HELPFUL HINTS. 429 



walnut, the latter will look very neat ; yellow pine, how- 

 ever, will only need to be sand-paj^ered and varnished. Of 

 course, having the frame made this way, it can he put to- 

 gether, by means of the bolts, to suit any size rug desired. 



The manufacturers supply regular patterns for rugs, lap- 

 robes, and foot-stools, stamped upon burlap all ready for 

 working, and also carpet yarn of the proper colors. These 

 make soft, thick, beautiful rugs serviceable enough for 

 door-mats, handsome enough for the parlor, and they are 

 not expensive either. At the same time, it is not necessary 

 to purchase these ; armed with the little machine, and an 

 oat or corn sack, and some woolen rags cut about a quarter 

 of an inch wide (not sewed) , you can make as handsome a 

 rug as any one need desire, without its costing one cent. 

 Turn the edges of the oat sack, stitch them down to make 

 them strong, then set the frame so that it will be about an 

 inch larger than the prepared piece, and then with strong 

 twine, fastening the four corners first, and a stout needle, 

 a sail-needle or short ui^holsterer's needle, sew in the sack- 

 ing, drawing it as tight and straight as possible. Then 

 you are ready to go to work, having your rags cut and 

 handy in a basket at your side. Nearly all the work can 

 be done sitting in a chair ; neither is there any hard push- 

 ing, but just a quiet simple motion of the hand pushing 

 the needle and loop in and out; the stitch is automatic, 

 the same size each time. 



You can work the colors just as they come, "hit or miss," 

 or you can lay the sacking on the floor after it is stretched 

 and draw on it any design you fancy ; work right on the 

 pattern, it will be thrown out on the other, or right side, 

 and also turn the hemmed-down edge toward you, so that 

 the right side will be smooth, no ravelings to work up and 

 spoil the neatness of the rug. 



The writer has made rugs on the stamped burlap patterns, 



