials of the household or articles that add 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- setts who make 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- tion 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 ill the variation of coors.
 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 a drizzly day. For these it is necessary to white new rags in the warp and alternating cords of pink or blue.
 The simplicity of these floor coverings affects one with strange of relief which may be inexplcable at first. It is the of contrast with intricate machne-made designs which are often as confusing as the rattle of the steel ten tacled machines that made them.
 Some of these rugs made in Boston, but most of them come from outside towns. Deer field, Marblehead, Bingham and Lynn are regular stations of supply. In Central square. Cambridge the Massachusetts commission for the blind has an established factory where men weave rugs.
 In 1904 the experiment of blind weavers was first tried They have proved in less than four years that their work can rank with that done by anyone. Without prejudice, buyers are agreed to this, and in many cases they insist that the iS DOt hut the rugs made under the supervision of see ing people, who select colors and distribute the materials
 An expert supervisor with the of his eyes first teaches the mechanism to the blind pupil who memories everything by a numerical sys- tenn. After he has mastered all the movements he soon can acquire the techncalities of pattern weaving
 By numerical system is meant the numbering of each thread well as the arrangement of the materials near the loom, so that the position is memorized sight aid is required to locate any color From triangles and circles progress is made to the intricate patterns. For some of these a raised proof of the design is hung above the loom. By touching it with the fingers the pattern is reproduced on the cloth.
 The proficiency shown by the sightless weavers has eliminated the question of their ability to execute the work. The question remains: Where shall they market their wares?
 This problem is solving itsef for the number of people who buy handwrought articles is rapid ly increasing. When Charles F. Campbell, su- perinteadent 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 he was tying. It was addressed to Detroit, Mich
 We have shipped stuff to Duluth and San Fran cisco,' he added; 'so you the folks out west aren't going to be distanced in this twist