70 
House & Garden 
IN TOWN AND COUNTRY 
ALL YEAR ’ROUND 
S 
G R A S' S R UG 
MADE //V AMERICA 
£TJll& £Fjf}y/Crm 
S ELECTING the dining room silverware is a matter of 
good judgment and pride. You would not think of say¬ 
ing “I want some knives, forks and spoons.” You would 
either ask for “Sterling” or a well-known brand in plated 
ware, both of which have stood for generations as the stand¬ 
ard of quality. 
So in buying grass rugs, whether for the dining room, 
living room, bed room—no matter what room or porch—they 
have their logical place in each through all seasons—you 
should ask for and insist on getting genuine CREX rugs. 
Strong in sanitary and wearing qualities—rich but not 
offensive in coloring and design—CREX rugs are a joy and 
comfort to the housewife. No beating required. Dust sifts 
through to floor. Surface dirt quickly removed with broom 
or damp cloth and light shaking. 
Beware of imitations, some of which are even made of 
split or crushed straw. Buy CREX rugs that for more than 
twenty years have graced the floors in millions of homes— 
modest and pretentious alike. 
CREX is easily said and easily read. The name woven 
in the side binding provides an ineffaceable identification 
mark. 
Handsomely illustrated catalog showing actual 
colors and sizes of the three CREX weaves— 
DE LUXE, HERRINGBONE and REGULAR 
—mailed free on request. 
CREX CARPET CO, 212 Fifth Ave, New York 
Simple Upholstery 
(Continued from page 68) 
as well as closer together, as in the 
illustration, which also shows how to 
turn the corners. If the gimp joins 
at a corner mitre it neatly; otherwise 
turn it straight under. In gimping the 
chair back, begin at the bottom; and 
in gimping the arms begin at the back 
inside corner. The outside of the chair 
back is best covered with the same ma¬ 
terial as the front, but a good quality 
of sateen to match may be used in¬ 
stead, finished with the same gimp. 
The small amount of filling in the back 
does not need a muslin cover, but can 
be kept in place by the outside one. 
Use black cambric for the underside of 
the seat, and when this is on give the 
framework a final rubbing. 
Davenports and wing chairs should 
not be attempted by the amateur, but 
many other stuffed chairs and sofas, 
though presenting a bigger piece of 
work, are no more difficult than the 
armchair we have just covered. Where 
back and seat join, the goods are pushed 
down through the crevice, pulled 
smooth, and tacked or sew'' rl onto the 
frame at the back of the chair. If the 
old pattern is carefully followed there 
is little danger of a poor j ib. 
Slip Covers 
We recently helped make attractive 
summer gowns of cretonne for half a 
dozen handsomely upholstered chairs and 
a davenport which the owner wished to 
protect from the dust and sun of sum¬ 
mer. To help give the living room a 
lighter appearance the heavy velour por¬ 
tieres were replaced by hangings of 
linen-colored monk’s cloth with a broad 
band of cretonne near the bottom. The 
linen-colored cretonne was patterned in 
old blue and sage green, which harmo¬ 
nized with the rugs and wall. It was 
surprising to see how quickly the for¬ 
mality of the winter color scheme gave 
way to the refreshing informality of 
the one adopted for summer. Having 
learned how easily slip covers can be 
made, the delighted owner decided to 
make a summer set for her bedroom 
and the result was charming. 
Because of their design and cheerful 
coloring chintz, cretonne, and printed 
linen give the most interesting effect, 
but patterned self-colored Scotch linen, 
figured denim, and Victor damask are 
satisfactory, the finest, of course, being 
striped or changeable taffetas. An ex¬ 
tra touch can be given by piping or 
binding the seams with bias bands or 
mercerized braid which repeats one of 
the colors of the design. 
In measuring for the slip covers the 
following suggestions will be helpful. 
