The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-10-08
The Rug Making Fad

n r.
Among the old-fashioned accom-
plishments that have followed the
knitting craze is rug making. Women
have formed classes to learn the art
of braiding and sewing the quaint
round and oblong rugs dear to the
New England housewives hearts. The
new rugs are even more beautiful
than the old ones, for by purchasing
new materials definite color schemes
may be followed. These are decided
improvement on the hit or miss col
|oring inside black or dark gray Dor.
ders of the antique rugs made Of the
old rags.
The so-called hooked rugs made on
burlap or potato sacking foundations
are making steady progress under
skillfuI fingers on many summer
porches. There is likely to be an cpl
demic of this variety this fall. All
that is required for this style of rug
making is hook and a frame, usual.
homemade, to stretch the burlap on
and strip balls of material.
The design is drawn or stenciled on
the stretched burlap and the hookins
is started in the center. In hooking
two or three strands of the burlap,
thread is caught so that the wrong
side is well finished, and when the
design is all worked the edge is rolled
and hemmed, coarsely buttonholed or
crocheted. The surface is trimmed
where any Gnevenness is apparent in
the length of the messy effect.
Designs of Labrador
Women of labrador, aided by the
men out of the fishing season, did a
number of such rugs under the guild
ance of French missions. These were
most remarkable in coloring and pat
tern. Things familiar to the eyes of
the makers were utilized in the de-
signs bears, sledges with dogs,
pine trees, the sun shining on wintry
scenes in cold blues, green's and grays.
with few figures and all black border
ing. They were pictures of the frozen
North, and those who bought Of the
first consignment used them for wall
decorations This effort showed what
could be done in this sort of rug
making with primitive designs.
A popular variety of crocheted rug
is done by crocheting narrow strips
of canton flannel over clothesline with
coarse crochet needle. These make
most durable round rugs, and are not
dyed until they are finished. They
are then dyed to match the color
scheme of the room in which they are
to be used. These homemade rugs
should be tremendously dyed and
properly placed in suitable surround
ings to look their best.
The Woven Varieties
Hand-woven rugs are made of al
most every conceivable material, in
Guiding. lawns, cretonnes, sat1ns,
ducks, cotton f1annels, ticking, ropes
and yarns. In buying materials for
rugs it is found that remnants are
not practicable because of requiring
more seams, and it is harder to man.
age colors. Damaged goods is often
to be had at fair price in ten or fifteen
yard pieces, and it is better than short
lengths. The strips should be cut or
torn, three-quarters inch wide, and
rolled as cut to prevent snarling. Two
and ahalf pounds, cut from five to
seven square yards of matefial, make
one yard of weaving.
White warp is considered best for
all rug use. tits called by the trade
four-ply H. Scotch wool rugs made
in this way are considered the most
durable.
Chinese wool, flax, Navajo, reed,
raffia, grass, rush, braided, rag, hooked
and hand-woven areall excellent wear
ing summer rugs and furnish the cot
lager a wide choice at reasonable
prices. They are all to be had in the
shops if the home facilities for making
are inadequate.
The socalled washable rag rugs
wash well if plenty of soap powder is
used to take out the dirt, oil and dis
turbed dye. They must then be well
dried, and should be mangled to make
them lay well. If not carefully rinsed
the rugs look muddy and dirtier than
before. The fringe requires swapping.
and combing, otherwise it
had better be cropped.
In weaving, if fuzzy rug is. de-
sired, use denim and unbleached mus
lin for the torn stripping.
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