Evening star., 1950-03-07
Conducted by
BETSY CASWELL
RUG INFORMATION.

fFront Mrs. E. H. P, WashinotonJ
From Mrs. D. r. F., re scatter
rugs: have quite a collection Of
information on rug making, as I
have made all the rugs for my
home for some time. All the in
formation came from the Public
Libraray, from booklets issued by
the American Home magazine, by
the American Weekly and even
one from a Washingb ton morning
paper. However, briefly, I'll try
to help in the column. Mrs. D.
R. F. can make almost any kind Of
rug out of her cotton scraps and
beautiful ones, too. The sewing
machine shops sell an attachment
for dollar or so that might in
terest her, the material is cut in
narrow strips, sewed together,
then wound around the attach
ment and the resulting twist
sewed together and hooked
through. with appropriate designs
being picked out in color, on can
vas or burlap backing. Braided
rugs are perhaps easiest, with
the attachments sold in a local
dime store, although they really
work better with wool. All in
formation is supplied with the
metal braiding ends. Crocheted
rugs are easy and lovely to look
at land to wash).
Frankly. have made the pref
tiest rugs I own out of just any,
thing all mixed up and believe it
or not, they wash beautifully. The
strips are cut in half inch lengths,
sewed together and crocheted with
a large wooden crochet hook,
available in any ten cent store.
Although I have never made any
of these I understand that rugs
made in the following fashion are
beautiful and very easy to make.
The first involves cutting strips
about an inch wide, sewing to-
gether and then with a large
needle and heavy thread, shirring
through the middle of the mate
rial to make tight gather. Then
the strips of gathers are sewed
together on end. to make a rug
about an inch thick. Beautiful
color combinations can be achieved
in this rug. Another method is
weaving, although this involves
the use of loom and while the
result is a long lasting colonial
rag rug. it means much more work
and the bother of all the equip
ment.
I consider crocheted rugs the
best value for the amount of time
and effort expended, and have
made them of every conceivable
material. Silk stockings, old
underwear, overcoats, dresses. ties
nothing is safe when / get a rug
making mood. However, cotton
material, all the same weight,
would make lovely rugs for bath
room or children's rooms, and
when the color fades out after
repeated washings, may even be
dyed in an automatic washing
machine.
For hint in sewing the strips
together, a clever friend of mine
showed me how to do it on q sew
ing machine. Cut the ends on the
bias. that is slantwise as though
it were a bias strip, then sew the
right sides of two strips together;
without taking it out of the ma
chine or breaking the thread. pull
it through about an inch and
start sewing the next strip to the
end of the second one. and so on
to the end. Afterwards, cut the
threads between the loop and
there are your long strips, ready
to be wound in balls. II further
information is desired, you may
feel free to consult my scrapbook.
Write to me through RICH.
y X X II
UNPAINTED FURNITURE:
PUPPETS?
(From Mrs. r. r., CheUerly.I
In re request for painting un-
painted furniture in a blond fin
ish: I wish to say that if the lady
will write to The O'Brien Corpo-
Department Ga, South
Bend 81, Indiana, they will send
her free data on blond wood fin
ishes. Hope this will help little.
would liLa to L,,o,,, r,I,>~a