The dotted line in the illustration will 
show how to estimate the amount of 
material needed for a plain, full-length 
slip. With a tape measure begin at 
A and finish at F, allowing an extra 
inch at each turn (B, C, D, and E) for 
seams and at A and F for hems. For 
the side pieces measure from H to G, 
allowing also for a seam and hem, and 
add twice this amount to the yardage 
already estimated. Sometimes the pat¬ 
tern and width of the goods will per¬ 
mit of both side pieces being cut out 
of one width. For an arm or wing- 
chair, measure from H to the highest 
point of the arm or wing, over the top, 
and down to the seat. If you wish the 
cover to be finished with a gathered or 
pleated valance start to measure at A' 
over back and seat to F\ For the ruf¬ 
fle measure the depth of the ruffle and 
calculate the amount needed by allow¬ 
ing 1 ]/ 2 times around the chair for 
gathers and 2/ times for pleats. 
If the finished slip is to be bound 
lay the goods on the chair, right side 
up; if piped or box-seamed lay it 
wrong side up. Beginning at F, lay 
the goods on the body of the chair, 
pinning it smoothly at the four corners 
of the seat and back to keep it well in 
place, and making at each angle a little 
pleat with the extra inch which was 
allowed. Remember to center the pat¬ 
tern, which should always run upward, 
and unless it is reversible the material 
must be cut at B and the back piece 
turned right side up. Pin firmly or 
baste along the pleated edges at E, D, 
C, and B, and then split them. Unless 
you are accustomed to fitting you 
would better make paper patterns for 
the sides before cutting the cloth, al¬ 
lowing a good half-inch all around for 
seams, and then cut the material and 
pin or baste it to the body of the slip¬ 
cover, which is now ready for stitch¬ 
ing. It is well not to fit the cover too 
snugly, as most goods shrink a little 
in the laundering. For over-stuffed 
pieces which have a crevice where the 
seat and back join you must leave at 
least a 4” plait to be tucked into the 
crevice. If the back of the chair is 
wider at the top than at the bottom 
an opening or placket must be made up 
the center of the back, running high 
enough to permit removal of the slip; 
otherwise the opening may be made at 
one of the back corners, and closed with 
hooks and eyes, snaps, or tapes. In 
covering larger pieces of furniture ap¬ 
ply the same principles as have just 
been given for the straight-backed chair, 
except that, for a sofa or davenport 
you would have to double or treble the 
measurement from A to F, according 
to the width of the goods. 
Covers for Box Cushions 
Somewhere about the house you prob¬ 
ably have a chair with box cushions 
that look run down at the heel. Their 
forlorn appearance may be cheered up 
immensely by ripping 4" at the middle 
of the lower front seam and inserting 
several good handfuls of new stuffing, 
hair, tow, or excelsior. Sew up the 
opening and readjust the filling with 
a regulator. 
Maybe you want entirely new cush¬ 
ions for a chair or window seat and 
have the courage to make them, but do 
not know how to begin. “The way to 
begin is to begin”, so measure twice the 
length of the cushion you want to make, 
add 8” for the seams and boxing of 
the ends, and an extra half-inch per foot 
to be taken up by the buttoning. Thirty- 
six inch goods are generally wide enough 
for the top, 8" for seams and side box¬ 
ing, and the extra half-inch per foot for 
tufting. Cut the top piece first, allow¬ 
ing 4" at sides and ends and the extra 
half-inch per foot on width and length. 
Thus, for a cushion which is to measure 
2' x 3' when finished cut a piece 45]/^" 
(3' + 8" -(- 1 y 2 ") x 33" (2' -j- 8" -f- 
1"). At each corner fold the edges to¬ 
gether wrong side out and at B, 4" 
from the corner A, stitch across to C. 
Trim off the extra and turn. When all 
four corners are finished baste the folds 
from C to C all the way around, and 
stitch the width of the machine foot. 
Cut the bottom larger all the way 
around than the finished top. Now 
turn the top wrong side out and sew 
in the bottom, leaving one end open to 
within 2" of the corners. Turn on the 
right side and box-seam the lower edge 
and the corners. 
Another way to make a box cushion 
is to have the top and bottom pieces 
the same size and separate, joining them 
with a straight strip of 4" boxing all 
the way around, closing the latter at a 
corner, and leaving the opening for the 
filling at one end, stitching wrong side 
out. Then turn and box-seam all the 
edges and corners. This method has 
the advantage of giving a true box- 
seam at every edge. 
The Filling and Buttons 
When you are ready for the filling, 
turn the cover wrong side out, and on 
(Continued on page 74) 
