MATS AND PILL1KINS. 



383 



FIG. 2OO. 



The effect of the finished mat will be determined by the 

 evenness of the heads and their uniform distance from the 

 top of the string. After the bunches of straw have all 

 been knotted the heads may be either left above the top of 

 the string or bent down. The former position is the one 

 usually adopted in making pillikins (i. e., mats that are fast- 

 ened around posts, etc.). Various colored braid is woven in 

 and out between the bunches, and the bottom ends of the 

 straw evenly cut off. In making mats with the double knot 

 the distance between the top and bottom string should be 

 exactly the same as the widths of the three or more pieces 

 of braid which are to be inserted. Illustration in Fig. 200 



