November, 1908 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



443 



right length must be determined by laying the wide strip on 

 a table and laying the new strip beside it. The corners must 

 be slightly fulled, so that the oval will lie perfectly flat. Do 

 not take out the needles until the strip is neatly sewed to the 

 centerpiece, so that more can be added if the strip has worked 

 up in sewing. A third strip would make a rug fifty-six inches 

 long and forty inches wide; and if a larger rug is desired, a 

 fourth strip would make a rug sixty-four inches long, every 



strip increasing the rug eight 

 inches in length. These rugs 

 are especially pretty when 

 placed in front of a bureau or 

 for a hearth rug, especially in 

 a living-room, in conjunction 

 with Mission furniture. 



There is still another kind 

 of rug that can be made from 

 the scrap bag, but instead of 

 using underwear, heavy cloth 

 and old felt hats are used. 

 Thus old trousers, women's 

 linsey skirts, and all kinds of 

 heavy outer clothing can be 

 brought into service. Invari- 

 ably these are of somber col- 

 ors, but they are brightened by 

 gay-colored silk, or flaxen 

 stitches. Practically any kind 

 of design can be made, accord- 

 ing to the ingenuity of the 

 worker. 

 The diamond-shaped rug is made from small pieces of 

 felt, cut out in rounds, the size of a dollar. Each little piece 

 of cloth is worked with color in various stitches. A cross 

 stitch or star is the principal decoration. A piece of burlap 

 is cut out the required size, and each little round is neatly 

 sewed on to it, beginning from the center. Sometimes old 

 horse-blankets or quilts are used for the foundation of the 

 rugs. When the pieces are all sewed on to within three inches 

 of the edge of the burlap, a heavy hem of the burlap is turned 

 back in order to make the rug strong at the edge. This rug 

 is called a button design. 



One of the oval shell rugs is made of cloth and homespun 

 lookout for some new ideas, so that they may keep their and each little piece is outlined in blanket stitch. This rug is 

 needles busy. A knitted rug is even more quickly made than not quite completed and the burlap foundation with its print- 

 a crocheted one. It is best to wind the material into balls, ing is still visible. This has been started from the outside 

 and to decide on two or three colors beforehand. The mate- and is being worked toward the center. It will be noticed 

 rial should be cut not more than half an inch wide, and, of that torn burlap can be used and the holes covered with 

 course, must be neatly joined together before being wound, patches, all of which are hidden when the rug is completed. 

 These rugs are made in the following way: Knit a strip six The other oval rug is of a more pretentious kind, as the 



inches wide and twelve inches long. Then knit another strip, center is ornamented by applique made from ribbons, and 

 which may be of another color, four inches wide, and make forms quite a decorative feature. The slightly pointed tips 

 it long enough to go entirely around the six-inch strip. The are outlined with blanket stitch like the other oval rug. 



about eight inches, and increase the same number for each 

 round. Crocheters do not all work alike, and if this is found 

 to be too full, do not add as many as eight stitches. The rug 

 must lie perfectly flat and smooth. Single crochet or afghan 

 stitch is used. 



Many people prefer a thick and heavy rug, especially if it 

 is to be used down stairs, and in order to make this really 

 solid, manila rope can be used with the material, holding 

 it in the hand and crocheting 

 over the rope. If a rope is 

 found to be too heavy, a round 

 lamp wick can be used instead, 

 but this makes a much softer 

 rug; but for a heavy rug, an 

 ordinary clothes line is the best 

 filling. Shaker flannel is varie- 

 gated in appearance and is, 

 perhaps, the nicest of all ma- 

 terials for making crocheted 

 rugs. If this is bought be- 

 tween the seasons remnants 

 can often be obtained for a 

 very small price. Experience 

 will enable the worker to find 

 out how many pounds of ma- 

 terial to use. It is impossible 

 to give the exact weight, as 

 one worker will use twice as 

 much material as another, ac- 

 cording to the looseness of the 

 crocheting or the size of the 

 hook. I have seen beautiful fancy rugs made from un- 

 bleached muslin dyed in exquisite shades and torn only half 

 an inch in width and without any filling. All sorts of intri- 

 cate patterns can be made, and designs of all kinds can be 

 worked out by a skilled worker. As the beauty of these rugs 

 depends upon their coloring, and as this is not easy to plan 

 for, dyeing can be resorted to after the rug is completed, by 

 staining some attractive patterns on the rug both back and 

 front. This should be done by means of a stencil, so as to 

 keep the edges clear, and the dye should be allowed to soak 

 in, so as to permeate well through the crochet work. 



Those who are interested in knitting are always on the 



Variegated Cloth Crocheted Over Manila Rope 



Plaited Rugs Done in Rough-and-Ready Fashion 



A Neatly Plaited Rug of Three Shades of Denim 



