222 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
1999 
A table-loom showing over and under basket weave 
removed before it is placed in the shuttle. One end of the 
material is pulled through the holes at the side and is then 
ready for weaving. First push the left treadle down with 
the left foot which will cause a gap between the two layers 
of warp. Then take the shuttle in the right hand and throw 
it to the other side of the loom between the warps, holding 
with the left hand that part of the loom which contains the 
reed. ‘This is termed the lay. A couple of inches of mate- 
rial must be left at the edge of the rug to be turned back 
and lapped around at the side. After throwing the shot, pull 
the lay forward and press the right foot down, releasing the 
left, which will make a reverse gap between the two layers 
of the warp. ‘Then take the shuttle in the left hand and 
throw from right to left between the warps, the lay being 
pulled forward between each throw. This is how the Pris- 
cilla rug is made. The variegated effect is gained by twist- 
ing the white and colored strips together and winding on a 
ball. Bands of plain color are used for the dark strips at 
either end. A heading of at least one and a half inches 
must be woven at each end of the rug and enough warp left 
to enable the weaver to make a good knotted fringe. Fancy 
knotting is a great improvement to the rug, some rugs having 
as many as three rows of knots. 
When preparing the material for weaving it should not 
be cut into strips in the old-fashioned way. The material 
(e) Ms Cy 
: 7 7 \S& 
A Pnscilla rug 
Table-cover woven in a Swedish loom 
must be tightly wound in a roll and bound with a string. 
Place on a firm table and cut with a sharp carving-knife. 
This insures a smooth, straight edge, which some people 
prefer in a hand-woven rug. A great many, however, like 
to see a fuzz all over the rug, and this is done by tearing 
instead of cutting the material. Suppose, for instance, the 
length of the material is twenty yards. Take a measure and 
mark the material in inch and inch and a half divisions 
across the width. Cut about half an inch. Place this end of 
the material on a hook screwed into the woodwork, and then 
begin to tear from where the strips are indicated. In less 
than half an hour the whole twenty yards will be torn into 
even strips. ‘To avoid getting them tangled it is best to 
wind them into balls as each strip is torn. 
When the rug is made it should weigh about two and a 
half pounds. As a rule from five to seven yards of material 
of the width and weight of denim will make one yard of 
weaving. If the material is torn carelessly and the strips 
are too wide, more material is used without improving the 
rug. In heavy material three-quarters of an inch is a good 
width, but in thin material like cheese-cloth an inch and a 
half would not be too much, as it packs into so small a 
space. Unbleached muslin might be three-quarters of an 
inch to one inch. So much variety can be introduced in this 
work that one will not readily tire of it. 
