INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



by the fact that some seventy thousand of these looms 

 were put into operation during the first decade of the in- 

 vention. Attempts are being made constantly to perfect 

 this loom for more complicated weaving, and it is prob- 

 able that this will be accomplished in the near future. 

 For complicated weaving the Jacquard loom is still 

 the one in universal use, the modern looms of this type 

 adhering closely to the principle of the original inven- 

 tion. Like the modern power-loom this machine is 

 altogether too complicated to be understood from a 

 description, but the secret of the pattern weaving with 

 this machine lies in the use of peculiar paper-card 

 patterns which guide the needles, and with which the 

 ordinary workman can produce the most beautiful 

 effects in a comparatively short time. Generally 

 speaking, the more complicated the pattern to be woven 

 the greater the number of cards that must be used, 

 but once these cards are made the weaving can be done 

 very quickly, and there is practically no limit to the 

 number of patterns that can be produced. In some 

 very elaborate designs as many as thirty thousand sep- 

 arate cards have been used, although the use of this 

 extraordinary number is unusual. 



FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS 



With the Jacquard loom it is possible, as already 

 pointed out, to weave complicated patterns, the threads 

 employed being of course dyed to the various shades 

 required before being placed in the loom. With many 

 varieties of material, however, the more economical 

 method is employed of printing the pattern on the 



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