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The heavy rush bottom 
chair gives the impres¬ 
sion of handwork 
Reproductions along Co¬ 
lonial lines may be had 
that are suitable 
lent results may be ob¬ 
tained by the use of a 
plain or small-figured pa¬ 
per, with a cut out bor¬ 
der, the design of which 
is carried out in the cre¬ 
tonne, as shown in the 
photograph of the bedroom. The figure of the scalloped border 
is repeated in the cretonne bands that finish the curtains and 
ornament the bedspread, while a cretonne duplicate of the narrow 
decorative strip at the top of the border is used as a border for 
the lace-edged valance over 
the curtains and also for 
the spread, and to carry out 
the idea still further the 
tiny diamond-shaped fig¬ 
ure in the wall-paper is re¬ 
peated in the openwork de¬ 
signs of the thin curtains. 
In nothing more than 
floor coverings has the 
handicraft movement made 
itself felt, and in nothing 
has it effected better re¬ 
sults. Carpets and rugs in 
loud colors and shrieking 
patterns have been replaced 
by good examples in solid 
colors or two-tone effects 
with borders of dignified 
sign, as well as by the use¬ 
ful rag rug that is contin¬ 
ually assuming a more im¬ 
portant place in house fur¬ 
nishings of a certain class. 
For country houses, bun¬ 
galows, seashore cottages, 
and in any house the fur¬ 
nishings of which are sim¬ 
ple, it is suitable, and not the least of its advantages is that it is 
so inexpensive that it can be frequently renewed. This refers to 
the machine-made rugs that are to be bought in the shops. The 
rugs woven by hand are usually guaranteed to be washable, as 
the strips are dyed in fast colors before they are put into the 
loom. There are numbers of places where these hand-woven 
rugs may be had in sizes and colors to order, and while rather 
more expensive than the other variety, they often prove more 
satisfactory, for one has 
only to send a sample of 
hangings or wall-paper 
and the rug is dyed to 
match perfectly. 
The machine - woven 
rugs are made in sizes 
from 24 x 36 inches to 9 x 12 feet, and even larger if desired, and 
at prices that are anywhere from fifty cents to thirty dollars. 
They come in the regulation mixed effects as well as in all of the 
standard colors, greens, blues and browns of various shades with 
white borders, and the 
more expensive ones have 
decorative borders 
worked in with a shuttle 
after the rug is woven. 
There are designs that 
show houses and trees 
and figures in the crude 
outlines suggestive of the 
quaint old samplers, while 
quite the newest borders 
are reproductions of the 
shadowy patterns of 
French cretonnes, woven 
in lovely colors on a 
white ground. Some of 
these rag rugs are even 
done in the designs and 
colors of Navajo blank¬ 
ets, and are striking look¬ 
ing, to say the least. 
A new variety of wool¬ 
en rug that comes in solid 
colors with decorative 
borders is quite as suit¬ 
able for furnishings of 
this character as are the 
rag rugs, and probably 
more desirable for winter use, as it seems warmer and more 
comfortable. It is woven in the same way as the rag fug, heavy 
strands of twisted woolen thread being used instead of the cotton 
strips, while the binding threads are of cotton, just as for the 
rag variety. It is substantial and decorative and may be had in 
any desired color, as the manufacturers will dye the wool to 
match samples if the color required cannot be found in the ordi- 
(Continued on page 389) 
Although the cut out border and the strip sewed to the counterpane and curtains 
may be purchased, this bedroom creates the impression that much individual 
effort was used in its decoration 
Woodwork of straight lines given a natural finish, hand-made tiles, rag rugs, plain 
background of Japanese grass cloth, these are elements of the handicraft scheme 
(369) 
