RERAMIC STUDIO 
167 
twists thrown in alternate directions. Striped materials 
cut horizontally can be used in rug making and give a 
blurred effect that makes one of the most effective kinds 
of borders. 
In portiere making a different sort of border is ad- 
visable. The darkest color should be at the bottom of 
the portiere and extend up from 8 to 12 inches. A series 
of narrow bands either 1, 3, or 5, according to the desire 
of the designer, can then be added. The upper part needs 
no border. Another way of making patterns is to run 
in a few lines of white with a bodkin after the rug is finished. 
The disadvantage of this is that the rug will not be the 
same on both sides. There is no end to the developments 
that can be obtained in border making and as I feel that 
each worker should express her own indviduality in her 
work, I would advise that every weaver strikes out a 
new line for herself. 
Sometimes a white line thrown "hit or miss" through 
the rug is pleasing. In a dark blue rug, for instance, 
weave the white strip five inches long, and on the next 
pick to it add another line three inches long, and repeat 
these touches at intervals throughout the rug and the 
effect will be good. If it is too regular it loses all its 
charm. There are several designs in Indian rugs which 
suggest motifs for what is called the "inlay" work. In- 
dian arrows, diamonds, and squares can be evolved, but as 
I said before, think up your own designs, and do not 
be guided by others. 
The work of experimenting is fascinating, not only 
in designing borders, but in evolving good color schemes. 
It is a great help to make little sketches of the rugs with 
water colors, before you begin to experiment in the loom. 
A small table loom would be invaluable for experiment- 
ing with border work, as it would use so little material 
in width, and the strips of a series of borders could be kept 
at home as a guide to future rug designing. 
Another variety in rug making is caused by group- 
ing the warps three or four together by threading two 
or three warp threads through one heddle, but this work 
is too much trouble to do for one or two rugs, so that I 
only advise it where a number can be done at the same 
time. It is always advisable to group the warp separate- 
ly for portiere making, as the work should be so much 
more loosely woven and the warps further apart. It 
is not necessary to change the warps on the beam only 
to thread them in groups through the heddles. One 
lay-out of warp consists of two threads in every other 
heddle hole, instead of one warp thread in each hole. 
The demand for these rugs is so great at the present 
time, and the market for them is so rapidly increasing, 
that there is a wide field for those who enter into it in a 
business like way. If rugs are ordered for one of the 
stores, they must have a very neat and finished appear- 
ance, which would not be so attractive to an artistic class, 
who would buy them at an Arts and Crafts Exhibition. 
It is very important to remember the difference in the 
two markets, as the most artistic looking rug, that an 
artist would rave over, would be looked upon as de- 
fective by a rug buyer in a store. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
G. — We will soon give some good nut borders. 
I.. M. D. — Read the "Class Room" articles on "Backgrounds" in August 
number Keramic Stidio. 
Y. Z. — Burnish well your gold ground which is uneven, then give it two 
thin coats of gold making the brush strokes the second time at right angles 
to first coat. Fire quite hard. 
S. B. P. — When paint blisters, the color is either too oily or put on too 
thick. We do not think firing too quickly would cause blistering, still it is 
a bad plan to fire quickly. All paints of various manufacturers may be used 
together, the tube colors as well as powder. We prefer powder colors for 
most things but tube colors are easier to tint with. 
Mrs. C. B. S. — The scaling of the color on your pink and red roses came 
from too many firings. Pinks should be put on for the last firing only They 
are very liable to be spoiled if retired, also the color will scale if put on too thick- 
ly. If the acid from the pickles turned the color and took off the glaze on 
your dish, the color was much underfired. 
M. M. — The various glazes such as Ivory, Lavender glaze, etc., are sup- 
posed to be dusted over the half dry painting to give a uniform glaze. They 
are not used for painting. The black you mention can be used for outlining 
as can almost any black. You can mix colors of one make with those of 
another safely, if both makes are good. Black added to any color makes it 
darker and greyer, that is not so vivid. The Royal Worcester finish is a 
mat ivory glaze, it comes in powder form. It is not much used now but 
can be procured from any wholesale house. 
*• -f 
APPLES 
Sarah Reid McLaughlin 
For apples use Lemon Yellow, Albert Yellow, Yellow Red, 
Carnation, Pompadour Red, blending the yellows or reds 
into soft yellow greens, with Copenhagen Blue for greyish 
blue. Keep high lights clear and brilliant; the reflected 
lights softer in tone. Leaves Apple Green, Yellow Green, 
Moss Green for lighter ones, Brown Green and Shading 
Green for darker ones. For shadowy leaves use Violet of 
Iron or color which will be harmonious with background. 
For stems use Copenhagen Blue for blue grey lights, 
strengthened in second firing with Auburn Brown. Use 
Yellow Brown for pips strengthened in second firing with 
Auburn Brown. Background Copenhagen Blue, Violet of 
Iron to Warm Grey, Yellow Red to Blood Red. For second 
firing deepen above colors adding detail. 
TREATMENT FOR JUG IN PLUMS (pages J55-J56) 
Jeanne M. Stewart 
THIS piece in blue plums is most effective with a back- 
ground in dark green and purple or it may be 
worked in monochrome. 
In case the naturalistic treatment is desired the fol- 
lowing palette may be used: 
Plums: Banding Blue, Ruby Purple, Brunswick Black, 
Lemon Yellow, Yellow Green. 
Leaves: Yellow Green, Turquoise Green, Shading 
Green, Olive Green. 
Background: Ivory Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Shading 
Green, Ruby Purple, Banding Blue. 
Both depth and transparency are desirable in the first 
painting of the plums, the lightest tone or the "bloom" 
being obtained with a very thin wash of Banding Blue, 
while the dark is a mixture of Banding Blue, Ruby Purple 
and Brunswick Black. 
The background may be applied in the second and third 
firings with a dusting of the darkest colors in the third fire. 
EXHIBITION NOTE 
The National Society of Craftsmen will hold a recep- 
tion on the evening of November 30th, at the National 
Arts Club, but the exhibition will be formally opened only 
•on December 3d. 
