The Washington herald., 1912-03-15
BRAIDED RUGS ARE
GAINING In FAVOR
Made of Silk, They Are Very
Elegant.

OId-fashloned braided rugs maze OIL
strips OF cotton rags have become so
popular with up-to-date nouseK-epers on
account Of their excellent wearing quail
ties tnar some progressive women, WISH
ing something more elegant IN the matter
of homemade rugs, nave conceived an
IDEA OF MAKING them OF SILK.
These are far handsomer than the cot
ton ones, while they possess all the good
points OF being easily cIeaneu ana
durable.
rney can De maze from scraps or SILK,
II You desire a nit-or-mIss pattern, or
arter the SILK is prepared Tor the rug II
can be DYED any color you desire.
Inc SILK Is cut into strips one Incn
wlde. care must be taken cIat eacn
strip is exactly one inch wide; careless
cutting ana uneven strips Will make the
work Unsatisfactory.
Any kind OF sink material Will serve
tor these ruEs-oId SILK pettlcoats cut
INTO strips, wornouT necKTes. dresses,
bits left from dress trimmings, scraps
from the ragpag or OLD coat innings.
After the strips are cut they are sewed
together, end 10 END, IN the same man.
ner our grandmothers sewed carpet rags,
ana are then wound IN a loose paII, Keep
ing the strips perfectly nat
Keep the silk Flat.
II the SILK snoud be very .mucn crum-
pIed or mussed, press II out mar with a
warm iron before cutting, and remember
to always keep it smooth ana nat.
wnen you nave sumcIenI SILK cut
se-eral large baIls-begfn to crochet,
using a large bone needle for the work
Inc stitch employed rs the simplest
known, beginning with three chain
stitches and then the plain crochet
stitch. working around and around. IN
creasIng every Few stitches In the same
manner you would TO make a perfectly
nat JaoIe mat rne important point Is
to keep the Work always nat. Ir this
point is not observed the rug Will not
lay fiat upon the51oof.
When the rug Is the desired size nnIsn
on with three chain stitches, which are
turned under the body or the rug and
sewed uown nat.
OoIOng and square rugs can also pe
made IN the same manner. ror the
square rug begin with a chain stitch
four inches long. then work hack WITH
the plain crochet stitch to the beginning.
WorK DacK ana Iorth untn you nave q
four-inch square for a centre. then
crocnet around this. always increasing at
lne COlH NdIG lIlhl lnt
work is Kept perfectly nat
How They Arc Made.
UbIong rugs are made by crocheung
a chain the length desired for the width
of the rug; then work forward and
back, using the plain stitch, until the
QesIred length Is optaIned.
Silk in dark colOrs is best to use, but
any color may be used, or you can aye
the silk two contrasting coIors. CrocheIed
SILK rugs make Deaut1TuI table covers,
or covers TO throw over the InvaId when
she Is resting on the couCn..
The edge may be fr1nged or finished
with a border or plain SILK. wnen the
latter plan Is adopted, lnterline the silk
with cotton nanneL
1nese rugs ana covers auord a wIde
opportunity for ingenious women to work
in artistic designs, or If used as couch
covers, to apply heavy embroidery to the
Dorders.
After they have been worn a little the
edges OF the SILK fray out, leaving
soft fringe surface that resembles silk
plush. and is exceedingly attractive,
bringing to mind wonderful Oriental
Work, ana. IKE baguau carpets, Iue
longer they wear the softer and more
beautiful grow the colors.
Save all your odd pieces of silk and be-
gin a silk ball that can later be mads
into one OF THESE oeautIruI rugs.