RERAMIC STUDIO 
No. 5— FRET AND SCROLL PATTERN. Designed by AMY MALI HICKS. 
making the hooked rug. Though okl ck)th maj^ l^e employed 
with good effect, the base of supphes is no longer centered in 
the rag-bag filled with the cast off garments of the family. 
For the best results and in order to secure uniformity of texture 
in the finished product, the material to use is a fairly good 
quality of unbleached flamiel, which sells at wholesale for about 
twenty -five cents a yard, coming in pieces of sixtj^ yards or so. 
The other material needed is what is known commercially as 
"raw jute/' or burlaps, and which forms the foundation for 
the rug, while from the flannel the loops are made which cover 
its surface. 
The preferred way to prepare the flannel for use, is to dye 
it oneself, matching as nearly as possible a color scheme which 
has first been worked out on paper. Artificial dye products 
from coal tar or anthracite may be used for this purpose and by 
being judiciously handled may have their original crudeness 
modified. The ideal way, of course, is to use only natural dye 
products, to make one's dye oneself, and then have the satis- 
faction of knowing exactly their origin, and that they are made 
of reliable chemicals and dye stuffs. 
This latter method, however, involves a knowledge of 
chemistry, much skill and patience, and as all legitimate wool 
dying is based on the indigo fermentation vat, also much more 
time, experience and space than is at the disposal of the aver- 
age rug worker. 
Of course it is possible to make use of old materials, which 
are already colored, and which having undergone the softening 
process of age and wear, possess unusually attractive tones. 
These same tones however are almost impossible to match, and 
I have hardly ever seen an instance where one started with 
something already on hand, that it did not give out before the 
rug was finished. Then as a final and last resource, one begins 
an indefinite and harassing "matching off" of color, which is 
never qhite satisfactory in the end. The really practical way 
is to be sure to dye enough of the color needed, and if there is 
anj' left over it can easilj^ be dj'ed a darker shade, or perhaps 
Ijlack, of which one always needs a supply on hand for outlin- 
ing the rug pattern. 
As to the pattern itself, it should be simple and structural 
in character, for the thread or strip of flaimel from which 
the rug is worked, is too coarse to admit of much detail in 
treatment. Large masses of color of comparatively the same 
tone value are most effective. These color masses are im- 
mensely improved, and much beauty added to the tone of 
the rug if the flannel is not too evenly dyed, as the little 
irregularities in the color, create a certain varietj^ in the tone 
which helps the general effect. 
The design should be drawn the full size of the rug on 
stencil paper, then the stencil, (illus. Nos. 4 and 5) which is 
used for stamping the pattern on the burlaps or rug foundation, 
is cut and shellaced. After it is thoroughly dry it is pinned in 
the burlaps which is cut about three inches larger than the 
design on all four sides. Then take ordinary bottle blvieing 
or liquid indigo, and brush over the holes of the stencil so that 
the design falls over the burlaps underneath. The printed 
pattern (shown in illus. No. 6) is then stretched upon the rug 
No. 6— HEARTH RUG WITH PERSIAN ROSE MOTIF BORDER. 
Designed by AMY MALI HICKS. 
